Free Skinny-Dipping at Monster Lake by Bill Wallace

whole country, it still makes that beeping sound when you punch the buttons. How can I get out of the house without . . .”
    Elbows on my legs, I slumped over and rested my chin in my hands. Finally, unable to sleep and with nothing else to do, I got up and staggered into the living room. I flipped the TV on, but there was nothing but talk shows and soap operas. So I started looking through Dad’s videotapes.
    Suddenly I blinked. Then I blinked again.
    Beverly Hills Cop II was on the top of the video tape pile I was looking at. It almost seemed to stare back at me. An old Eddie Murphy film, it was one of Dad’s favorite tapes. I don’t know how many times I had watched it with him. A sly smile tugged at my face when I remembered the part when Eddie Murphy used the gum wrapper to fool the alarm system.
    I raced to the kitchen cabinet where we kept the gum. I unwrapped two pieces, popped them in my mouth, then smoothed the foil out on the bar.Smacking my gum, I raced to the front door and looked out to make sure Mom wasn’t through showing the house and had come home.
    All I saw was Jordan. He had a shovel and was working on the trench for his telegraph wire. I scampered back to the cabinet and got the gum wrappers. On my way down the hall, I punched in the code to set the alarm.
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    â€œSo what did you do today?” Mom asked when she came home. She looked a little surprised to see me awake, I think.
    â€œOh, nothing much.” I shrugged. “Just watched TV a while.”
    â€œI thought you’d be asleep.”
    I shrugged again. “Wasn’t sleepy.”
    She looked a little suspicious when I said that. Then she put her purse on the coffee table. “Oh, by the way, Mrs. Hamilton got hold of me on the cell phone. You did know about the fish fry at Pepper’s house tonight.”
    â€œYes. Did you tell Dad?”
    â€œCalled him at work. Said it would be fine and he should be home around six.”
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    The fish fry was fun. Our parents visited and seemed to have a good time. Our dads were proudof all the fish we had caught. Just as always at the Hamiltons’ house, the food was delicious. When we finished eating, we all went swimming.
    The Hamiltons had a big pool. We played tag for a while. It was a blast having our parents play with us. But with so many people in the water, it was nothing at all to find somebody to tag. Then we played Marco Polo. One by one, our parents kind of drifted off to sit in the lawn chairs and talk.
    We swam and played tag and took turns dunking one another. When we headed home, I knew I was going to sleep like a log that night.
    When we got home, I brushed my teeth and went straight to bed. I pulled the sheet over me and reached over to pat the nightstand. The two pieces of gum, wrapped in foil, were there and waiting. All I had to do was stay up until Mom and Dad were asleep.
    I glanced at the clock beside my bed. Eleven fifteen. Late as it was, it shouldn’t take long at all.

12
    W hen I yawned and stretched and finally forced my eyes open, I glanced at the clock beside my bed.
    Twelve fifteen.
    It was eleven fifteen when I went to sleep. I’d only been out for an hour and . . .
    Something wasn’t right. I sat up and yawned again. There was light coming into my room. I tugged at the shade, then let go. It spun and whizzed open. My eyes snapped shut as tight as I could get them.
    It wasn’t twelve fifteen at night. It was noon. I’d slept for . . . for . . .
    I was still too sleepy to even count. I staggered into the kitchen.
    â€œMorning, sleepyhead,” Mom greeted from her office as I waddled past. I backed up so I could see her through the doorway. “Hope you’re caught up on your sleep. Fixed you a sandwich. It’s in the fridge. There are some chips in the pantry.”
    I missed out on going to the lake last