4 FALLING UP

CHAPTER 4 FALLING UP Alexander coasted to a stop at a shiny, new bike rack near his shiny, new school.

Windmill Uses wind to make electricity. Dome on top What's it for? Greenhouse For growing plants. Solar panels Use sunlight to make electricity. Top part metal and glass, like a skyscraper. Bottom part Made of stone, like a castle. STERMONT ELEMENTARY

Alexander ran inside. The lobby was fourteen stories tall, with fourteen-story windows letting in fourteen-stories' worth of sunlight. The back wall was lined with escalators. There was a desk in the middle of the lobby. Alexander read the nameplate on the desk. MR. HOARSELY SECRETARY

Alexander did not see anyone, so he rang the bell. "Eep!" Mr. Hoarsely jumped up from beneath the desk. "Why were you hiding?" asked Alexander. Mr. Hoarsely pointed to the ceiling. "Because I have to sit under this!" he said.

Alexander looked up. A huge sculpture hung over the desk, sort of like a mobile hanging over a crib. Except instead of little clouds and rainbows, this mobile was a bunch of spiky cement balls. Alexander frowned. "That sculpture is more ugly than scary," he said. Mr. Hoarsely gulped, loudly. It was hard to believe that he was once a member of the S.S.M.P. "So, anyway," said Alexander, "can you tell me where my classroom is?"

Mr. Hoarsely checked the time his eyebrows shot up. "Oh, my! You're so, so late! It's almost lunchtime!" He grabbed his clipboard. "Let's see, sixth graders are on the ground floor... kindergarteners are on the eleventh floor. And the thirteenth floor is off limits, of course. Ah! Here you are ninth floor! Dr. Tallow's class." CLICK! The desk lamp suddenly switched off. Mr. Hoarsely gave Alexander a worried look. He turned the lamp back on. "Okay, thanks!" said Alexander He ran to the escalator, but stopped at the bottom. The metal steps were whirring up fast. Too fast!