The Amerusa School science teachers were having milk and cookies in the teachers’ lounge. There was Steve Hawkster – he had a very funny voice and had to get around in a special chair. Then there was an odd looking man in a bow tie named Billy Nan – every one called him the Science Man. Finally, there was Timmy Burning-Knee – no one knew why he had such an odd name but he was really smart and had discovered a way for people, in all the surrounding villages, to talk to each other using their computers.
Mr. Hawkster, Mr Nan and Mr. Burning-Knee were very concerned. For years, they had taught the children of Amerusa School important things like how all the villages had come to be and why the weather had become so strange and why that was a problem. Now, a lot of people in Amerusa didn’t want them to teach those things anymore.
Some of the other teachers – an old man called Paddy Robberman (he also had a TV show where he talked a lot about the Magic Invisible Guy), Sham Halfnitty and mean old Mr. Baner – didn’t want the children to learn anything about science. They wanted them to hear about how the Magic Invisible Guy had waved his index finger one day and all the people and villages had appeared out of thin air.
Mr. Robberman, Mr. Halfnitty and mean old Mr. Baner had talked to Mush and Shrill O’Liarly about the problem and now they were shouting angrily, about the silly old science classes, on their radio and TV shows. The people in the southern part of Amerusa thought they were nuts but the people in the nice big houses in the northern part of town nodded wisely when they heard Mush and Shrill speak. Then they held their arms up in the air and asked the Magic Invisible Guy to strike Mr. Hawkster, Mr. Nan and Mr. Burning-Knee dead before they corrupted their darling children even more.
Meanwhile, the Amerusa School security guard was talking to some of the oder boys. He explained that the sick, old man with the dirty, smelly beard was planning another raid on Amerusa and they had to stop him before he carried out his evil, horrible plan. It was going to be dangerous – they’d have to sneak into his trailer after dark and capture him. There might be big boys guarding the old man and the he might have some booby traps planted around the trailer. Nevertheless, it had to be done to protect the town and the school. All the boys said they were ready to go and, even though it would be dangerous, they knew they could stop the sick old man with the dirty, smelly beard from sending his boys to Amerusa in pick up trucks loaded with rocks.
The security guard and the oder boys made their preparations. They took off their clothes – most of them wore white clothes and that would be easy to see in the dark – and replaced them with black clothes. They were each given flashlights so they could see in the dark. Finally, they collected some sharp rocks and put them in their backpacks – they might need them if they ran into the big boys from the other village.
When they were ready, the new head teacher came to see them. He thanked them for being willing to do this dangerous job and told them how important it was to stop the sick, old man with the dirty, smelly beard before he caused more trouble. He said he would see them when they returned.
While they waited to head off to the old man’s village, a few of the boys called their moms and dads and told them how much they loved them. A few of the boys held their arms up in the air and asked the Magic Invisible Guy to keep them safe.
Then it was time to go.
TO BE CONTINUED
david chaulk 