The next day was cold and windy. Guess what my classmates did at recess. Warmed up with a game of tag? Basketball? Four Square? Nope, nope, and nope. I bet you know what my classmates did. They sat around with their dumb Puppet Pals.

I couldn’t even play basketball, because Chandler Fitzgerald was lying face down under the hoop.

He pounded his fists on the ground and cried, “It’s not fair! I don’t have any Puppet Pals.”

I walked over to Rudy Morse.

“Hi, Zeke. What do you think is in my hand?” Rudy asked. He held out his arm to me. His hand was closed in a loose fist.

I said, “I know what’s in your hand. We studied that a few weeks ago. Bones, blood cells, muscles—”

He cut me off. “I meant what I’m holding in my hand,” he said.

I frowned. “A Puppet Pal?”

“No. Finger puppets are boring,” Rudy said.

I smiled. “Do you have candy in your hand?”

“It’s better than candy,” he said.

I smiled even wider. There was only one thing better than candy. “You’re holding the Great Epic Superhero video game! I’ve wanted that game for a long time. Let me see.” I put my face near his hand for a close view.

He opened his hand. On his palm was a giant red beetle.

“You’re not scared of a cute little insect, are you?” Rudy asked.

“No. You just surprised me is all,” I lied.

“Good. I found a whole bunch of beetles around the playground. This one’s my favorite.” Rudy stroked the beetle. I wanted to squish it.

“No, thanks,” I told Rudy.

“I’m trying to teach Cuddles some tricks. Shake hands, Cuddles,” Rudy said. He put his finger on the giant red beetle’s claw.

Suddenly, a big gust of wind blew the giant red beetle off Rudy’s hand.

It landed on my arm.

Rudy said, “Aww, that’s sweet. Cuddles likes you.”

This was the scariest moment ever in my entire life. My jaw dropped. My skin prickled. I almost wet my pants.

“Geh-eh-eh-eh-et—” I stammered.

“What?” Rudy asked.

“Get that beetle off me!” I shouted.

So Rudy did.

I ran away.

Then I saw something almost as awful as a flying giant red beetle: flying Puppet Pals. The wind must have blown them in the air. They were going all over the place.

My classmates sat on the playground, screaming or crying. Some of them were screaming and crying.

“The wind!” Aaron screamed.

“Puppet Pals!” Hector cried.

“Blew away!” Owen screamed and cried.

“The wind blew away your Puppet Pals?” I asked.

“Yes!” Aaron, Hector, and Owen screamed and/or cried.

“Go get them,” I said.

But no one moved. They sat on the playground, frozen, clutching the Puppet Pals they still had left. They looked like they were in shock.

So I ran around the playground collecting the Puppet Pals that had blown away. It felt good to run around at recess again. I found puppets on high tree branches, in a pile of backpacks, and deep inside Danny Ford’s hair. I think I maybe found some candy, a crayon, and a quarter in his hair too.

I returned all the Puppet Pals to their owners. Everyone was happy, except for two people. Chandler Fitzgerald was still crying about not having any Puppet Pals. And Danny Ford was upset that I’d ruined his hairdo.

“Let’s give a big cheer for Zeke Meeks, our hero,” Hector said.

My classmates cheered for me.

Owen Leach patted me on the back.

Nicole Finkle and Buffy Maynard tried to kiss me.

“I’m sorry I got so upset about losing my Puppet Pal yesterday,” Hector said.

“I’m sorry my dog ate your vampire yesterday,” I said. “Do you want to play basketball?”

Hector said, “That sounds like fun—”

Owen interrupted him. He said, “Hector, let’s play with my Puppet Pal dog. Zeke found it next to the fire hydrant. Isn’t that funny?”

“Okay,” Hector said.

They walked away, leaving me alone at recess again.