Free The Sea-Quel by Mo O’Hara Page B

room and put on the full Robin Hood outfit for the first time. I looked at myself in the mirror. I was Robin Hood. Frankie even gave me a little zombie goldfish smile. I knew he’d like the outfit ’cause it was green.

    But there was something not right.
    A funny feeling in my stomach. As if a load of millipedes were having a fight scene of their own in there.

CHAPTER 8
    LIGHTS, CURTAIN, ZOMBIE!
    People were starting to come into the hall and take their seats for the show.
    I could see Mom at the back as I peeked through the curtain. She waved in that bigger than necessary, embarrassing way that only parents can do. Mrs. Kumar and Sami were there too. But not Pradeep. I guess he couldn’t face coming.
    I still had Frankie in the sippy cup. There was no sign of Mark now, but I knew he’d be back soon to run the special effects. I had to find a safe place to put Frankie. I looked around and saw that there were lots of red fire buckets full of sand backstage. I could dump the sand and fill one with water for Frankie. And if there was a fire, I could always scoop Frankie out and use the bucket to put out the fire. So technically it would still be a fire bucket. I put Frankie in a bucket and waited backstage to go on in my first-ever starring role. Everything was good.

    So why couldn’t I shake the millipedes kickboxing in my guts?
    I peeked out from behind the curtain one more time and saw Pradeep slide into a seat next to Sami. He immediately looked up and shot me a look that said, “I’ve been a jerk. I’m really sorry. All the attention went to my head. This isn’t your fault. Good luck as Robin Hood—you’ll be great.” Then he gave me a double thumbs-up and added, “Oh yeah, and watch the arrows in Scene Three—they can be a bit tricky.” That was the biggest look-message Pradeep had ever shot me and I understood every single word.
    Then I got it.
    I stood in the dark backstage and thought, I know what that millipede feeling is. It’s my conscience saying that I’m a terrible friend.

    Pradeep was my best friend. He had got the role of Robin Hood fair and square. I understood how he felt when everyone made him feel special, because it had just happened to me. My head had started to get a little bit big too.
    I had to find a way to get Pradeep back onstage, and fast.
    The lights went down and the opening music started. Then I heard two sounds that I never expected to hear together. I heard the sound of “Mwhahahaha, sucker!” coming from right above my head, and the sound of a fire bucket filled with water bumping across the floor.
    Frankie had heard Mark’s laugh and was after him to get revenge!

CHAPTER 9
    ROBIN HOOD AND HIS ZOMBIE FISH
    The audience started clapping and I could see the curtain swish as Mrs. Flushcowski walked in front of it to center stage.
    â€œThank you, everyone, for that spontaneous eruption of applause,” she said.

    I shook the image away. I had to concentrate. Mark and Frankie were both backstage somewhere, which meant only one thing. Trouble!
    â€œI would like to announce that we have an esteemed guest with us this evening. From the hit television show Talent or No Talent, judge and creator Solomon Caldwell!”
    The audience applauded again and I could hear a voice from the audience mumbling, “Thank you, thank you. It’s a pleasure.”
    â€œNow, without further ado,” said Mrs. Flushcowski, “I give you Robin Hood .”
    The curtain rose and the lights came up on the stage to show me and some Merry Men stick-fighting.
    Then Merry Man One said, “There is a group of rich travelers approaching. Shall we let them pass or make them pay?”
    â€œTheir jewels will buy food for the starving poor,” I said. “Let us hide. They won’t see us in all this fog.”
    That was the cue for the backstage crew to start the smoke machine. Fake fog rolled onto the stage. I