Read Online Looking for X by Deborah Ellis - Free Book Online Page B

fell into the mud. I bounced up again and rushed at him, but the big one got in my way.
    â€œWhat are you so excited about?”
    I punched him hard in his blubbery stomach. He doubled over, clutching himself. I jumped around him and saw the others punching and pulling at X. One of them had her suitcase.
    Maybe they weren’t real skinheads at all. Maybe they were with the secret police.
    I leapt at them with a shriek that David and Daniel would have been proud to make. I don’t know which one I landed on. I wasn’t aiming for any jerk in particular.
    At that point, I lost track of what was happening. I know I was being kicked, punched and shoved, and I also know that I got in a few good kicks and punches of my own.
    The fight was broken up by a police siren. The cops hadn’t come for us — they kept driving right on by the park — but it was enough to send the skinheads back into the cover of the trees.
    X and I were sprawled out on the ground. I crawled over to her. “X, are you okay?” I put myhead down close to hers. She was moaning a bit. “Can you get up?”
    Rain was starting to come down for real. I shook X again. “Let me help you up.”
    Her suitcase had been yanked open. There was nothing inside. I scrambled around on the ground, looking for any jewels or secret papers the skinheads might have dropped when they made their getaway. I couldn’t find anything.
    Leaning against the bench, X struggled to her feet. I closed the suitcase and handed it to her. She looked all hunched in and ashamed.
    â€œYou should see a doctor. Do you want me to go with you to the hospital?”
    X turned away from me, as if she didn’t want me to see her. I asked her again, but she just shrugged down into herself and walked away.
    I headed home, wondering what to tell Tammy. She’d forbidden me to fight, so I couldn’t tell her the truth. The best lie I could come up with was that I’d slipped and fell, and that’s how I got my clothes dirty. It was a pretty lame lie. Not even I believed it.
    The skinheads were still in the park, right at the corner I’d have to pass. I was sure they were waiting for me.
    Forgetting all the rules of Elmer the Safety Elephant — who never had to deal with skinheads — Idashed into the street, narrowly avoiding several cars that honked angrily. I headed south, then east, through the schoolyard, and up into Regent Park. I entered my building the back way.
    Mom was home. She was furious. First she hugged me, because she was glad I was safe. Then she glared at me with a face of stone and ice.
    â€œWell?”
    I told her as much truth as I could, without getting myself into more trouble. “I’m sorry about the potatoes, Mom. I was just about to do them when I saw X outside waiting for me, so I took her a sandwich, and tried to leave right away, but then she started talking and...singing. We sang together for a bit, then she went her way, and I headed home, only I slipped and fell in the mud. That’s why I’m all dirty.” I stopped for a breath, and to see how well my lie was going over. Tammy’s expression hadn’t changed. I could tell she knew I was lying.
    â€œGo and get washed for supper. Put your pajamas on. You’re going right to bed after you do the dishes.”
    I was very muddy, so I jumped in the shower. Parts of my body were very sore. I felt myself all over to see if anything was broken. Everything seemed in one piece. There was blood in several places where their hard boots had kicked me. Thehot water felt good. I wanted to cry, but I didn’t.
    Supper was on the table when I got out. We were having soup poured over mashed potatoes. I wanted to tell Tammy about singing X the soup song, but her face was still angry, so I didn’t say anything.
    When the dishes were done, I went to bed. I tried to do my homework there for awhile, until Tammy turned off my light. “You