Free Kristy's Big Day by Ann M. Martin

stuff on you so you can’t move. Then they just pick you up and put you in their flying saucer and speed you away to Mars.”
    â€œAre they coming in flying saucers tonight, Karen?” asked David Michael.
    â€œHundreds of ‘em,” Karen answered. “All shiny and silvery.”
    David Michael searched the sky so long that he tripped and fell on his knees. “I thought I saw one!” he said breathlessly as he stood up. “Now it’s gone.”
    They had almost reached the playground. Dawn tried to distract her group. “Hey, look at this!” she said, pointing to a poster that was tacked to the fence surrounding the schoolyard. “‘Arts and crafts today. Puppet-making contest.’ A contest, you guys! Wouldn’t you like to enter? I wonder what the prize is…. You guys?”
    â€œHuh?” The three bluebirds were looking at the sky.
    â€œI wonder if you could hide in your basement,” David Michael whispered. “That’s underground.”
    â€œCan I stay at your house tonight?” Berk asked my brother. “I don’t know if the motel has a basement.”
    â€œBerk!”
Dawn cried. “David Michael! Karen!
Enough!
” She thought about telling them they weren’t allowed to discuss Martians anymore but decided that was too mean.
    She led them through the gate and into the playground.
    A handful of children were playing on theswings and seesaws and monkey bars. A big group was seated around a table that was covered with paints, scraps of felt, glue, scissors, buttons, and all sorts of trimmings.
    â€œHow about making puppets?” Dawn suggested desperately. “Let’s at least find out what the prize is.”
    The three kids looked at each other. Karen leaned over and whispered something to David Michael and Berk.
    â€œHey, no secrets!” said Dawn. Karen finished whispering and the boys nodded their heads.
    â€œWe’d rather swing,” said Karen.
    â€œAll right,” Dawn agreed uncertainly. “You go ahead. I’m going to see about the contest.”
    Dawn found the playground counselor at the arts and crafts table. She asked her about the contest and about what other activities were coming up. She thought Stacey might want to bring Emma, Luke, and Ashley to the playground later in the week.
    Their conversation was interrupted by an ear-piercing shriek. Dawn whirled around, afraid one of the bluebirds was hurt. Instead, a little girl came tearing across the playground and threw herself at the counselor.
    â€œFran! Fran!” she cried.
    â€œTina, what’s wrong?” The counselor picked Tina up and gave her a hug.
    â€œMartians!” Tina managed to sob. Uh-oh, thought Dawn.
    â€œMartians!” exclaimed Fran. “What do you mean, honey?”
    â€œThey’re coming! Tonight! They’re going to take us away!”
    That was all Dawn needed to hear. She turned around and marched across the schoolyard. Karen and my brother and cousin were at the swings, all right, but they weren’t swinging. They were surrounded by an awed bunch of kids.
    Dawn reached them in time to hear Karen saying, “… hide underground.”
    â€œLike in your basement,” David Michael added.
    The other children were looking at them with fear in their eyes. One boy was wiping tears away. Suddenly, he turned and ran.
    â€œWhere are you going?” another boy shouted after him.
    â€œHome!”
    â€œI’m coming with you!”
    â€œMe, too!” chorused the others. The entire group fled toward the gate to the playground. “Karen Brewer …” Dawn warned.
    Karen looked up guiltily. “Yeah?”
    â€œI do
not
want you scaring the other kids with that story.”
    â€œBut we have to
warn
them. They have to be ready for the attack.” Karen was quite serious about that.
    â€œRight,” said Berk and David Michael.
    â€œWrong,” said Dawn.