6 Pool Noodles and Pukey Pickles

ACT 6 POOL NOODLES and PUKEY PIKLES

The next morning, Stink snarfed his waffle in four bites. "What's the big hurry?" Dad asked. "At camp today, we get to fight! Two actors from Macbeth are coming to show us how. Don't worry. It's not real. In acting, you get to fake fight. You make it look real, but nobody gets hurt. Here, I'll show you." Stink pulled Judy up out of her seat. He stuck out his arm. "Stand one arm's length apart. Now pretend to hit me—" "For real?" said Judy. "I said pretend. Make like you're going to slap me in the face." "No problem," said Judy, grinning. Judy reached out to slap Stink. He quickly jerked his head to the side and made a slapping sound by clapping his own hands together. "Pretty neat," said Dad. "I have to admit, it looked real," said Mom.

"It sounded real, too," said Judy. "No lie."

"After today, I'll be able to pretend-punch you in the stomach," said Stink. "Now I wish I was going to that camp, too," said Judy. "On Saturday we're acting out scenes from Shakespeare," said Stink. "Families can watch, even sisters. It's free, even though in Shakespeare's time it cost a penny." "RARE!" said Judy. "Guess what the best part is? I get to drink poison and die!" Stink fell to the floor, then rolled around like he was in agony. "You'd make a good Romeo," said Mom, "after he drinks his poison." Gulp! When Stink and Sophie got to camp on Thursday, two of the actors from Macbeth were pulling pool

noodles out of a tall cardboard box in the closet. "Hey, Ryan!" said Stink and Sophie. "What, ho! If it isn't the Curse of Macbeth himself!" Ryan teased. "Yeah. Sorry about the dog running up onstage and everything." "Oh, that was nothing. One time Macduff was supposed to hold up my head to show that he killed me. But they couldn't find the fake head, so he had to use a basketball. True story." Stink cracked up. Sophie peered at the other actor. "Hey! You're Lady Macbeth!" The actor waved a little wave. "Hi, I'm Ryan." "Wait. So you're Girl Ryan and he's Boy Ryan?" Stink asked. "That's right." Girl Ryan held up a pool noodle. "How do you like our swords?" "Very cool!" said Stink. Amanda Beth started off the morning. "In Shakespeare's time, sword fights were part of everyday life. If somebody didn't like you, say they called you a liar, you might challenge them to a duel."

"A duel is when two people fight with swords," said Riley. "That's right," said Amanda Beth. Boy Ryan and Girl Ryan talked about safety first. "No hitting on the head. No getting near the eyes. If one of you calls 'Stop!' the other has to stop." "Put up thy swords!" said Girl Ryan. Sophie picked up a purple pool noodle. "Meet the Unicorn Horn." Stink sat on a lime-green one. "My sword will be called El Stabbo." Riley held up a red one. "El Kisso," she said. El Yikes-o!