[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
.The dock sways and groans.Any second now the thing will break apart, plunging us all into the chilly depths of the East River.Skeletor screams at the masked kids, “Don’t just stand there.Help—”“Everybody freeze!”The voice is familiar.I’m pretty sure I’ve lost my mind when I see Raul standing at the land edge of the dock, hands cupped to his mouth.“Val? You all right?”How on earth did he find me?“Valerie!”My voice trembles.“I’m okay.But I’m worried about Bethie.And this thing is really shaky!”“What about me?” Skeletor yells.“My leg—”“Nobody moves,” Raul shouts.“Nobody panics.You’ll have to get off one at a time.” He points to the person closest to the edge.“You first.As smooth as you can.”I hold my breath as Ghost Face inches forward.When she gets to within inches of Raul, he extends a hand and pulls her off.Raul nods to Frankenstein.“Now you.”He moves quickly.Instantly, the dock quivers.“Slow down!” Raul yells.Frankenstein freezes.Legs shaking with fear, he starts again.After what seems like half a lifetime, he’s off the dock, too.Now it’s just one more person before only Bethany, Skeletor and I are left.Gingerly, Zombie makes his way through ever-thickening snow.He finally hits land, which is the moment Skeletor loses it.“I can’t feel my leg anymore!” he screams.“Help me!”“Hell no! Bethany’s next,” I hiss.Ignoring Skeletor’s pleas, I tap my sister.“Your turn.”Her teeth rattle so much she can’t speak.Carefully, I lean over the edge.In the never-quite-dark of a New York City evening, my stomach drops.“She’s tied up, Raul!”“Stay calm, Val.Go ahead and undo the knot.”“I can’t.My fingers are cold.They’re stiff—”“You have to,” he commands.“I can’t get there.Concentrate.It’s just like editing.One step at a time.Find the end of the rope….”He keeps talking, nice and calm, as if standing on a crumbling dock trying to save my sister’s life is a regular part of any day.The faster I untie the knot, the faster Bethie gets off the dock.That’s what I tell myself as I work the rope.Then it’s my turn.We’ll both be safe.With a final twist, the rope comes undone.Quickly I unwind it from Bethany’s wrists, and then drop the rope into the water.Within seconds, the current takes it away.“Move your legs,” I beg.“Please! We can’t stay here much longer.”Painfully, my sister makes an effort.She bends one leg, then the other.“That’s great.Go on!” I urge.She takes two tiny steps, but her knees wobble.Afraid she’ll fall, I prop her back against the wooden pole.“C-c-can’t d-d-d-o it! V-V-Val….”“Okay, we’ll go together.”I wind my arm around her shoulders to sort of lift her.We don’t take more than a few steps before the rotted pilings underneath begin to creak.The dock sways.I’m afraid to go any farther.I give Raul a horrified, beseeching look.In the face of looming disaster, he continues to remain calm.“Bethany? I’m Val’s friend.Raul.” He takes off his jacket, holds it out.“You can put this on when you get here.It’ll warm you right up.Doesn’t that sound good? Just get close enough to me and I’ll help you the rest of the way.You can do it.”“He’s right, Bethie.Go!”Her thin legs move awkwardly.She takes a step.Then a second, a third… At the same time, Raul gingerly slides a few feet down the dock from his end.I hold my breath.About three feet from land, they meet.He says something I can’t hear before leading her to safety.Puts his coat around her shoulders and shouts, “You’re next, Val!”Skeletor screams, “No! You can’t leave me alone!”I hesitate, but Raul waves me forward.As I move, a hand grabs my ankle and holds on tight.I pull Skeletor’s head, violently, to get him to release me.His mask comes off in my hand and my body jerks backward.Off balance, I step down hard to keep from falling.The dock shakes, groans—and splits apart.Omigod!In a sort of slow-motion panic, I realize that I’m falling, falling, falling… The intense shock when I hit freezing water takes my breath away.“Val!” Raul screams.Frantic to stay afloat, I flail about.But I’m wearing boots, a jacket….The swiftly moving current eddies around, pulling me down.It’s impossible to breathe.In some part of my consciousness, I hear screams, see flashes of light…As I slip underwater, the last thing I see is Skeletor’s face floating beside me.If I thought I’d recognize him, I’m wrong.Stripped of his fright mask and the power the others give him, he’s nothing special.The kind of kid you pass in the hallway every day—and never, ever notice.It’s the last thought I have before the world turns black.32The chaos over the next few hours is colossal.To my immense good fortune, Raul called the cops the instant he saw us on the dock.By the time it falls apart, the police have arrived.That accounted for the flashing lights and the yelling.After going completely underwater the first time, I managed to struggle back up.Gasping for breath, I see an orange tube float beside me.“Grab it!” voices shout.“Hold on!”Somehow I manage to grasp the tube and wrap my arms around it.Immediately, there’s a sweet tug of rope as the police reel me in [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
