—maybe an hour maybe a bit longer. A lot has happened. I am full of pancakes and juice. I am skating away from Bet and Skrillex and Teena and the rest of them. The sun is shining and my shadow is bouncing around on the road and the ground in front of me.
I talked to my brother. Finally. Skrillex dropped her phone along with everything else and Bet handed it to me and I phoned the number on my arm. It was great to hear his voice.
Bunny? he said. And then he said my name again. Bunny! Oh my god, you remembered my number. Where are you? Are you all rite?
It was nice to hear how worryed Spencer was. That doesnt sound rite but you know what I mean.
Jade gave me your number I said. I called her.
You’ve been gone 2 days now Bun. Are you okay? Can you talk? asked Spencer. Witch was silly because thats what we were doing.
I’m pretty hungry I said.
Bet herd me say this and grabbed my arm. She led me down a dark cement hall with 2 doors at the end. There was a sine painted over 1 of the doors. Visitors Only it said. She pushed me thru it into a big room with windows and sunshine and people eating. I blinked. This was way nicer than our caf at Creekside. Xept for the gards.
Spencer asked where I was so he culd come and get me witch sounded great. But I didnt know where I was yet. There was a big map on the wall but I didnt see it until later.
I wonder what wuld happen—what it wuld of been like—if I saw the map and told Spencer where I really was? He wuld of beleeved me but then what—wuld he still say he culd come and get me? Anyway I didnt see the map yet. I started by telling Spencer about the house I skated away from. The Newman place.
They put me in the basement I said but I culd see things out the window.
What can you see now? he asked.
Now?
Yes rite now.
I wasnt at the Newman place now but Spencer is smarter than me and he wanted to know so I went over to the window and looked out.
I can see a fence and a road I told him. And some stores in the distance. And a guy talking on the phone like us. And a speed limit sine by the road. It says 30.
He wanted to know more so I told him there was a muffler place and a pizza place. He wanted to know what kind.
I told him it had the blu sine with the white holes.
Dominos! he shouted.
The name of the pizza place. He asked if there was a Christmas reath in the window but I culdnt see because it was far away. I told him I culd see a wall and an alley.
And the wall is covered with tags like the gym on 15 Street! he shouted. Witch it was. I never thot of that I said.
By the way did you know that gym and jim are not the same? I was amazed when Mr Wing told me. Jim is the guys name and gym is the place. So Jim can go to the gym—I think thats it. Doug and dug are different 2. And brian and brain. But not Rob and rob—they are the same. You can rob Rob on your way home from the gym.
On my report card Mr Wing said my spelling still needs work.
Spencer wanted to know my street number but I didnt know. And wuld you really need the number anyway? Its a jail. Wuldnt you just tell the pizza guy to deliver to the place with the big fence and the armed gards?
Visitors day here was a lot like at Creekside. The caf was full of jail girls and there moms and dads and frends. You culd tell the jail girls because they were in green suits. It wasnt very noisy. People are quiet when they are sad and when they are eating.
My phone—Skrillex phone—beeped. I held it away from my ear. 3% power it said.
Spencer told me they were on their way and to be careful. I gess he new how slippery it was outside.
I wanted to know more about why they kid napped me. He said it went back to Grampa being a spy and that it was Grampa in the movy. Hed been talking to somebody named Susan. I asked about her and he said not Susan—Dusan.
Its a guy he said. He has a beerd.
Dusan—ok.
I didnt know if Grampa was a good guy or not. But Vi and Lubor and maybe this Dusan with the beerd were the kid nappers. That made them the bad guys. And me and Spencer were working against them.
He told me that made us the good guys and that they were on there way and to stay cool. I said I wuld and he hung up.
My brother. A guy who was on my side all the time. Everybody shuld have 1 of those.
I filled a plate with pancakes and found Bet and had brekfast with her. She told me to eat fast and then go. That because I was a guy I culd walk out the main door and be free.
I said thank you again and she said forget it and I said I never wuld.
You said youd help me and you did I said.
We talked about Skrillex and how weird she was.
What was that about her dad? I asked.
Shes old—I never thot of her having a dad said Bet. Maybe he did something when she was 15. Maybe he left. My dad left when I was little.
I said I was sorry. Bet shrugged. It was a long time ago she said.
We chewed our pancakes. Teena frowned from a few tables over and then looked away. Pretending I wasnt there. OK with me.
Anyway its lucky Skrillex saw your tatoo Bet said. Now I know shes scared of 15 and when shes being mean I can start counting and freak her out. Thanks Bunny.
And then I saw the map on the wall. I went over and stared at it but it didnt make sense. Bet came over and pointed stuff out. I said no way. She xplained. The words were there on the paper all rite. I new where I was. O crap.
I took out the Skrillex phone. Spencer wuld tell me what to do. But the call didnt work. Bet took the phone and said it was out of power. Thats what the 3% ment.
Spencer culdnt come to get me. It was up to me to get home.
I told Bet I had to leave rite then. And I did. We shook hands at the door and the gards let me out. Bet waved.
And now it is an hour later. Maybe a bit longer.