9. Exactly Five Years, Eleven Days,Fourteen Hours, and Six Minutes Ago

CHAPTER 9 EXACTLY FIVE YEARS, ELEVEN DAYS, FOURTEEN HOURS, AND SIX MINUTES AGO This is Harold Hutchins. Harold is six years old, and he lives with his mom and sister at 1520 Vine Street in Piqua, Ohio.

Harold's parents had just gotten divorced, and his dad had moved to Nevada about six months ago. None of this had been easy for Harold. He didn't talk about it. In fact, Harold Hutchins didn't talk much at all. He kept to himself, mostly, and drew pictures. Lots and lots of pictures. Harold liked to draw monsters and superheroes. The monsters he created were evil and ferocious, and his superheroes were always virtuous and brave. They were never far away when you needed them.

Harold loved getting lost in his wonderful paper-and-pencil adventures, where the good guys always won and the bad guys always ended up getting the "kick in the pants" that they deserved. Today had started out just like any ordinary school day. Harold got dressed and ate his breakfast, trying hard not to think about the tough day that lay ahead of him. Harold was in kindergarten at Jerome Horwitz Elementary School, and he hated every minute of it. His teacher was mean, the bullies were jerks, and the principal was just plain evil. The best Harold could do was try to "fit in" and not draw any unnecessary attention to himself. He brushed his teeth and carefully placed his pencils and his favorite drawings into his backpack, unaware that today was going to be a day that would change his life forever.

Harold's mom helped him put his backpack on at the front door. "Maybe you'll make a friend at school today," she said cheerfully. "Nah," said Harold, emotionless. "I don't think so." "What about that little boy next door who moved in last weekend?" said Harold's mom. "What's his name?" Harold shrugged. He had seen the boy once or twice, but they hadn't actually met. "Maybe you should go over and introduce yourself," said Harold's mom. "Wouldn't it be nice to have a friend who lives next door?" Harold shrugged again.

Harold's mom hugged him and kissed the top of his head. She got two dollars out of her purse and handed them to Harold. "This is for your lunch, OK, honey?" she said. "I don't want you using this money at the candy machine or the pop machine!" "I won't," said Harold. That much was true. Harold knew his lunch money would never make it to the candy machine or the pop machine. Harold's two dollars usually never even made it into the school. They were always taken away from him by a sixth-grade bully named Kipper.

Kipper Krupp was the biggest and meanest kid at Jerome Horwitz Elementary School. He was the captain of the wrestling team AND the nephew of the school principal, so everybody treated him like royalty. Kipper's three creepy friends, Loogie, Bugg, and Finkstein, also got special treatment, and they all paraded up and down the school hallways like they owned the place. Every day, Kipper and his three friends stole lunch money from the kindergartners. Most of the kids just handed it over without question. It was a lot less trouble (and much less painful) than getting a wedgie or a punch in the stomach. Kipper Krupp loved to terrorize kindergartners, and there was nothing anybody could do about it. If Kipper ever got into a jam, all he had to do was call on his uncle, Principal Krupp.