just needed more time.”
“He seemed very determined, Lor,” Glitch warned.
I nodded. Whoever he was, he definitely wanted the story. This was getting worse by the minute. “What did he mean, he found what they’d been looking for?”
“I have no idea,” Brooke said. “He was like a dog with a bone.”
“Darn. I’ll just have to figure out this whole thing before Mr. Butthead Reporter does. But this time, I need some help.” Both Brooklyn and Glitch perked up at that thought. “I don’t suppose either of you would be up for an investigation of sorts?”
“Investigation?” Brooklyn asked, her eyes brightening. “I was born for it.”
“And I was born for fame and fortune, but that’s beside the point. I’m in.”
I smiled and felt for the necklace Glitch gave me in memory of my parents. It wasn’t around my neck. “My necklace is gone,” I said, glancing around in alarm.
Brooke and Glitch scanned the room as well before Glitch said, “You know, you were hit by a truck. There’s no telling where it is now.”
My shoulders deflated in disappointment. “I really liked it, Glitch.”
“I can get you another one,” he said with a shrug. “My dad made it for you.”
I pulled in a soft gasp. “Your dad made it?” Now I really felt guilty.
“Yeah, but now he has the mold. It won’t take him any time to make another.”
But I wanted that one. The first one. The one made just for me and my parents. I tried to brush my hair back with my fingers, but they got tangled in the blood-caked mess on my head. Gross. “Okeydokey, it’s definitely shower time.”
HYBRID
“In a million years I never thought I would say this, but … are you sure we should be skipping?”
Brooklyn and I both turned to Glitch, our faces a snapshot of surprise. We were in his sad excuse for a Subaru, heading to the spot where Jared had disappeared. I didn’t know where else to start, so retracing my steps seemed the most logical thing to do.
“Glitch,” I said after the shock of his statement ebbed, “have you gone mad? You skip for any reason under the sun.”
Brooklyn laughed in remembrance. “I especially liked the one where the nightmare about the giant turtles made him too tired to concentrate on his schoolwork, and he felt he would be a distraction to the rest of the class, so in the interest of everyone’s educational experience, he should be allowed to go home.”
I snickered. “That was a good one.”
“Yeah,” Glitch said, “but the sheriff wasn’t looking for me on turtle-nightmare day.”
“And he’s not looking for you today either. He’s looking for me,” I said. I had managed to wiggle out of my talk with the sheriff once again the evening before, complaining to my grandmother that my stomach was upset. Unfortunately, I hadn’t been lying. Though her chicken soup did help. It always helped.
“And when he finds you in my car…”
Brooklyn snorted. “Looks like macho boy’s cool just melted like a Slush Puppie in August.”
Glitch rolled his eyes as he drove his ancient Subaru through the canyon. “Don’t try to pull your peer-pressure Jedi mind tricks on me. Are you sure it was this far?”
“Yes. It’s just up here,” I said, pointing ahead redundantly.
“How are your ribs?” Brooklyn asked.
I tested them with my fingertips. “Better, I think. Just a little sore.” I touched a tender spot and winced. “Or a lot sore.”
“They’re really bruised. I still think you should have them checked out by a doctor, or at least the school nurse,” Glitch said.
“How can I have them checked by the nurse without my grandparents finding out? She’d call them. She would have to.”
Brooklyn shrugged. “You know, Lor, they’re a lot stronger than you think.”
“I know they are, but they can’t find out. Ever. My parents disappeared off the face of the earth. Just vanished. How do you think they would feel if they knew I almost did the same? In a roundabout
“He seemed very determined, Lor,” Glitch warned.
I nodded. Whoever he was, he definitely wanted the story. This was getting worse by the minute. “What did he mean, he found what they’d been looking for?”
“I have no idea,” Brooke said. “He was like a dog with a bone.”
“Darn. I’ll just have to figure out this whole thing before Mr. Butthead Reporter does. But this time, I need some help.” Both Brooklyn and Glitch perked up at that thought. “I don’t suppose either of you would be up for an investigation of sorts?”
“Investigation?” Brooklyn asked, her eyes brightening. “I was born for it.”
“And I was born for fame and fortune, but that’s beside the point. I’m in.”
I smiled and felt for the necklace Glitch gave me in memory of my parents. It wasn’t around my neck. “My necklace is gone,” I said, glancing around in alarm.
Brooke and Glitch scanned the room as well before Glitch said, “You know, you were hit by a truck. There’s no telling where it is now.”
My shoulders deflated in disappointment. “I really liked it, Glitch.”
“I can get you another one,” he said with a shrug. “My dad made it for you.”
I pulled in a soft gasp. “Your dad made it?” Now I really felt guilty.
“Yeah, but now he has the mold. It won’t take him any time to make another.”
But I wanted that one. The first one. The one made just for me and my parents. I tried to brush my hair back with my fingers, but they got tangled in the blood-caked mess on my head. Gross. “Okeydokey, it’s definitely shower time.”
HYBRID
“In a million years I never thought I would say this, but … are you sure we should be skipping?”
Brooklyn and I both turned to Glitch, our faces a snapshot of surprise. We were in his sad excuse for a Subaru, heading to the spot where Jared had disappeared. I didn’t know where else to start, so retracing my steps seemed the most logical thing to do.
“Glitch,” I said after the shock of his statement ebbed, “have you gone mad? You skip for any reason under the sun.”
Brooklyn laughed in remembrance. “I especially liked the one where the nightmare about the giant turtles made him too tired to concentrate on his schoolwork, and he felt he would be a distraction to the rest of the class, so in the interest of everyone’s educational experience, he should be allowed to go home.”
I snickered. “That was a good one.”
“Yeah,” Glitch said, “but the sheriff wasn’t looking for me on turtle-nightmare day.”
“And he’s not looking for you today either. He’s looking for me,” I said. I had managed to wiggle out of my talk with the sheriff once again the evening before, complaining to my grandmother that my stomach was upset. Unfortunately, I hadn’t been lying. Though her chicken soup did help. It always helped.
“And when he finds you in my car…”
Brooklyn snorted. “Looks like macho boy’s cool just melted like a Slush Puppie in August.”
Glitch rolled his eyes as he drove his ancient Subaru through the canyon. “Don’t try to pull your peer-pressure Jedi mind tricks on me. Are you sure it was this far?”
“Yes. It’s just up here,” I said, pointing ahead redundantly.
“How are your ribs?” Brooklyn asked.
I tested them with my fingertips. “Better, I think. Just a little sore.” I touched a tender spot and winced. “Or a lot sore.”
“They’re really bruised. I still think you should have them checked out by a doctor, or at least the school nurse,” Glitch said.
“How can I have them checked by the nurse without my grandparents finding out? She’d call them. She would have to.”
Brooklyn shrugged. “You know, Lor, they’re a lot stronger than you think.”
“I know they are, but they can’t find out. Ever. My parents disappeared off the face of the earth. Just vanished. How do you think they would feel if they knew I almost did the same? In a roundabout
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