shoulder and ran out of the classroom.
I stood there staring until she disappeared.
Ghost stories?
This wasn’t a ghost story. This was real. This was my life.
Shaking my head, I gathered up my stuff and headed out into the hall. Some guys at their lockers turned and meowed at me.
I laughed, pretending it was funny. Showing them I’m a good guy and can take a joke.
Some joke.
The sound of their meows made my stomach tighten.
I walked past a group of cheerleaders in their red-and-yellow uniforms. They were practicing a cheer as they walked to the gym.
I stepped outside into a cool, gray afternoon. Low clouds overhead. I felt a raindrop and then another raindrop on my forehead.
I was walking past the soccer field, nearly to the street, when I saw the three men in gray work uniforms. Lou and his two buddies. Standing together on the grass.
I glanced around. I was out in the open. Nowhere to hide.
Did they recognize me?
Yes.
All three men began waving wildly as they came racing across the soccer field toward me.
“Hey, you!” Lou shouted. He stuck his arm straight out and pointed at me. “Freeze! Stop right there!”
27
Should I talk to them? Or run?
I wanted this to be over. I wanted to tell someone the whole story.
But the angry looks on their faces told me they wouldn’t want to listen. They wanted to punish me for stealing.
So I ran.
I darted into the street. Tires squealed. A car swerved to avoid me. The driver sent out a long, angry horn blast.
I froze in panic in the middle of the street. I glanced around. No way to escape them if I ran down the block. They were too close and coming on fast.
“Hey, stop! Wait right there, kid!”
They were shouting and waving, their feet pounding the pavement. Then they leaped off the curb, onto the street.
My breath came out in short wheezes. Myheart fluttered in my chest. I was so frightened, I bit my tongue.
“Owww.”
The sharp pain moved me into action.
I spun around. And dodged between two parked SUVs. I sprinted between a bunch of kids on bikes. And raced toward the school building.
I’ll be safe there
, I told myself.
Safer than on the street.
They won’t follow me into the school.
And there are plenty of places to hide in there.
“Stop!” Lou shouted behind me. “You’re in big trouble! Stop right now!”
“Somebody grab that kid!”
I heard people screaming. I saw some startled parents who had come to pick up their kids. They backed away as I ran past.
The shouts and cries faded as I grabbed the entrance doors to the school building, hurtled inside, and shut them behind me.
Where to hide?
I tore down the empty hall, past rows of gray lockers and dark classrooms.
Over my wheezing breath I could hear the cheerleaders practicing downstairs in the gym. And I heard music—a march. The band rehearsing in the music room.
I’m safe here. They won’t follow me into the school.
I gasped as I heard shouts behind me. Heavy, pounding footsteps.
I nearly fell over as I swung to look behind me. Lou and his two pals. They were stampeding down the hall.
“Freeze!”
“Stop right there! Don’t run away!”
“Stop, kid!”
Their voices echoed off the gray tile walls.
Why were they so desperate to catch me? I stole a cat. But so what? Do they send
three guys
out to capture everyone who takes a cat without paying?
“You’re in trouble, kid!”
“Stop! Just stop!”
I knew I was in trouble. They didn’t have to tell me that.
I spun around a corner. Running off balance, I slid on the linoleum floor. I skidded to a stop when I saw someone had left a locker open.
I didn’t even think about it. I darted into the locker.
I squeezed into the narrow metal locker, spun around to face the front—and shut the door.
I didn’t mean to slam it so hard. It made a loud
clannng.
Did they hear it? Could they hear my gasping breaths?
I shut my eyes and listened. Their shoes thudded on the hard floor. Their angry shouts boomed like
I stood there staring until she disappeared.
Ghost stories?
This wasn’t a ghost story. This was real. This was my life.
Shaking my head, I gathered up my stuff and headed out into the hall. Some guys at their lockers turned and meowed at me.
I laughed, pretending it was funny. Showing them I’m a good guy and can take a joke.
Some joke.
The sound of their meows made my stomach tighten.
I walked past a group of cheerleaders in their red-and-yellow uniforms. They were practicing a cheer as they walked to the gym.
I stepped outside into a cool, gray afternoon. Low clouds overhead. I felt a raindrop and then another raindrop on my forehead.
I was walking past the soccer field, nearly to the street, when I saw the three men in gray work uniforms. Lou and his two buddies. Standing together on the grass.
I glanced around. I was out in the open. Nowhere to hide.
Did they recognize me?
Yes.
All three men began waving wildly as they came racing across the soccer field toward me.
“Hey, you!” Lou shouted. He stuck his arm straight out and pointed at me. “Freeze! Stop right there!”
27
Should I talk to them? Or run?
I wanted this to be over. I wanted to tell someone the whole story.
But the angry looks on their faces told me they wouldn’t want to listen. They wanted to punish me for stealing.
So I ran.
I darted into the street. Tires squealed. A car swerved to avoid me. The driver sent out a long, angry horn blast.
I froze in panic in the middle of the street. I glanced around. No way to escape them if I ran down the block. They were too close and coming on fast.
“Hey, stop! Wait right there, kid!”
They were shouting and waving, their feet pounding the pavement. Then they leaped off the curb, onto the street.
My breath came out in short wheezes. Myheart fluttered in my chest. I was so frightened, I bit my tongue.
“Owww.”
The sharp pain moved me into action.
I spun around. And dodged between two parked SUVs. I sprinted between a bunch of kids on bikes. And raced toward the school building.
I’ll be safe there
, I told myself.
Safer than on the street.
They won’t follow me into the school.
And there are plenty of places to hide in there.
“Stop!” Lou shouted behind me. “You’re in big trouble! Stop right now!”
“Somebody grab that kid!”
I heard people screaming. I saw some startled parents who had come to pick up their kids. They backed away as I ran past.
The shouts and cries faded as I grabbed the entrance doors to the school building, hurtled inside, and shut them behind me.
Where to hide?
I tore down the empty hall, past rows of gray lockers and dark classrooms.
Over my wheezing breath I could hear the cheerleaders practicing downstairs in the gym. And I heard music—a march. The band rehearsing in the music room.
I’m safe here. They won’t follow me into the school.
I gasped as I heard shouts behind me. Heavy, pounding footsteps.
I nearly fell over as I swung to look behind me. Lou and his two pals. They were stampeding down the hall.
“Freeze!”
“Stop right there! Don’t run away!”
“Stop, kid!”
Their voices echoed off the gray tile walls.
Why were they so desperate to catch me? I stole a cat. But so what? Do they send
three guys
out to capture everyone who takes a cat without paying?
“You’re in trouble, kid!”
“Stop! Just stop!”
I knew I was in trouble. They didn’t have to tell me that.
I spun around a corner. Running off balance, I slid on the linoleum floor. I skidded to a stop when I saw someone had left a locker open.
I didn’t even think about it. I darted into the locker.
I squeezed into the narrow metal locker, spun around to face the front—and shut the door.
I didn’t mean to slam it so hard. It made a loud
clannng.
Did they hear it? Could they hear my gasping breaths?
I shut my eyes and listened. Their shoes thudded on the hard floor. Their angry shouts boomed like
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