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.The dock sways and groans.Any second now the thing will break apart, plunging us all into the chilly depths of the East River.Skeletor screams at the masked kids, “Don’t just stand there.Help—”“Everybody freeze!”The voice is familiar.I’m pretty sure I’ve lost my mind when I see Raul standing at the land edge of the dock, hands cupped to his mouth.“Val? You all right?”How on earth did he find me?“Valerie!”My voice trembles.“I’m okay.But I’m worried about Bethie.And this thing is really shaky!”“What about me?” Skeletor yells.“My leg—”“Nobody moves,” Raul shouts.“Nobody panics.You’ll have to get off one at a time.” He points to the person closest to the edge.“You first.As smooth as you can.”I hold my breath as Ghost Face inches forward.When she gets to within inches of Raul, he extends a hand and pulls her off.Raul nods to Frankenstein.“Now you.”He moves quickly.Instantly, the dock quivers.“Slow down!” Raul yells.Frankenstein freezes.Legs shaking with fear, he starts again.After what seems like half a lifetime, he’s off the dock, too.Now it’s just one more person before only Bethany, Skeletor and I are left.Gingerly, Zombie makes his way through ever-thickening snow.He finally hits land, which is the moment Skeletor loses it.“I can’t feel my leg anymore!” he screams.“Help me!”“Hell no! Bethany’s next,” I hiss.Ignoring Skeletor’s pleas, I tap my sister.“Your turn.”Her teeth rattle so much she can’t speak.Carefully, I lean over the edge.In the never-quite-dark of a New York City evening, my stomach drops.“She’s tied up, Raul!”“Stay calm, Val.Go ahead and undo the knot.”“I can’t.My fingers are cold.They’re stiff—”“You have to,” he commands.“I can’t get there.Concentrate.It’s just like editing.One step at a time.Find the end of the rope….”He keeps talking, nice and calm, as if standing on a crumbling dock trying to save my sister’s life is a regular part of any day.The faster I untie the knot, the faster Bethie gets off the dock.That’s what I tell myself as I work the rope.Then it’s my turn.We’ll both be safe.With a final twist, the rope comes undone.Quickly I unwind it from Bethany’s wrists, and then drop the rope into the water.Within seconds, the current takes it away.“Move your legs,” I beg.“Please! We can’t stay here much longer.”Painfully, my sister makes an effort.She bends one leg, then the other.“That’s great.Go on!” I urge.She takes two tiny steps, but her knees wobble.Afraid she’ll fall, I prop her back against the wooden pole.“C-c-can’t d-d-d-o it! V-V-Val….”“Okay, we’ll go together.”I wind my arm around her shoulders to sort of lift her.We don’t take more than a few steps before the rotted pilings underneath begin to creak.The dock sways.I’m afraid to go any farther.I give Raul a horrified, beseeching look.In the face of looming disaster, he continues to remain calm.“Bethany? I’m Val’s friend.Raul.” He takes off his jacket, holds it out.“You can put this on when you get here.It’ll warm you right up.Doesn’t that sound good? Just get close enough to me and I’ll help you the rest of the way.You can do it.”“He’s right, Bethie.Go!”Her thin legs move awkwardly.She takes a step.Then a second, a third… At the same time, Raul gingerly slides a few feet down the dock from his end.I hold my breath.About three feet from land, they meet.He says something I can’t hear before leading her to safety.Puts his coat around her shoulders and shouts, “You’re next, Val!”Skeletor screams, “No! You can’t leave me alone!”I hesitate, but Raul waves me forward.As I move, a hand grabs my ankle and holds on tight.I pull Skeletor’s head, violently, to get him to release me.His mask comes off in my hand and my body jerks backward.Off balance, I step down hard to keep from falling.The dock shakes, groans—and splits apart.Omigod!In a sort of slow-motion panic, I realize that I’m falling, falling, falling… The intense shock when I hit freezing water takes my breath away.“Val!” Raul screams.Frantic to stay afloat, I flail about.But I’m wearing boots, a jacket….The swiftly moving current eddies around, pulling me down.It’s impossible to breathe.In some part of my consciousness, I hear screams, see flashes of light…As I slip underwater, the last thing I see is Skeletor’s face floating beside me.If I thought I’d recognize him, I’m wrong.Stripped of his fright mask and the power the others give him, he’s nothing special.The kind of kid you pass in the hallway every day—and never, ever notice.It’s the last thought I have before the world turns black.32The chaos over the next few hours is colossal.To my immense good fortune, Raul called the cops the instant he saw us on the dock.By the time it falls apart, the police have arrived.That accounted for the flashing lights and the yelling.After going completely underwater the first time, I managed to struggle back up.Gasping for breath, I see an orange tube float beside me.“Grab it!” voices shout.“Hold on!”Somehow I manage to grasp the tube and wrap my arms around it.Immediately, there’s a sweet tug of rope as the police reel me in [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]