SCHOOL BUS Huff Huff Miss this bus Marlow and you’ll be stuck in my office all week What a surprise Fizz is late 2
THUD Tank Tell the driver to slow down Argh Nah we’ll just speed you up I’m writing you up Fizz Marlow 3
Tank helped me to my feet Take it easy Henelle she said He’s just a little late Henelle glared at me with her one large eye A shiver ran down my scales The octoclops was student captain of our field-trip group She might be half cyclops and half octopus but she was all bossy pants to her classmates Late will get you killed in the Dark Depths she growled We’re not going to the Dark Depths I said We’re visiting the Glowshroom Glades remember The glades are on the farthest edge of the Shallows Henelle said with a sigh One wrong turn and you’re in the Dark Depths home to the deadliest monsters in Rockfall Mountain You would know all this if you read the field-trip information package I created for the class But I guess reading is a little too much to ask for some of us Henelle gave a final whip of her arms and stomped to the front of the bus I let my backpack fall to the bus floor It landed with a thud At the front the driver looked back at me through the rearview mirror The reflection of the 4
ogre’s stare cut into me like a hatchet and made me want to jump out the back door again Instead I slunk into my seat beside Tank You’re welcome by the way My best friend was focused on her phone She had taken off the back and was poking at the wires inside with a tiny spinning screwdriver thingy Tank was always poking at technology technology When you’re a troll tinkering with technology is what you do And Tank was the best tinkering-troll detective partner a sleuth like me could ask for Thank you for getting me scooped up and tossed onto the bus I grumbled I told you not to be late for school today It’s a long drive to the glades I wasn’t late I snapped The driver left early Hatchet-Eyes looked back at me again Had he heard me I lowered my voice What’s the deal with the driver Where’s Ms Yallo I thought she was taking us on this trip Ms Yallo is sick This guy said his name was Mr Ravel or something Anyway it doesn’t matter who drives us Tank’s ears wiggled For the next few days our classroom will be the majestic forests of illuminated illuminated fungi known as the Glowshroom Glades 5
