Free How to Get Dirt by S. E. Campbell Page B

at a computer screen filled with data. A mug — probably coffee — sat at her elbow.
    Since Miranda was home, it meant no sleuthing. No sleuthing meant she couldn ’ t force Miranda and David to keep her. Pickles knew what that meant for her. She would be going back to foster families who didn ’ t know her name and schools where she had to be checked for weapons at the front door. It meant no bedtime stories and no ice cream past midnight. She suddenly felt as if she was choking on her emotions.
    I can ’ t go back to school. I just can ’ t. She turned from the house and beg a n to run. Her feet pounded on the ground and her toes burn ed with pain. But she ignored it until she reached her destination — the park she had come to the first day.
    Currently, it was empty. Pickles was grateful for that. She climbed up the stairs of the play land and found the slide. She slid inside of it, curled up at the bottom, and then began to weep. Already, her stomach hurt.
    ****
    When Pickles awoke after she had cried herself to sleep, her head was blurry as if she was trying to see through an ocean of fog. She didn ’ t know how much time had gone by, but darkness had fallen outside. She knew she was in trouble. Miranda would have gone to her school and figured out she had left . Pickles knew she should go home, but she couldn ’ t bear it.
    Maybe I knew all along the list wouldn ’ t work. I just wanted something to hold on to in order to give me hope . B ut it ’ s gone now. All gone. She almost wished she had never come to Miranda and David. At least then she wouldn ’ t have realize d how much she was missing. But now that she knew , she would never forget.
    As she laid her head back against the plastic, she heard the sound of familiar giggling outside of her slide. She glanced up and saw the soles of two bright white sneakers. Agony electrocuted her forehead, and then she heard a loud bang in her ears as her head met plastic. The pain gave way to a sea of darkness.

 
Chapter Sixteen
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    When she awoke, she wasn ’ t at the park. She was at home , sitting in her living room. Strange alien faces loomed above her, making her heart quicken in her chest. Where am I? Who is that? Fear caused her teeth to chatter. The strange alien flashed a light in her eyes, which made her brain ache as if he had poured acid into her eyeball .
    â€œ Ouch, ” Pickles said, shaking her head. She felt as if her brain was going to fall out her ear it ached so badly . “ Where am I ? What happened? ”
    Then she blinked and realized there weren ’ t aliens after all. It was her foster family and a strange man in a jacket with a patch on it . Her heart filled with relief but her head still ached in pain.
    â€œ Oh, Pickles, ” Miranda said. “ Oh, thank heavens . ”
    Then Pickles heard David. “ Is she going to be okay? ” He was breathing hard. “ Please tell us she ’ s going to be okay. ”
    Someone said, “ She ’ s going to be fine. ”
    The strange man in front of her , who she realized had a beard, a belly, and blue eyes, smiled at her then patted her head. She squirmed beneath his touch. She didn ’ t like it. Also, she didn ’ t like the unanswered questions running circles in her head. How had she gotten t here? Why wasn ’ t she in the park? Why was the only thing she remembered shoes?
    â€œ I think you should bring her to the hospital. We can take her in the ambulance, but it isn ’ t necessary . You can drive her yourself, ” the strange man in front of her said , stepping aside. “ She ’ s sound . See? She ’ s already awake. ”
    Before she had time to blink, Miranda was above her too. Miranda leaned down, seized her, and then held her tight. Pickles gasped in her arms.
    â€œ Pickles, I ’ m so glad you ’ re okay, ” Miranda said. “ So glad. ”
    â€œ What happened?