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your doctor says you need to sleep more. She said you might have a sleeping disorder.”
    â€œI do,” I said. “His name is Amp!”
    The night sky was sparkling with stars. The little bulb by our back door was on, so I could see Olivia well enough to know something was on her mind.
    â€œWhat do you want?” I asked. “You’re supposed to be babysitting till eleven thirty. Is it eleven thirty already?”
    She pushed a wad of half-chewed Milk Duds to the side of her mouth with her tongue. Shenow looked like a distracted squirrel. “Something happened,” she said from the other side of her mouth.
    I stared down at her. “Something? Can you be more specific?”
    â€œSomething bad.”
    â€œHow bad?” I said, shaking my head.
    She paused, swallowed the gob of chocolate with some effort, and then looked around as if she were trying to figure out how to tell me the news. She sighed. “Amp kinda had a meltdown.”
    â€œWhat kind of meltdown? I didn’t think aliens could even have meltdowns.”
    â€œI didn’t think so either.”
    â€œThen what do you mean he had a meltdown?”
    â€œIt’s like his spirit was broken.”
    I grabbed a fistful of my hair in frustration. “What does that mean?” I growled. “Olivia, what’s wrong with you? First you almost knock my tooth out, then you nearly blind me, then you get all mysterious.”
    â€œSorry,” she said, blinking. Now she really did seem upset. She held up the box of candy. “I’m an emotional eater.”
    â€œOkay,” I said. “Take it easy. Just relax. He drives me crazy, too. Where is Amp now?”
    â€œI don’t know.”
    â€œIs he nearby?”
    â€œI don’t know.”
    â€œDid he come back to my house?”
    â€œI don’t know.”
    â€œWhich direction did he go?”
    â€œI don’t know.”
    â€œWas he going to get something?”
    â€œI. Don’t. Know.”
    â€œYou’re some babysitter! I hope you’re not expecting a tip!”
    Olivia looked down at her shoes. I thought she might start to cry.
    â€œOkay,” I said. “We’ll figure this out. He gets touchy sometimes. When did this all happen?”
    â€œAbout two hours ago.”
    â€œ What? He’s got a two-hour lead? He can’t be out on his own! He can’t be seen. He’ll get eaten by a cat or a badger.”
    â€œI know that!” she shouted.
    â€œShhh! My parents . . . Why didn’t you come get me earlier?”
    â€œI told you, I tried! Your mom has you in sleepy time lockdown. I was trying to find him on my own so you could get your beauty rest.”
    I thought for a moment. “Okay, go get your grandpa’s ladder. My mom is not going to let me out, not at this hour. We’ll find him together.”
    Olivia nodded and walked off, looking relieved to have the beginnings of a plan, any plan, taking shape.
    â€œAnd save some Milk Duds for me,” I said, trying to make the situation less tense. I’m not sure if it worked. Olivia didn’t look back. She disappeared into the hole in the fence between our two backyards.
    I popped my screen out and dropped it into the bushes below. I looked around my room. An uneasy feeling overtook me. I quietly closed my door all the way. I could hear my parents talking excitedly down in the kitchen.
    I turned back to my empty room. “Somebody remind me to strangle that alien when I get my hands on him.”

Credits
    Cover art by Macky Pamintuan
    Design by Jeff Shake

Copyright
    ALIEN IN MY POCKET: FORCES OF NATURE . Text by Nate Ball, copyright © 2015 by HarperCollins Publishers. Illustrations by Macky Pamintuan, copyright © 2015 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the nonexclusive, nontransferable