“One-eighty monkey plant.” “Guys—” “Frog and Toad. “ “Alley-oop soul.” “Forget it, you guys!” I yelled. “You don’t have to decide.” Fred and Sam both stopped and looked at me. “What do you mean we don’t have to decide?” I pointed to my bookshelf. “The way I figure it, we have about three seconds before this green mist leaking off my bookshelf decides for us.” All three of us stared at the wisps of green mist swirling out of the thin blue book with silver designs. “Aww no,” said Fred. “How did that happen? I didn’t do nothing.” “Anything,” said Sam. “You didn’t do anything.., except put our summer reading list inside The Book.” “So, what will that do?” asked Fred. “We’ll find out soon enough,” I said. Then the familiar green mist washed over us. And we were flung through time and space to who knows when or where. THREE The chicken thundered toward us. “Don’t worry,” I said, standing in front of Fred and Sam. “I know exactly what’s going to happen next.” Sam crouched down and covered his head. “Yeah, death by chicken.” The galloping chicken was ten feet away and closing fast. “Are you sure you know what’s going to happen? “ said Fred. “Yerrbbfff, “ said Sam’s muffled voice. The enormous chicken hopped, flapped, and launched itself right at us. I thought I knew what was going to happen. I hoped I knew. The feathered monster rose up... up... and . . . just over us. It cleared the fence behind us with a foot to spare, and landed with a ground-shaking thud. The big bird gave one more “CLUCK” and then disappeared down the street. Sam froze in his crouch. “I can’t bear to look. Are we dead yet? “ “Yes,” said Fred. “And I’m the ghost of Fred.” Fred nudged Sam with one knee. Sam fell over, still curled in a ball. He carefully opened one eye. “Fred, Joe—you’re alive! “ said Sam. “You’re sideways, but you’re alive! “ Fred rolled Sam back upright. “Like magic,” said Sam. “Now you’re perfect.” Sam got on his knees and bowed to me. “Joe the Magnificent, I take back all of the bad things I ever said about you. You are a genius. You did know what was going to happen. “ “Well—” I began. Sam wrapped his arms around my knees. “So you must know where The Book is and how we can get it and go back home and not stick around to fight giant chickens or slay dragons or wrestle pirates or—” “Not exactly—” I began. Fred hopped a handrail, practicing a backside royale. “What do you mean ‘not exactly’? And how did you know that chicken was going to jump?” “That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you,” I said. “I saw that sign that says HOBOKEN DELI and I knew exactly where we were. “
Posted on: Sun, 11 Aug 2013 05:18:25 +0000
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