I—”
“Wait a minute,” Walter interrupted. “Who said that? And what the heck is an EMF detector?”
“Wisdom Willows,” Charlie answered in an exhausted tone. “He’s a genius. He runs SpiritSpy.org and is the author of fifteen books on paranormal activity. I’ve read them all. Wisdom gives talks all over the country. And an EMF detector collects paranormal data and points out hot spots where there are spirits.”
“Uh-huh.” Walter didn’t seem to be absorbing all of this.
“Anyways, when I found the book, the EMF detector started blipping and stuff, and I figured maybe it contained paranormal signatures.” Charlie was rattling off the information in rapid speed, his voice energized. “But then Wisdom said he didn’t think books could register data on an EMF—”
“How is any of this useful?” Walter snapped.
Charlie’s chest heaved. “How come you didn’t notice the book? Didn’t you see me reading it?”
“Oh, right. Your room is filled with dozens of shades and one fat octopus lady, and you expect me to figure out that some book has to do with it?”
“Well, you’re
supposed
to know how to protect me,” Charlie said.
“Hey! I think I’m doing a pretty good job so far. You’re not dead…yet.”
Charlie swung his feet over the edge of the bed. But when he saw the book still lying there, he decided to drop to the floor on the other side.
“I’ve gotta get online and do some more research. Someone will know what kind of book that is.”
“Well, hurry up and go!” Walter urged.
Charlie reached for the doorknob, but then stopped and groaned. “I can’t. My parents forbade me to use the computer, remember?”
“So just sneak in there. No one’s gonna know, and what they don’t know can’t hurt them.”
“Believe me, they’ll know. My birds are always super noisy just before breakfast.” Charlie hurriedly changed out of his pajamas and into school clothes. “It’s okay. I have computer lab right after lunch.” He picked the mysterious book up off the floor and hid it under his pillow.
“You’re not going to take it with us?” Walter asked.
“I don’t need it to search online. Besides, I don’t want to carry it around with me all day at school. What if more shades show up and try to grab it?”
“They seemed more interested in you than the book.”
“Yeah, but maybe it was because I had the book.”
“I really don’t see what an old book would have to do with anything.”
“This is why you are less than useless.”
“Thanks a lot.”
“No problem.”
After four excruciating hours of class, during which Walter did not stop talking, it was finally time for Charlie’s lunch period. Sixteen foldout tables with connected benches lined the cafeteria floor. Each of the tables held a collection of students. There was the popular table. The sporty one. The nerdy one. And so forth. Charlie sat in his usual spot at the table closest to the entrance. There were other students seated at the same table. Though he didn’t exactly consider them close friends, Charlie liked them well enough, and they would share an occasional conversation.
“What’s
her
name?” Walter asked as a cute blond-haired girl pranced past Charlie’s table.
Charlie groaned. “Melissa Bitner,” he mumbled. “And please stop asking me people’s names. I can’t answer you when everyone’s looking.” His voice had taken on an almost pleading tone.
Walter had been firing a barrage of questions almost nonstop since entering the school. According to him, Cunningham Middle had a far superior selection of hotties than his own school.
“Melissa Bitner,” Walter echoed. “She have a boyfriend?”
Once Melissa was out of earshot, Charlie answered. “Yes, I’m her boyfriend. We’ve been going steady since I was four.”
“Seriously? No. You’re lying.”
“Man, you’re a tough one to trick. I’m sure she has a boyfriend, not that I care.” Opening his sack lunch,
“Wait a minute,” Walter interrupted. “Who said that? And what the heck is an EMF detector?”
“Wisdom Willows,” Charlie answered in an exhausted tone. “He’s a genius. He runs SpiritSpy.org and is the author of fifteen books on paranormal activity. I’ve read them all. Wisdom gives talks all over the country. And an EMF detector collects paranormal data and points out hot spots where there are spirits.”
“Uh-huh.” Walter didn’t seem to be absorbing all of this.
“Anyways, when I found the book, the EMF detector started blipping and stuff, and I figured maybe it contained paranormal signatures.” Charlie was rattling off the information in rapid speed, his voice energized. “But then Wisdom said he didn’t think books could register data on an EMF—”
“How is any of this useful?” Walter snapped.
Charlie’s chest heaved. “How come you didn’t notice the book? Didn’t you see me reading it?”
“Oh, right. Your room is filled with dozens of shades and one fat octopus lady, and you expect me to figure out that some book has to do with it?”
“Well, you’re
supposed
to know how to protect me,” Charlie said.
“Hey! I think I’m doing a pretty good job so far. You’re not dead…yet.”
Charlie swung his feet over the edge of the bed. But when he saw the book still lying there, he decided to drop to the floor on the other side.
“I’ve gotta get online and do some more research. Someone will know what kind of book that is.”
“Well, hurry up and go!” Walter urged.
Charlie reached for the doorknob, but then stopped and groaned. “I can’t. My parents forbade me to use the computer, remember?”
“So just sneak in there. No one’s gonna know, and what they don’t know can’t hurt them.”
“Believe me, they’ll know. My birds are always super noisy just before breakfast.” Charlie hurriedly changed out of his pajamas and into school clothes. “It’s okay. I have computer lab right after lunch.” He picked the mysterious book up off the floor and hid it under his pillow.
“You’re not going to take it with us?” Walter asked.
“I don’t need it to search online. Besides, I don’t want to carry it around with me all day at school. What if more shades show up and try to grab it?”
“They seemed more interested in you than the book.”
“Yeah, but maybe it was because I had the book.”
“I really don’t see what an old book would have to do with anything.”
“This is why you are less than useless.”
“Thanks a lot.”
“No problem.”
After four excruciating hours of class, during which Walter did not stop talking, it was finally time for Charlie’s lunch period. Sixteen foldout tables with connected benches lined the cafeteria floor. Each of the tables held a collection of students. There was the popular table. The sporty one. The nerdy one. And so forth. Charlie sat in his usual spot at the table closest to the entrance. There were other students seated at the same table. Though he didn’t exactly consider them close friends, Charlie liked them well enough, and they would share an occasional conversation.
“What’s
her
name?” Walter asked as a cute blond-haired girl pranced past Charlie’s table.
Charlie groaned. “Melissa Bitner,” he mumbled. “And please stop asking me people’s names. I can’t answer you when everyone’s looking.” His voice had taken on an almost pleading tone.
Walter had been firing a barrage of questions almost nonstop since entering the school. According to him, Cunningham Middle had a far superior selection of hotties than his own school.
“Melissa Bitner,” Walter echoed. “She have a boyfriend?”
Once Melissa was out of earshot, Charlie answered. “Yes, I’m her boyfriend. We’ve been going steady since I was four.”
“Seriously? No. You’re lying.”
“Man, you’re a tough one to trick. I’m sure she has a boyfriend, not that I care.” Opening his sack lunch,
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