story-12

TodayIam hiding.

Att heendof MrandMrsP’ sgarden. . .

. . . behindt hebeehives. . .

. . . nextt ot heshed. . .

Boo!

. . . t here’ sal argeshrub.

I’ m behindt hatshrub.

I’ m hidingherebec auset hisis whereTil l yhideswhenshe’ sint roubl e.

Sheishidingwit hme.

Overt hefenc e,inmygarden,Ic an hearmyparent sshout ing. . .

‘ Al ic e?Al ic e!

WHEREAREYOU?’

I’ m supposedt obehel ping.

I’ m supposedt obepac kingmyst uff.

ButI’ m notgoingt ohel p.

Idon’ twantt ol eave.

Iheardt heremovalvanearl ierwhen itrumbl edupt hest reetandparked out sideourhouse.That ’ swhenI c al l edTil l yandwec l imbedinhere, wherenoonec anseeus.

Til l yshift shersel ft ogetmorec omfy, squashingme.Herfurissoftbut sit t ingrightbesideheriskindof hotand,t rut hbet ol d,sheisal it t l e smel l yt oday.Butt hat ’ sokay.

‘ Al ic e!’mymot hershout sagain. ‘ There’ ssomeoneheret oseeyou!’

!’ ubborn St ‘

It hinkaboutc l imbingoutoft hebushbutdec ide againstit .Whoeveritis,t hey’ l lhavec omet osay good-bye,andI’ mt iredofsayinggood-bye.

I’ m onst rike.Nomoregood-byes.

Isnuggl edownwit hTil l y, despit et heheat .Ifal lasl eep.

WhenIwakeup,Til l yisgone.

Ihearsomeonegiggl ing,butt hat mighthavebeenadream.

Inst eadofTil l y,I’ mc url edupundert he shrubnextt oabigc ake.It ’ saMrP spec ial ,madewit hl ayersofpast ryand honeyfrom hisbees.

NextIhearsomeonesinging.It ’ samade-upsong.Therearen’ tanywords int hesong,it ’ sjustmynamesungoverandoveragain.

‘ Al ic e,al ic e,ALICE,Aaaa-l ic e…’overandoveragain. . .

Il ist enc areful l y.It ’ sCaroland Lewis.Ipeert hrought hebranc hes.

Theyaresit t ingt here,wit hTil l y. . .

‘ Al ic e,al ic e,ALICE,Aaaa-l ic e…’Theykeeponsinging.

L e w s t o p i n n I a n e e e ’ s L e wi i ss s t o ps ss s i ng gi i ng g. .

Ic c a ns s e eh h e ’ s g e t t i n g b o r e d n o w .

C a r o l n u d g e s h i m get t ingborednow.Carolnudgesh i m w i t h h e r e l b o w , s h e ’ s s t i l l s i n g i n g , b u wit hherel bow,she’ sst il lsinging,b ut t h e n t o i n n t e a d e t a n s h ew wo o n’ ’ tj j o i ni i n. .I In ns s t e a dh h es s t a nd d su up p. .

‘ Youarenot , ’Isay.Ic l imboutoft he bush,bringingt het raywit hme.‘ I’ m notgoingt osaygood-bye. ’

‘ ALICE, ’heshout s,veryveryl oudl y,‘ IF YOU DON’ TCOMEOUTI’ M GOING TO TAKETHATCAKEAND EATITMYSELF. ’

‘ Whosaidanyt hingaboutsaying good-bye?’saysLewis.‘ Al lI’ m int erest edinisMrP’ sc ake. ’

YUM

Thegat eisopen.Inmygardenmy parent sarehavingc ol ddrinkswit h MrandMrsP,LewisandCarol ’ s parent s,andmyt ut orBet hany.

Ic arryt het rayovert ot het abl every c areful l y.CarolandLewisandTil l y c omewit hme.