The Smoky Corridor

67

Lunch wasn’t much fun for Zack on Friday.

The two tables had grown to three, but Zack was worried about Malik, who had brought his calculator to the cafeteria and kept crunching numbers instead of munching his food.

“What’re you working on?” Zack asked.

“Hmm? Oh, this? It’s nothing.”

“Then why are you working on it?”

Malik blinked about a hundred times. “Just for fun.”

Azalea wasn’t there for a snappy comeback. She was six or seven chairs away, over at table three with Benny, who hadn’t even asked Zack today what he was going to blow up next.

So Zack ate his PB and J in silence.

Finally, Ms. DuBois—who was like twenty minutes late—came to the table. She sat down directly across from Zack, in the seat where Azalea usually sat.

“Sorry I’m late. Mr. Crumpler has me filling out more forms. Stop by this afternoon and we’ll finalize our plans for the trial-run field trip tomorrow.”

“Cool, can I come?” asked a boy named Riley Mack, whose guardian ghost was, believe it or not, a German shepherd named Thor. He’d been the family pet. Died the year before. Riley was his favorite. Used to sneak Thor a hamburger whenever the family cooked out.

The dog didn’t tell Zack all this. It was more like telepathy or something.

“I’m afraid tomorrow’s field trip isn’t for everyone, Riley,” said Ms. DuBois, her voice dripping with honey. “It’s something of a practice. Zack, Malik, Azalea, and I shall be the guinea pigs. If our adventure proves fun and educational, we’ll still take the whole class the weekend before Halloween!”

“Awesome,” said Riley.

“What time shall I pick you up tomorrow?” Ms. DuBois asked Zack.

“That’s okay. My mom and dad can drop me off.”

“Don’t be silly. I drive right past your house anyway. Shall we say nine a.m.?”

“Okay.”

“Um, I don’t need a ride tomorrow,” said Malik. “I’m gonna bike it.”

“Very well. How about you, Azalea?”

“Sure. Nine will be fine.”

Okay, that was extremely weird.

Not only did it rhyme, but just the day before, Azalea had told Zack she never, ever woke up before noon on Saturday or Sunday!