Free 52 - How I Learned to Fly by R.L. Stine - (ebook by Undead) Page A

pacing.
“Two billion people will be watching.”
    Wow. A million dollars! And everyone in the world will see me fly like a
superhero. And Wilson and I will become the two most famous kids on earth!
    This really was awesome !
    “And if you win the race, son—it will be worth billions of dollars!” Dad’s
hands flew up in the air as he talked. “Think of the TV commercials you’ll make!
You’ll be a star all around the world!”
    I slowly got up from the couch. “I—I have to go out for a walk, Dad. I need
some time to think about all of this.”
    I walked down the block, thinking about everything Dad said.
    “Hey, there’s The Amazing Flying Boy!” someone shouted from a passing car.
    “That’s him! There he is! The kid who flies!”
    Shouts from other cars now. People pointing. Cheering. Waving. From almost
every car that drove by.
    I walked faster. With my head down.
    “Malibu Motors Flying Boy! Marv’s flying kid!” More shouts. “The flying
Johnson kid!”
    I heard footsteps behind me.
    I glanced back. A group of kids were following me. I started to jog.
    “Flying Boy! Slow down!” They began chasing me. “Fly for us! Come on, take
off. Fly around the block!”
    I broke into a run. I ducked behind some bushes until they passed. Then I
walked some more—keeping in the shadows.
    I am going to be the most famous kid on earth, I thought, trying to cheer
myself up.
    I am going to race in front of two billion people—and then my life will
never be the same again. I am going to be rich and famous.
    Rich and famous.
    My stomach tightened. All my muscles tensed.
    Can I do it?
    Can I race in front of two billion people?
    And most important— can I finally beat Wilson?

 
 
28
     
     
    The day of the big race.
    Mom, Dad, and I rode to the bottom of the Hollywood Hills. That’s where the
race would begin.
    Wilson and I would take off from there. Then fly up to the HOLLYWOOD sign.
Then back down again.
    Dad inched our car up to the grandstand.
    Thousands of people had turned out to watch Wilson and me fly.
    Thousands of people watched as our car drove up.
    Their hands pressed against the car. Their staring eyes gawked at me through
the windows. A mass of bodies and faces inching along with us. So many people,
they blocked out the sunlight.
    I sat in the back seat in darkness.
    Staring at the faces gaping in at me.
    Listening to their shouts.
    That’s him! He’s here!
    Are you nervous?
    Can we talk to you before the race?
    What did you eat for breakfast?
    What are you going to do with all the money?
    Will you come to our school and fly?
    Are you from another planet?
    “Hey!” Someone banged on the window—and I jumped. “Can I have your
autograph?” He banged again. I shrank back in my seat.
    “Pretty exciting, huh?” Dad smiled in the rearview mirror.
    Jack, we love you! Jack, you’re amazing! Jack—teach me how to fly! Cries rang out all around me.
    Dad parked the car.
    The crowd pressed against the doors. Sealing us in. The car started to rock
under their weight.
    My heart began to pound.
    I grabbed onto the seat so tightly my knuckles turned white.
    “Coming through. Stand aside.” A troop of policemen cleared a path to the
car.
    The officers opened the door.
    I didn’t move.
    “Let’s go, Jack. It’s time!” Dad said.
    On shaky legs, I stepped out of the car. A deafening roar rose up from the
crowd.
    “Jack. Jack. Jack.” The chant thundered in my ears.
    The policemen formed a barricade, holding the shouting, cheering, chanting
people back. I made my way to a big concrete platform built especially for the race.
    Arms reached out—reached out to touch me. Hands grabbed at my sleeves.
Grabbed at my cape. Grabbed. Grabbed frantically. Pulled me toward them.
    I struggled to walk. To pull free of the grasping hands.
    The policemen tried to hold the crowd back—but people surged forward in a
heavy wave.
    They broke through the policemen’s barrier.
    Pressed against me.
    Started