6. Handing It Over

HANDING IT OVER 6 "Bubble gum is everywhere!" Ms. Grinker exclaimed in Principal Winik's office. "I don't know how three third graders created such a HUGE, sticky mess!" Sam, Lucy, and Antonio stood before their principal. Ms. Grinker was arguing that they should be fired from their hall monitor jobs. Principal Winik's mouth was a tight, stern line. Mr. Nekobi was there, too. He had been listening silently, but now he stepped forward.

"Principal Winik," Mr. Nekobi began. "Sam is a very responsible hall monitor. And Lucy and Antonio are the best assistant hall monitors this school has ever had." Ms. Grinker scowled. "Lucy closed a door in my face!" "It wasn't my Lucy started. Ms. Grinker interrupted. "And Antonio tripped me!" "I didn't—" Antonio began to say. Ms. Grinker slammed her hands down on Principal Winik's desk. "Being a hall monitor is a very special privilege. Students who get detention, who are tardy, and who cause bubble gum explosions cannot be hall monitors!" Principal Winik stood up. "I agree. You three are FIRED! Sam, please turn in your sash."

Sam swallowed. He couldn't believe this was happening. Sam's hand trembled as he pulled the bright orange sash from his backpack. Mr. Nekobi had given him the sash on his first day as hall monitor. It was a symbol of the hall monitors' power. The moment he handed it to Principal Winik, Sam felt weak. He felt like the wind had been knocked out of him. Sam remenmbered what Mr. Nekobi had told him, months earlier: "As hall monitor, you have the ability to sense the school— to see and feel and hear what others cannot."

Principal Winik stuffed the sash into a desk drawer. "One last thing," he said. "Sam, Lucy, Antonio: You will not be participating in tomorrow's Kickball Showdown. Instead, you three will scrub your classroom until it sparkles." Sam and his friends slunk down the hall. Mr. Nekobi followed them outside. Spring was just around the corner and the air was warm. "The school hasn't been left unprotected like this in years..." Mr. Nekobi said. "Unprotected? I don't understand," Lucy said. "We're still here. We can still fight." Mr. Nekobi's voice was heavy and sad. "Yes. But you are no longer hall monitors. I'm afraid you simply won't be strong enough to battle Eerie Elementary."

Sam and his friends dragged their feet as they walked home. "I can't believe we lost our jobs," Lucy said. "How did we let this happen?" "We didn't let anything happen," Sam said. "Orson Eerie messed with us all day and made us look like terrible hall monitors!" Antonio scowled. "It's like the school was trying to get us fired!" "Well, it worked!" Lucy said. "We were fired just in time for

"Kickball Showdown!" they exclaimed at once. "This was all part of Orson's plan!" Sam said. He looked back at the old, towering school. "We know what Orson wants. The same thing he always wants. To eat..." Sam's words hung in the air. What he said was true and terrifying. In fact, it was so terrifying that Sam and his friends walked the rest of the way home in frightened silence.