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Chapter 15
“Dottie, I do not know how I am going to make it. I am so sleepy.” Gordo said with a yawn as he sat down at his desk. Dottie fought hard to not yawn back. Yawns are contagious.
Dottie stood next to his desk and eyed the clock. They had just a few minutes before the bell rang to start school.
“Listen, Gordo, I know we were out late last night but we have to go back. We have to find out what happened to Fluffy.” She said with conviction.
Dottie looked over to where Suzy’s empty desk was.
“I wonder if she is going to come to school today. I really wish we were able to reunite her and Fluffy.” Dottie signed.
Two girls walked in the classroom whispering to each other excitedly. Usually Dottie didn’t care about what the other kids gossiped about. She could care less about which outfit their favorite celebrity was wearing or who was mad at who.
When she heard Suzy’s name she stopped and turned around.
“What were you saying about Suzy?” Dottie asked Karen, a tall lanky brunette with glasses who sat behind Dottie in class and always got good grades.
“Didn’t you hear?”
“Hear what?”
Karen looked at her friend, Kate, who nodded her approval and then leaned in to whisper to Dottie and Gordo.
“Suzy had an episode this morning. When I was eating breakfast, an ambulance went down our street with sirens on and parked in front of her house.”
“My mom and I walked down to see if everything was okay and they came out of the house with Suzy on a stretcher.”
Ms Culpepper walked frumpily into the room and placed her books on her desk.
“That poor girl. She must be heart-broken.” Said Dottie.
“Well that is not the worst of it.” Kate interjected. “Tell her the rest.”
“Suzy apparently was so upset that she broke all of the windows and mirrors in her room and it looks like she tried to set her room on fire.” Karen continued.
“Oh my gosh!” Dottie and Gordo gasped in unison. Suzy was always so prim and proper. They could not even imagine her acting in this manner.
“There were scorch marks along the walls and the light bulbs in all the lights were blown. It is a good thing that they caught her in time or the whole neighborhood could have gone up in flames.” She said.
“That is terrible.” Gordo added as he shook his head in disbelief.
“I guess the good news is they took her away to the hospital instead of jail.” Kate chimed in.
“Kate!” Karen chastised.
“Well, she did damage a lot of property.” Said Kate.
“It was her own room and there is no way they would have put her in jail.” Karen said sternly.
“We should go visit her after school and bring her flowers.” Said Dottie.
“They don’t allow visitors in the type of hospital that she is in.” Karen replied.
The bell began to ring and Dottie quickly sat down so she would not be considered late. As long as her butt was on the chair by the end of the ringing bell, she was considered safe.
Ms Culpepper got up and looked over her classroom to see all of the bright shining faces beaming back at her. She smiled and turned her back to the class to write something on the blackboard.
Karen tapped Dottie on her shoulder and whispered loud enough for Gordo to hear.
“The saddest part was she kept yelling that Fluffy was still in the room.”
Dottie’s green eyes widened with disbelief and she shot a glance at Gordo whose eyes and mouth were wide open with shock.
“Dottie and Gordo, no communication after the bell. Please see me after class.”
Dang.
Next week: Poison Ivy
Words and pictures copyright 2016 SF Varney