under a minute flat. And even better, he didn’t feel the need to use his tongue. Now only Theo’s academic
leather satchel remained. Macaroni abandoned his fast pace, instead employing a thorough inhalation of each square inch of
the bag. Five, then ten minutes passed as Macaroni sniffed and licked.
Theo felt his nerves ease, realizing that an electronics-smelling dog was patently absurd. He paused, thinking how awfully
foolish and gullible of him it was to believe such a story. The portly old dog couldn’t smell a bowl of batteries if it was
under his nose. As Theo broke into a smile, Macaroni stopped to stare at the boy ominously. Theo’s nerves cracked like an
old piece of chewing gum as the sheriff unzipped the leather bag and Macaroni plunged headfirst. Seconds later, the dog emerged
with a black sock in his drool-infested mouth.
“This dog
clearly
has no credibility. He’s fishing out socks,” Theo bellowed, walking toward the dog with his hand extended.
Mere inches from the sock, the sheriff’s arm swooped in and grabbed the garment. He quickly reached into the sock and pulled
out a sleek black cell phone. All eyes turned to Theo, who immediately threw his hands up in the air.
“I’ve been set up,” Theo said spectacularly.
“Theo?” Mrs. Bartholomew asked incredulously.
“Mom, I don’t know what kind of a scam these people are trying to pull, but we should leave,” Theo said seriously.
“I am only going to ask you this once. Where did you get that phone?”
“This is a setup. The so-called sheriff and the dog are behind it… .” Theo trailed off before relenting under his mother’s
unsympathetic gaze. “It’s unreasonable to spend an entire summer without a phone. People need phones. It’s as natural as water
or air!”
“I’m truly sorry, Sheriff. I don’t know where he got that cell phone. I already confiscated his personal one,” Mrs. Bartholomew
explained, ignoring Theo entirely.
“The black market! That’s where you forced me to go,” Theo said angrily.
“You bought this on the street?”
“Well, not technically. But in spirit, yes.”
“Theo?” Mrs. Bartholomew pressed on with mounting irritation.
“Fine. I got it off eBay, but it’s still dangerous.”
“For Heaven’s sake, Theo,” Mrs. Bartholomew said with embarrassment.
Without any further ado, Madeleine lifted her veil, kissed her parents on the cheek, and entered the van. She took the left
seat in the back row, pulled down her veil, and sprayed a circle around her feet. Without anyone to say goodbye to, Garrison
quickly followed Madeleine, taking the seat on the right.
Lulu turned to her parents, unsure how to say goodbye. Mr. Punchalower set the tone by releasing his left hand from his BlackBerry
for a cordial handshake. Lulu rolled her eyes, shook his hand, and approached her rigid mother. Lulu believed that her mother
secretly longed to hug her but couldn’t in front of her father. Whether true or not, that’s what Lulu told herself as she
held her mother’s cold and bony hand.
Once Lulu was seated, Theo hugged his mother, gulped down tears, and stepped into the van. His overt lack of drama surprised
everyone, even Theo. Perhaps this journey would offer him a chance to mature. Just as soon as the thought crossed Theo’s mind,
he smashed his face against the window and howled. Clearly, maturity would have to wait.
CHAPTER 8
EVERYONE’S AFRAID OF SOMETHING:
Optophobia is the fear of opening one’s eyes.
T heo banged his fists against the window as the van pulled away. It was reminiscent of many a prison drama he had watched with
his grandmother before her death. Panic seized Theo as he imagined never seeing his mother again. He buried his face in his
hands, much to the annoyance of Lulu and Garrison, who exchanged telling looks. Madeleine didn’t mind at all, although it
was near impossible to read her expression through the veil and cloud
leather satchel remained. Macaroni abandoned his fast pace, instead employing a thorough inhalation of each square inch of
the bag. Five, then ten minutes passed as Macaroni sniffed and licked.
Theo felt his nerves ease, realizing that an electronics-smelling dog was patently absurd. He paused, thinking how awfully
foolish and gullible of him it was to believe such a story. The portly old dog couldn’t smell a bowl of batteries if it was
under his nose. As Theo broke into a smile, Macaroni stopped to stare at the boy ominously. Theo’s nerves cracked like an
old piece of chewing gum as the sheriff unzipped the leather bag and Macaroni plunged headfirst. Seconds later, the dog emerged
with a black sock in his drool-infested mouth.
“This dog
clearly
has no credibility. He’s fishing out socks,” Theo bellowed, walking toward the dog with his hand extended.
Mere inches from the sock, the sheriff’s arm swooped in and grabbed the garment. He quickly reached into the sock and pulled
out a sleek black cell phone. All eyes turned to Theo, who immediately threw his hands up in the air.
“I’ve been set up,” Theo said spectacularly.
“Theo?” Mrs. Bartholomew asked incredulously.
“Mom, I don’t know what kind of a scam these people are trying to pull, but we should leave,” Theo said seriously.
“I am only going to ask you this once. Where did you get that phone?”
“This is a setup. The so-called sheriff and the dog are behind it… .” Theo trailed off before relenting under his mother’s
unsympathetic gaze. “It’s unreasonable to spend an entire summer without a phone. People need phones. It’s as natural as water
or air!”
“I’m truly sorry, Sheriff. I don’t know where he got that cell phone. I already confiscated his personal one,” Mrs. Bartholomew
explained, ignoring Theo entirely.
“The black market! That’s where you forced me to go,” Theo said angrily.
“You bought this on the street?”
“Well, not technically. But in spirit, yes.”
“Theo?” Mrs. Bartholomew pressed on with mounting irritation.
“Fine. I got it off eBay, but it’s still dangerous.”
“For Heaven’s sake, Theo,” Mrs. Bartholomew said with embarrassment.
Without any further ado, Madeleine lifted her veil, kissed her parents on the cheek, and entered the van. She took the left
seat in the back row, pulled down her veil, and sprayed a circle around her feet. Without anyone to say goodbye to, Garrison
quickly followed Madeleine, taking the seat on the right.
Lulu turned to her parents, unsure how to say goodbye. Mr. Punchalower set the tone by releasing his left hand from his BlackBerry
for a cordial handshake. Lulu rolled her eyes, shook his hand, and approached her rigid mother. Lulu believed that her mother
secretly longed to hug her but couldn’t in front of her father. Whether true or not, that’s what Lulu told herself as she
held her mother’s cold and bony hand.
Once Lulu was seated, Theo hugged his mother, gulped down tears, and stepped into the van. His overt lack of drama surprised
everyone, even Theo. Perhaps this journey would offer him a chance to mature. Just as soon as the thought crossed Theo’s mind,
he smashed his face against the window and howled. Clearly, maturity would have to wait.
CHAPTER 8
EVERYONE’S AFRAID OF SOMETHING:
Optophobia is the fear of opening one’s eyes.
T heo banged his fists against the window as the van pulled away. It was reminiscent of many a prison drama he had watched with
his grandmother before her death. Panic seized Theo as he imagined never seeing his mother again. He buried his face in his
hands, much to the annoyance of Lulu and Garrison, who exchanged telling looks. Madeleine didn’t mind at all, although it
was near impossible to read her expression through the veil and cloud
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