girly squeal, clutchinghis hands to his sweetheart neckline. “You know, you get pinched if you’re not dressed up by class time,” he added, motioning to my jeans and white tank top.
“I believe you are thinking of Saint Patrick’s Day and wearing green, Coop,” Mr. Graham said.
“Oh, bite me.” Mr. Cooper grandly gestured to his neck. They both laughed.
“You guys are dorks to the power of ten,” I said, as I signed in. I would never have spoken to teachers back home this way, but there seemed to be a relaxed air between students and faculty here, since we all lived together, more or less.
“Muwha-ha-ha!” Mr. Graham laughed, nearly losing his plastic teeth. “See you in biology!”
“Costume room is open to the public! Grab a costume from the theater!” Mr. Cooper yelled helpfully, as I walked to the kitchen for grub.
Milk was contained in a stainless steel cow of a machine that dispensed moo juice from whole, 2 percent, and fat-free udders. I was milking my cereal bowl on 2 percent when Brynn sidled up next to me, wearing her tennis whites. Guess she had already been up and practicing. She leaned across to fill a glass with nonfat.
“Secret room. Four o’clock.” Her breath tickled my ear.
“What?”
“Nora said to tell you. Four.” She sipped her milk. A man got Jessie , I thought.
“Hey, I need to find pictures of people who work here at school,” I said. I was pretty sure I could show Brynn the man who’d taken Jessie, but I needed photographic evidence.
“What is up with you and pictures?” Brynn tucked a stray hair behind her ear. “Did you try the wall of photos I showed you before?”
I shook my head. “I looked there this morning. Any place else?”
Brynn said, “Well, there’s that room in the library. Archives, or something. You might check there. What are you looking for?”
“I’ll tell you when we meet up,” I said.
“Sure.” Brynn nodded, casting a glance around the dining hall. Two junior boys sat at a far table. One winked at her. She sauntered over to their table without so much as a good-bye.
All that day, I raced against my wristwatch, trying to squeeze out five extra minutes to go up to the library and find Barnaby Charon’s photo. I knew that as soon as she saw it, Brynn would identify him as the guy who took Jessie. But the whole world conspired against me with extra homework and teachers running over the bell and not a free minute the whole day.
When I was done with intramurals, it was 3:50 — ten minutes before meeting Brynn and Nora in the secret room. I played victory music in my head on the way to the library. I didn’t know what we’d do when Brynn recognized Barnaby Charon, but at least I wouldn’t have to be alone with my suspicions of the guy anymore.
The library was deserted. Most kids were still at sports, or getting ready for the Halloween party up in the dining hall. I jogged through the library to a room in the back of the building. A very small sign hanging above the door said ARCHIVES . It looked like a converted office. Cheap metal blinds were pulled down over all the windows, so I couldn’t see anything that might be inside. I pushed the door. It was locked.
“May I help you?”
I knew the wavering voice belonged to Abby Claremont,thousand-year-old librarian. She didn’t work in the library so much as haunt it.
I was pretty much struck dumb when I turned. The librarian stood in front of me, holding a silver sword with golden flames curving up the sides. After nearly having a stroke, my mind registered what I was actually seeing — a kid’s foil blade. The prop of a seven-year-old playing superhero. It was just that the light bounced off it funny and blinded me when I turned. Plus, old Abby was so frail and wan I could practically see though her. The gossamer wings and tinsel halo she was wearing made it worse. She was dressed as an angel. Because of Halloween, of course.
“Um …” I squinted at her. “I wanted
“I believe you are thinking of Saint Patrick’s Day and wearing green, Coop,” Mr. Graham said.
“Oh, bite me.” Mr. Cooper grandly gestured to his neck. They both laughed.
“You guys are dorks to the power of ten,” I said, as I signed in. I would never have spoken to teachers back home this way, but there seemed to be a relaxed air between students and faculty here, since we all lived together, more or less.
“Muwha-ha-ha!” Mr. Graham laughed, nearly losing his plastic teeth. “See you in biology!”
“Costume room is open to the public! Grab a costume from the theater!” Mr. Cooper yelled helpfully, as I walked to the kitchen for grub.
Milk was contained in a stainless steel cow of a machine that dispensed moo juice from whole, 2 percent, and fat-free udders. I was milking my cereal bowl on 2 percent when Brynn sidled up next to me, wearing her tennis whites. Guess she had already been up and practicing. She leaned across to fill a glass with nonfat.
“Secret room. Four o’clock.” Her breath tickled my ear.
“What?”
“Nora said to tell you. Four.” She sipped her milk. A man got Jessie , I thought.
“Hey, I need to find pictures of people who work here at school,” I said. I was pretty sure I could show Brynn the man who’d taken Jessie, but I needed photographic evidence.
“What is up with you and pictures?” Brynn tucked a stray hair behind her ear. “Did you try the wall of photos I showed you before?”
I shook my head. “I looked there this morning. Any place else?”
Brynn said, “Well, there’s that room in the library. Archives, or something. You might check there. What are you looking for?”
“I’ll tell you when we meet up,” I said.
“Sure.” Brynn nodded, casting a glance around the dining hall. Two junior boys sat at a far table. One winked at her. She sauntered over to their table without so much as a good-bye.
All that day, I raced against my wristwatch, trying to squeeze out five extra minutes to go up to the library and find Barnaby Charon’s photo. I knew that as soon as she saw it, Brynn would identify him as the guy who took Jessie. But the whole world conspired against me with extra homework and teachers running over the bell and not a free minute the whole day.
When I was done with intramurals, it was 3:50 — ten minutes before meeting Brynn and Nora in the secret room. I played victory music in my head on the way to the library. I didn’t know what we’d do when Brynn recognized Barnaby Charon, but at least I wouldn’t have to be alone with my suspicions of the guy anymore.
The library was deserted. Most kids were still at sports, or getting ready for the Halloween party up in the dining hall. I jogged through the library to a room in the back of the building. A very small sign hanging above the door said ARCHIVES . It looked like a converted office. Cheap metal blinds were pulled down over all the windows, so I couldn’t see anything that might be inside. I pushed the door. It was locked.
“May I help you?”
I knew the wavering voice belonged to Abby Claremont,thousand-year-old librarian. She didn’t work in the library so much as haunt it.
I was pretty much struck dumb when I turned. The librarian stood in front of me, holding a silver sword with golden flames curving up the sides. After nearly having a stroke, my mind registered what I was actually seeing — a kid’s foil blade. The prop of a seven-year-old playing superhero. It was just that the light bounced off it funny and blinded me when I turned. Plus, old Abby was so frail and wan I could practically see though her. The gossamer wings and tinsel halo she was wearing made it worse. She was dressed as an angel. Because of Halloween, of course.
“Um …” I squinted at her. “I wanted
Similar Books
