9 Inside the Principal’s Office

CHAPTER NINE INSIDE THE PRINCIPAL'S OFFICE PRINCIPAL SHELTON STOOD before me, leaning back against the front of her desk. I sat awkwardly in a chair. Some of the toilet paper had torn as I sat down. She didn't look real mad, to be honest. She wasn't happy, that was for sure. She looked kind of angry and amused all mixed up together. She stared down, examining me from my mummy feet to my mummy head. I think she was trying to figure out who I was. Whenever I got the chance, I peeked around the side of her and eyeballed that big

jar of Skittles. It was right where I saw it the first time. I couldn't wait to count those things. "You know, you're not a very frightening mummy," Principal Shelton said. "I know," I answered. "And I don't think mummies typically wear backpacks." I nodded my mummy head again. She walked behind her desk, retrieved a trash can, and placed it next to my chair. As she did, I heard the main office door open and close. I heard Rosie cough a little. I think she was trying to signal me. Rosie wanted me to know that she and Simon were there. "All right," Principal Shelton said. "Let's find out

who you are, Mummy." I started to tear at the toilet paper around my head first. "Molly!" Principal Shelton cried. She was obviously surprised. "Molly Dyson?!" I nodded my non-mummy head at her. I took my backpack off and put it on the floor. I needed it to be easy to reach when the time came. And the time was coming soon. I could hear Simon and Rosie talking with Mrs. B. They seemed to be stalling for time. They asked Mrs. B. about her dog, Bingo. Bingo is a beagle and Mrs. B. really likes to talk about him.

She has pictures of Bingo taped up all around her computer screen.

I tore off the toilet paper from around my arms and stomach, dumping the shreds into the trash can. Principal Shelton just stood there above me. She didn't say anything. I was just getting to the toilet paper on my legs when I heard Rosie ask Mrs. B. if she could borrow some masking tape. "Owww!" Simon screamed from the main office. "Oh, man! That hurts so much!"

Principal Shelton snapped her head toward the door. Simon had initiated step two—getting Principal Shelton out of her office. "Keep working on it, Molly," she said. "I'll be back in a minute."