Chapter 9

“There!”

Spencer’s focus was even worse after lunch. Knowing that he might get answers from the BEM gave him anxious stomach butterflies. He also knew he would be breaking a rule to talk to the BEM, since the school was supposed to be empty for the routine checks. But Spencer was already planning a way around that.

Mrs. Natcher was droning on about what makes America great when Spencer felt drowsiness pull at his eyelids.

Not again! He sat up tall in an attempt to ward off the sleepiness. Then he caught a dreaded flash of movement that made his gut turn over. There, under the chalkboard, where white dust fell thickly to the carpet, Spencer saw a creature. It was one of the dust gophers, really enjoying a meal of carpet dirt and chalk dust.

Spencer stared for a moment, then glanced hopefully at his classmates. The creature must have truly been invisible, because to Spencer it sat in plain sight, only a yard from Mrs. Natcher’s boring shoes.

Ignore it, Spencer thought. Just ignore it and it will go away. But even as he thought this, Spencer pointed a silent finger toward the creature.

“There,” he whispered. The word was inaudible, but once he felt it form on his lips, it was easier the second time.

“There.” The word got some attention this time and a few kids, including Dez, started looking where Spencer pointed.

“There!” This one was almost a shout and stopped Mrs. Natcher midsentence.

“If you have something to say,” she instructed, “please raise your hand and I’ll consider calling on you.”

“THERE IT GOES!” Spencer jumped to his feet as the dust gopher took off across the room. He traced its run with his finger.

“What is it?” one student shouted.

“A spider?”

“A mouse?”

In seconds, the classroom was out of control. Kids were screaming and climbing onto their chairs. To add to the chaos, Dez knocked over Jen’s desk, spilling pencils and notebooks.

Spencer watched the creature disappear into the hallway. He looked to see Daisy’s reaction, but all he saw was Mrs. Natcher coming right for him. She took him by the arm and dragged him to the front of the room.

“Class! Class! You will be silent in three, two, one.” Mrs. Natcher clapped her hands and, like magic, the room fell quiet. “I’m sure Spencer would like a chance to explain himself.”

Not really, Spencer thought. But it was too late now. Mrs. Natcher wasn’t giving him an option. “Well, I thought I saw something.”

“Not again,” Juan moaned.

“Again?” Mrs. Natcher inquired. “Has this happened before?”

Cutting Spencer off, Dez took over. “While you were gone, Spencer thought he saw a bat. But just like this time, he was making it up.” Dez turned to the class. “Come on, did anyone actually see anything?”

“Nope.”

“Nothing.”

“That’s right,” Dez said. “Nothing to see. Spencer made it up for attention. Told me so himself.”

Mrs. Natcher clucked her tongue at Spencer. “That behavior is inappropriate and unacceptable in my classroom. Apologize to your classmates.”

Spencer shifted uncomfortably. Couldn’t they tell he was speaking the truth? Why would anyone make this up? Sure, he was getting attention, but it wasn’t the good kind.

“Sorry,” Spencer said. “I didn’t mean to be disruptive. I thought I saw something, but maybe . . .” Then Spencer made the mistake of looking at Daisy Gates. Her eyes were trained on him, bolts of energy piercing him. No one will ever believe you if you don’t stand up for what you know is true.

“I . . . I mean . . . I . . .” Each stammer was like the crank of an engine, slowly building up the power to take off. He looked at Dez. The bully was massaging his fist, like he was itching to pound somebody.

“I see creatures in the school. Some are slimy, some are furry, some have wings. I don’t know why the rest of you can’t see them. I’m trying to figure that out. I don’t want to freak you guys out, but I had to tell you what I’ve seen.”

Dead silence.

Then, like an avalanche: laughter. Laughter! Even Mrs. Natcher was chuckling in her own stuffy way. Spencer looked from face to face, sheer embarrassment and disappointment in his eyes. Then he saw Daisy, the one who wasn’t laughing. Instead, her brown eyes gave a silent applause.