Read Online The Boy from Earth by Richard Scrimger - Free Book Online

the bed to the window, sinking into the mattress with each step. The window is just above ground level. Our room looks out on the chalk-lined square we landed on. Of course I now know it's a diamond, not a square. A baseball diamond. Fred McGriff. I shake my head at that.
    One of the moons – the biggest one, faintly blue-colored – rides low in the sky, shining right at me. “Which moon is that?” I ask.
    He's yawning. –
Sid
, he says.
You can always tell Sid because there's a smile across the bottom half.
    I look. I can't see the smile. I can't see the man in the moon back on Earth either. I shut the curtain, and let myself fall back onto the expanse of mattress. I sink right in, without bouncing at all. The mattress wraps itself around me like a soft and comforting hug. I don't need a blanket or pillow.
    “Is it bedtime?” I ask. “My watch is broken.”
    –
Are you tired?
    “Oh, yes.”
    – Then it's bedtime.
    I know I should wash my face and hands and brush my teeth, but I can't summon the energy. I can't even be bothered to take off my backpack.
    “Night, Norbert.”
    –
Night. Oh, uh, Dingwall?
    “Mmm?”
    –
You did well today. Learning to fly and all. And getting us away from the minions.
    I smile. I can't remember Norbert complimenting me before. “Well, they are my slippers,” I say. I slide my feet out of them now. I don't want to be flying by accident in my sleep. Ahh, that feels nice. It's a relief to wriggle my toes and not have to worry about where I'm heading.
    “Where are we?” I ask, with my eyes closed.
    –
Remember the map? This is Bogway Fen, near the edge of the right hemisphere. Tomorrow we'll pick up the Parietal River, which will lead us through the Random Lands.
    “Do we have far to go?”
    –
Are you anxious?
    “No, not really.”
    –
Good. If you were anxious, it'd be far away. Everything seems far away when you're anxious. If we keep the rising sun in our eyes, the river under us, and Sid on our right hand, we should get to the Amyg Dale tomorrow. The Sudden Mountains aren't too far from there.
    “Oh,” I say.
    –
Mind you, I'm anxious. So my estimate may be wrong
.
    For a moment, all is quiet. I'm drifting away, imagining the Dey as a little guy with a bowling shirt. I knock him down in front of his castle, and ring the doorbell. Its chimes sound like a ringing telephone.
    I come back to the hotel room. The phone is ringing. I ignore it. It rings again. Norbert picks it up. I'm feeling comfortable and warm, not quite awake and not quite asleep. A nice place to be.
    –
What are you talking about? A party? I don't want to go to a party…. I don't care how much trouble you went to. I'm asleep…. What do you mean, it's not for me? I'm Norbert, of course it's for me…. Who's it for then? … Look here, Melon-for-brains! You've got the wrong room! There's no one named Crime Dog here.
    I sit up. Norbert is sputtering into the phone.
    –
Yes, I called you Melon-for-brains! Want another nick name?
    I cough to attract his attention. “Uh, Norbert, they mean me. I'm Crime Dog.”
    –
What are you talking about, Dingwall?
    “Not Dingwall,” I say. “My name is McGriff.”
    –
Hang on
, says Norbert into the phone.

Turns out that they're throwing a party for me – well, for Crime Dog – in the lobby of the lodge. The whole of Bogway Fen is baseball crazy, and it's not often they get a big leaguer in the neighborhood.
    –
But you're not a big leaguer
, says Norbert.
    “They think I am.” I decide to wear the bathrobe, but leave the knapsack in the room. “You're coming too, aren't you?” I ask, at the door.
    – Are you kidding? I wouldn't miss it for anything. I want to hear all your baseball stories. Say, why do they call them, bases anyway?
    “I don't know.”
    –
And why a shortstop? Why short? Is there a long stop?
    “I don't know.”
    –
Okay, then, what about you? What position do you play?
    “I don't know. First base, I think.”
    He snorts. –
Quite