Read Online Sophie Under Pressure by Nancy N. Rue - Free Book Online Page A

chose the one with the fuzzy blue hair so she could comb her fingers through it and not chew her own hair while she talked.
    â€œWhoa, Sophie-Lophie-Loodle,” Dr. Peter said. “Start from the beginning. Tell me all about this Captain Stella Stratos.” His twinkly blue eyes shone through the lenses of his wire-rimmed glasses. It was one of about a thousand things she liked about him. He wore glasses too, and he was still about the most awesome grown-up she knew.
    Sophie launched into a detailed account of Captain Stella and the space station and her recent issues with her crew. The whole time, Dr. Peter watched her and nodded his head of cut-short, reddish brown hair. When she was finished, Dr. Peter picked up the face pillow with the orange puffs of hair that came out of its nostrils.
    â€œSounds like our Loodle is going off to Sophie World in school again,” he said to it. “What do you think?”
    The pillow nodded. Dr. Peter looked at Sophie. “Why is that?”
    â€œBecause we have to get our project done. It’s very complex. It requires a lot of concentration.”
    â€œYou haven’t by any chance forgotten your agreement with your dad, have you?”
    â€œYou mean only going into Sophie World when I’m filming?” Sophie sighed. “I am filming. AND I’m imagining Jesus. But it’s not helping.”
    â€œOkay,” Dr. Peter said. “You want to do a treasure hunt and find out why?”
    That was another reason she liked Dr. Peter. He never even looked like he thought she was loony tunes.
    â€œOkay,” she said. “Only, could we make it like exploring outer space instead? I’m really into that right now.”
    â€œOf course. Silly me,” he said. “Now — I want you to close your eyes and imagine you’re going through space in your capsule.”
    That was easy. Stars and planets began to zip by in her mind.
    â€œNow, as you know, Captain,” he went on, “sometimes meteors go through space and leave a trail of debris on things they hit.”
    â€œIs any of it going to hit my capsule?” Sophie said.
    â€œIt may. If that happens, you need to stop and see what it was and how much damage it has done. Then you can decide if you can fix it.”
    â€œYes, sir,” Sophie said.
    â€œAll right, proceed through space and let me know when something collides with your craft.”
    Sophie opened one eye. “What if I ask Jesus not to let anything hit me?”
    â€œYou can ask that. But it might be better to ask him to keep you from being damaged when something hits you. Outer space is filled with flying objects for reasons we don’t even understand — even though we’re scientists. Being strong enough to handle them all is what we need to ask for.”
    Sophie closed her eyes again and almost immediately she imagined something hitting square in the middle of the space capsule’s window.
    â€œReduce speed, Captain, and let’s examine it.”
    â€œDo I open my eyes?” Sophie said.
    â€œWhatever helps you see best.”
    Sophie kept her eyes squeezed shut and let herself imagine the big rock that had split apart against the space-worthy glass.
    â€œWhat do you think it is?” Dr. Peter said.
    â€œI can’t tell.”
    She could picture Dr. Peter’s nose wrinkling to push up his glasses. “It looks to me like a piece of a family,” he said.
    â€œA family? You mean, like, people?”
    â€œIt’s more like an idea of a family.”
    â€œOh,” Sophie said. “And it came apart.”
    Suddenly, she felt squirmy, and her chest hurt.
    â€œPermission to move on, Huntsville,” Sophie said. “I have decided my capsule wasn’t damaged.”
    â€œLoodle,” Dr. Peter said. He was using his soft come-back-to-earth voice.
    Sophie hugged the pillow to her chest and opened her eyes.
    â€œI don’t want to talk about