Free The Society of Super Secret Heroes by Phyllis Shalant

wrong?” Mr. Burns asked as Finch passed his desk. “You’re looking pretty low.”
    Finch hung his head. He sort of wished he could tell his teacher. But he had his pride—he didn’t want to be a tattletale. Besides, Thorn and Bud would just pound him some other time. He wanted to get it over with.
    Mr. Burns was waiting for him to answer. Fin racked his brain. “Anthony won’t eat. I think maybe he’s injured,” he blurted out. It was true. When he’d refilled the crabs’ food dish, perky Phillip had scuttled right over. But Anthony had just stayed in a corner of the tank.
    â€œIt’s really nice that you’re concerned, Fin. But most hermit crabs eat at night. Anthony’s probably been chowing down while you’re asleep. Phil is unusual—the little pig will eat anytime.”
    â€œOhhh, right.” Finch pressed a hand to his forehead. “I read that on the Web—but I forgot. Thanks.”
    â€œAnytime,” Mr. Burns said. “You’d better go eat your lunch.” He spread a napkin out on his desk and began unzipping his insulated bag as if he were going to eat in the classroom.
    â€œAren’t you going to the teachers’ room?” Fin asked before he could stop himself.
    â€œNot today, dude. I want to finish this e-mail to my brother Anthony. I’m inviting him to visit for my birthday.”
    â€œWhen’s that?”
    â€œThe last day of September.”
    For a moment, Finch imagined two red-haired bobbleheads nodding at him through the windshield of a car with California license plates. He’d probably been right about Mr. Burns. The guy didn’t have any friends here yet.
    But right now he had his own problem. Fin raced to the nurse’s office. Mrs. Goldstein was busy with a kindergartner who’d lost a tooth, but she had the crutches out for Finch. She told him to take an ice pack out of the fridge.
    Finch almost wished he were back in kindergarten. He nudged his backpack with his elbow. “Cape, do you really think this is going to work?” he asked as he pushed through a door that led out to the school yard.
    I am a Thinking Cape, not a Promising Cape, Master.
    Ugg. Finch felt weak in the knees. But Thorn and Bud were already in the school yard. They were looking at him with joy on their faces.
    â€œWe thought maybe you weren’t coming,” Thorn said. His vampire teeth glinted in the sunlight.
    â€œYou brought your own crutches?” Bud squeaked. Finch wondered if he was hopping up and down because he was excited or because he hadn’t stopped to use the bathroom. Finch wished he’d used the bathroom himself.
    Master, try to get them to move nearer the fence—under the big oak tree.
    â€œWhy should I?” Finch said aloud before he realized it.
    Thorn squinted an eye at him. “Who are you talking to?”
    â€œNo one! I mean, we’d better move away from school, in case someone’s looking out the window. Maybe that tree will block the view.”
    Bud scowled. “He’s stalling. There’s not much time before everyone gets out of the cafeteria.”
    Thorn shrugged. “Don’t worry. It will only take a few seconds to make him cry like a baby.”
    Finch felt a trickle of sweat run down his back as he led Thorn and Bud to the oak tree.
    â€œOkay, Towelman. Drop your backpack and get ready.” Thorn already had his fists up.
    â€œWait! Just let me get out the rest of my supplies.” Finch fell to his knees and began taking out the Band-Aids, the ice pack, and a water bottle. He crouched down and arranged them on the grass next to the crutches. Maybe Bud had been right about stalling. Maybe that was the Thinking Cape’s plan.
    â€œHaw, haw, haw! You brought your own hospital,” Thorn cracked. “Good idea!”
    Master! Tell him the supplies are not for you.
    Finch was confused. But there was no time to ask