Chapter 3
It Returns
You’re probably wondering what the real Superkid was up to at this point. Well, not much, really. At the time the clone was getting into the car that the nice Mexican lady was taking him to Poolington in, the real Superkid was taking a shower. By the time the clone and the nice Mexican lady were halfway to Poolington, the real Superkid was riding the bus to school with his best friends Derrick Moorn and Darrin Snoll. And when the nice Mexican lady dropped off the clone three blocks from his house, the real Superkid was in class, ready to learn.
If only there was a more efficient way to tell two stories at the same time. Then you could really get an idea of what events were unfolding simultaneously and not have to jump back and forth in time to straighten everything out. If only stories could do that…
Could they do that?
You know something? I think I’ll try it! All right everyone. Stand back. I’m going to attempt something never before done in the history of literature—tell two stories on the same page! Here goes!
Well, what do you think? Pretty revolutionary, eh? Two stories at the same time! I should probably get a patent on this thing. I mean, I can just see stories popping up everywhere, telling multiple stories on the same page…
A headache? What do you mean a headache? Reading two stories on the same page is confusing?
Oh all right. I’ll keep it as one story. But I’m telling you, they’re going to be calling me a revolutionist when I’m gone! And you’re going to be seeing my idea everywhere someday! And then you’ll be sorry you put me down like this!
Okay, the clone first.
He was glad to be able to get out of the baggy coveralls and into more comfortable clothes—relatively speaking since he was still suffering from a sunburn. But that was a minor discomfort. Right now, he had to find out what giant was stomping around and causing his house to shake. And he had better be quick because the shaking was actually fading.
He rushed outside. He looked around for that giant. What he found instead was a long skinny shadow traveling along the ground from his house to the next house. He looked up and discovered what it was making the shadow, and it was rather curious.
It was some sort of rope stretched over his house. It was wound around the chimney of the neighbor’s house and then continued on beyond the clone’s vision. Aside from being so long and thick, the rope was white and silky.
Something tugged at the edge of the clone’s memory. And then it yanked his memory to the center stage with such force that it actually made him stagger backwards with a gasp.
“It’s returned!” he cried with exasperation. “Oh, why did it have to pick now of all times to return? First my clone and now this!”
He narrowed his eyes determinedly. “But first and foremost must be the safety of the town. I can deal with the clone later. Right now I must find out what that monster is up to and stop it.”
A worthy answer of a true hero. Kind of makes you wonder if he really is the clone, doesn’t it?
Meanwhile, back in Mrs. Nophun’s class, Derrick was about to initiate an experiment to see at what point of boredom a kid could fall asleep in a hard and uncomfortable desk. He came very close to discovering it, but then he was interrupted when the windows rattled.
Derrick sat up with a rather ungracious snort. He barely had time to turn to the windows to see if he had only imagined it when they rattled again.
Derrick wheeled to Aaron and poked him. “Hey, Aaron. Look at the windows. They’re shaking.”
He was surprised to see Aaron was already looking around in befuddlement. Then Derrick discovered that everyone was looking around the classroom, including Mrs. Nophun.
“What is that?” the teacher exclaimed.
“Maybe they’re building something,” a girl suggested.
“That wouldn’t shake the entire school,” sneered a boy.
“Maybe it’s a washer,” said another, who was rather dim. “Our house shakes all the time when the washer’s going.”
Everyone laughed. The contemptuous boy sneered again, “The school doesn’t have a washer, you dope!”
“But I did see one in the school!” the dim-witted boy protested above the roar of laughter. “Behind the cafeteria!”
Derrick laughed and whooped along with the class. He whacked Aaron on the back.
“Chase needs to shut up before he falls too far back, huh Aaron?” He snickered and whacked Aaron on the back again. Aaron winced but continued to glace around the room.
Derrick gave a huff of disgust. “C’mon, Aaron, that was funny! Don’t you ever laugh?”
“It sounds like it’s getting closer,” Aaron replied. He looked toward the hallway. Derrick turned to look too.
Like that stomping giant we discussed previously was getting closer, the rattles got harder and louder. Soon, things were falling from the shelves.
The kids screamed. A girl wailed, “What’s going on?”
“It sounds like a giant’s outside!” cried the dim-witted kid.
“Shut up, Chase!” sneered the contemptuous kid. “There’s no such thing as giants!”
Derrick wasn’t so sure about that. It occurred to him that whatever was outside was probably something that only Superkid could deal with, so he turned to his friend. But before he could whisper the name that would transform his friend into the dynamic hero, Aaron murmured in a tone of disbelief, “Is that humming?”
Derrick shut his mouth when he realized Aaron was right! It was humming! A musical humming like a giant humming a tune!
“It’s outside!” Aaron yelled. He jumped out of his seat. Derrick reached into his backpack for Superkid’s costume but by the time he had pulled it out, Aaron had already gone out the door.
“Nuts,” he said as he squirmed out of his seat but then fell onto the floor. He scrambled to his feet and hurried after his friend, the hero’s costume sailing behind him like Superkid’s own cape.
Derrick found his friend staring up at the school. He tucked the costume behind his back as he stood next to Aaron.
Aaron pointed to the roof. “Look.”
Derrick looked. Then his mouth dropped open.
Stretched over the school was a white silk rope that was as thick as a cable. It came in, wrapped around one of the school’s projections, and then continued on as far as the eye could see.
The students gathered around Derrick and Aaron to gape. That contemptuous boy—who no longer sounded contemptuous more than he did scared—squeaked in a small voice, “What is that thing?”
Derrick alone had a pretty good idea what it was. And he had a pretty bad feeling about it.