Read Online Boot Camp by Todd Strasser - Free Book Online Page A

else?”
    â€œI shouldn’t think anyone’s going to come get me because no one knows where I am.”
    â€œWhat else?”
    I pretend to think for a moment. “That’s all, sir.”
    â€œYou sure?”
    â€œYes, sir.”
    Now it’s Joe’s turn to pause. “Step out of line, Garrett.”
    I do as ordered.
    Joe takes a stick of gum out of his shirt pocket and slowly unwraps it. Lake Harmony does not serve dessert or anything sweet, and the minty scent is incredibly tantalizing. Joe waves the stick under my nose before he pops it into his mouth. Then he crumples the wrapper and drops it on the floor.
    â€œPick it up,” he orders.
    I bend down and get it. When I straighten back up, Joe holds out his hand, palm upward. But that doesn’t mean he wants me to put the wrapper in it.
    Joe smiles. “Not bad, Garrett. Now give it to me.”
    I place it in his palm. He turns his hand over, and the wrapper falls to the floor. “Pick it up.”
    My eyes meet Joe’s. Under the mustache a slightly sadistic smile traces his lips. Once again I bend down and pick up the wrapper, then wait for the next order. Joe tells me to give it to him, and when I do, he drops it. “Pick it up, stupid.”
    I do what he says.
    â€œGive it to me.”
    He drops it.
    â€œPick it up, stupid.”
    â€œGive it to me.”
    â€œPick it up, stupid.”
    â€œGive it to me.”
    It’s Simon Says for boot-campers. The others watch, some with amusement on their faces, others wincing at the malicious nature of it.
    â€œPick it up, stupid.”
    â€œGive it to me.”
    â€œAhem.” Mr. Sparks clears his throat.
    Joe checks his watch. “The rest of you, go with Mr. Sparks to dinner.”
    They march away down the hall while I stay behind with Joe. We’re alone now.
    â€œPick it up, stupid.”
    â€œGive it to me.”
    â€œPick it up, stupid.”
    â€œGive it to me.”
    Finally, I make a mistake. He drops the wrapper and I bend to pick it up.
Crunk!
He knees me in the face. Blood gushes out of my nose, dripping onto my shirt. I tilt my head back and pinch the bridge of my nose, but it hardly stops the bleeding. Joe grimaces and steps back.
    â€œI thought you were supposed to be a smart guy, Garrett. Did I tell you to pick it up?”
    Still pinching my nose, I answer, “No, sir.”
    â€œThen why did you?”
    â€œMade a mistake, sir.”
    Drip
… A drop of blood plops to the floor at my feet.
    Drip
… Another drop of blood falls.
    Joe stares down with a look of revulsion on his face. But I can’t do anything about it.
    Drip …
    Drip …
    Joe makes a decision.
    â€œAll right, pick it up, stupid.”
    On the floor the wrapper lies among the drops of blood. Pinching my nose with one hand, I reach down with the other. Of course, this starts the blood flowing again. Some gets on the gum wrapper. When I straighten up, Joe is waiting with his palm out. I hold the damp, red, sticky wrapper and wait.
    â€œGive it to me.”
    But this time he moves his hand so the wrapper falls straight to the floor.
    â€œPick it up, stupid.”
    â€œGive it to me.”
    Each time I go to drop the wrapper, he moves his hand so that it falls to the floor.
    â€œPick it up, stupid.”
    Each time I bend down, the blood gushes from my nose anew. The constant bending and straightening makes me dizzy. I begin to feel light-headed andhave to plant my hands on my knees.
    â€œDid I say you could stop?” Joe demands.
    â€œNo, sir.”
    â€œThen pick it up, stupid.”
    I reach down for the gum wrapper, which is now lying in a puddle of blood. Suddenly my vision becomes distorted, as if everything is made of Silly Putty and it’s being stretched in all directions. The next thing I know, the floor is racing up toward my face.
    Thunk!
    When I come to, the right side of my face throbs with pain where it