10 Ch10-The Torture Room

Chapter 10 The Torture Room When I got to Dr. Carbles's office, he told me to sit in the chair next to his desk. Then he just stared at me. He looked really mad. "Are you going to be Frank?" I asked. He didn't say anything. He pulled down the shades to make the room dark. Then he turned on his desk lamp and pointed the light on me. "Who told you I wear a toupee, A.J.?" asked Dr. Carbles. "Huh? Who told you?" I was pretty sure I had the right to remain silent. I saw that on a TV show once. Besides, I was too scared to say anything.

"The teachers are plotting against me, aren't they?" Dr. Carbles said. "I don't trust them. I see the way they look at me. They hate me. Everybody hates me." I kept my mouth shut. If you don't say anything, you can't say anything dumb. "Did Mr. Docker tell you about my toupee?" asked Dr. Carbles. "Or was it Miss Lazar? You can tell me, A.J." His face was right next to mine. His breath smelled like rotten eggs. I was shaking. I thought I was gonna die. "Cat got your tongue, eh?" Dr. Carbles asked. "Well, I have ways to make you talk." Oh no! He was going to torture me! "Here, I want you to read this," said Dr. Carbles. "What is it?" I asked.

"A book." "A book?!" I exclaimed. "With words?" "That's right," Dr. Carbles said. "Read it." "Reading is boring," I told him. "READ IT!" he shouted. "Every word! Cover to cover! Let's go. I don't have all day." Sweat was rolling down my face. "No! No!" I cried. "Not reading! Anything but that! Okay, I'll talk! I'll talk! "Smart boy," Dr. Carbles said, taking the book away. "I knew you'd see it my way." "It was Mr. Klutz," I admitted. "I went over to his house. He told me about your toupee. He told me about the skateboarding team. He told me he called you Walrus Face. He told me everything." "Klutz, eh?" sneered Dr. Carbles. "Klutz told you that? Oh, I'm going to get him. I'm going to get him good. Nobody calls me Walrus Face and gets away with it!" "Please don't tell Mr. Klutz I told you. I promised him I wouldn't tell. Please, Frank?" "Get out of here!" Dr. Carbles hollered. "And stop calling me Frank or I'll get the summer reading list!" I ran out of his office as fast as I could.