with desperation and anxiety. Mrs. Bartholomew wanted to appease his frantic mind, but she couldn’t.
The application to School of Fear was explicit about adhering to the rules and restrictions. It clearly stated that any child
found in possession of contraband would face immediate expulsion without refund and possible legal action from the offices
of Munchauser and Son. Moreover, if Theo were ever to lead a normal life, he needed to face his fears. Mrs. Bartholomew would
never forgive herself if she impeded his treatment by allowing a cell phone.
“I’m sorry, Theo, but I can’t let you take the cell phone.”
Parked directly in front of the station was the sheriff’s large white van with massive black rubber bumpers along the sides
and a rusted metal hook on its roof. It more closely resembled a bumper car than a normal passenger van. Madeleine and her
father climbed into the vehicle and began the extermination. Mr. Masterson covered his face with his shirt and prayed that
this was the last time he would ever have to exterminate anything again.
Standing outside the van, Lulu made claims on the window seat across from the sliding door. She often fretted about being
trapped during a car accident and, therefore, preferred to sit near an exit. Garrison stared at Theo madly gripping his mother’s
leg, his face awash in tears. Sure, Garrison was afraid of water, but crying like a baby was something he, much as Lulu, couldn’t
understand. A horrific desire to extol Theo on the rules of life, NBA and NFL specifically, abounded as he watched the boy
blubber.
“Don’t worry, young man; the sheriff has assured me that there is no water on the way to the school. Apparently he is taking
a route that avoids even the faintest view of the river,” Mrs. Masterson said, unknowingly breaking Garrison’s concentration
on Theo.
Mr. Masterson and Madeleine had nearly finished with the van when they came across a rotund brown-and-white English bulldog
on the floor of the driver’s seat. Madeleine gasped, stirring the dog, who then stared at the young girl with saggy eyes and
a pronounced under bite.
“Sheriff, it appears a dog has snuck into the car,” Madeleine announced in her proper British accent.
“That’s Mrs. Wellington’s dog, Macaroni; he’s here to check your bags.”
“The dog’s name is Macaroni?” Lulu scoffed.
“Yeah, Macaroni was part of a pair, but Cheese died last year.”
“She had dogs named Macaroni and Cheese?” Garrison said. “Weird.”
“Line up your bags. Macaroni will be sniffing for electronics,” the sheriff announced.
Theo’s small face twitched with alarm and apprehension as his mother placed his brown leather satchel next to the others.
The bag had been a gift from his father for his tenth birthday, something Theo had wanted for ages. Yet today as Theo stared
at the expensive satchel, he felt nothing but horror.
Then something occurred to Theo. Why had he never heard of an electronics-sniffing dog? Why weren’t airports using them? Maybe
this was all an elaborate ruse to trick the students into dumping their electronic ties to the outside world.
Macaroni waddled over to Madeleine’s gray-and-black plaid bag and began sniffing leisurely, making his way from the top to
the bottom. Macaroni employed an audible sniff, channeling all his energy into each inhalation. He toddled away from Madeleine’s
luggage, paused, and then returned to it. He performed one last long sniff before approaching Garrison’s white nylon backpack
with a Miami Heat logo. Macaroni inspected Garrison’s bag at record speed; apparently, nylon is a much easier material to
scrutinize. However, Macaroni did lick the bag with his wide purple tongue.
Understandably, Garrison frowned before proclaiming, “Gross.”
Macaroni continued his rapid inspection pace with Lulu’s green canvas sack. He managed to sniff his way from left to right
and top to bottom in
The application to School of Fear was explicit about adhering to the rules and restrictions. It clearly stated that any child
found in possession of contraband would face immediate expulsion without refund and possible legal action from the offices
of Munchauser and Son. Moreover, if Theo were ever to lead a normal life, he needed to face his fears. Mrs. Bartholomew would
never forgive herself if she impeded his treatment by allowing a cell phone.
“I’m sorry, Theo, but I can’t let you take the cell phone.”
Parked directly in front of the station was the sheriff’s large white van with massive black rubber bumpers along the sides
and a rusted metal hook on its roof. It more closely resembled a bumper car than a normal passenger van. Madeleine and her
father climbed into the vehicle and began the extermination. Mr. Masterson covered his face with his shirt and prayed that
this was the last time he would ever have to exterminate anything again.
Standing outside the van, Lulu made claims on the window seat across from the sliding door. She often fretted about being
trapped during a car accident and, therefore, preferred to sit near an exit. Garrison stared at Theo madly gripping his mother’s
leg, his face awash in tears. Sure, Garrison was afraid of water, but crying like a baby was something he, much as Lulu, couldn’t
understand. A horrific desire to extol Theo on the rules of life, NBA and NFL specifically, abounded as he watched the boy
blubber.
“Don’t worry, young man; the sheriff has assured me that there is no water on the way to the school. Apparently he is taking
a route that avoids even the faintest view of the river,” Mrs. Masterson said, unknowingly breaking Garrison’s concentration
on Theo.
Mr. Masterson and Madeleine had nearly finished with the van when they came across a rotund brown-and-white English bulldog
on the floor of the driver’s seat. Madeleine gasped, stirring the dog, who then stared at the young girl with saggy eyes and
a pronounced under bite.
“Sheriff, it appears a dog has snuck into the car,” Madeleine announced in her proper British accent.
“That’s Mrs. Wellington’s dog, Macaroni; he’s here to check your bags.”
“The dog’s name is Macaroni?” Lulu scoffed.
“Yeah, Macaroni was part of a pair, but Cheese died last year.”
“She had dogs named Macaroni and Cheese?” Garrison said. “Weird.”
“Line up your bags. Macaroni will be sniffing for electronics,” the sheriff announced.
Theo’s small face twitched with alarm and apprehension as his mother placed his brown leather satchel next to the others.
The bag had been a gift from his father for his tenth birthday, something Theo had wanted for ages. Yet today as Theo stared
at the expensive satchel, he felt nothing but horror.
Then something occurred to Theo. Why had he never heard of an electronics-sniffing dog? Why weren’t airports using them? Maybe
this was all an elaborate ruse to trick the students into dumping their electronic ties to the outside world.
Macaroni waddled over to Madeleine’s gray-and-black plaid bag and began sniffing leisurely, making his way from the top to
the bottom. Macaroni employed an audible sniff, channeling all his energy into each inhalation. He toddled away from Madeleine’s
luggage, paused, and then returned to it. He performed one last long sniff before approaching Garrison’s white nylon backpack
with a Miami Heat logo. Macaroni inspected Garrison’s bag at record speed; apparently, nylon is a much easier material to
scrutinize. However, Macaroni did lick the bag with his wide purple tongue.
Understandably, Garrison frowned before proclaiming, “Gross.”
Macaroni continued his rapid inspection pace with Lulu’s green canvas sack. He managed to sniff his way from left to right
and top to bottom in
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