Ghost of Spirit Bear by Ben Mikaelsen Read Free Book Online Page B

described trying to escape from the island, being mauled by the Spirit Bear, and the night he began to change—a stormy night spent worrying about sparrows in a tree. “Lightning struck the tree,” Cole explained. “The sparrows were so helpless and innocent—they didn’t deserve to die. I couldn’t save them, but it was the first time that I cared about something other than myself.”
    Cole finished by telling about Peter coming to the island and how they had become friends. “Before I left the island, Peter helped me carve a Circle on my totem. I wanted a Circle because Garvey taught me that our lives are a part of something bigger that touches all things. Every part of a Circle is both a beginning and an end, and in a Circle, everything is one.”
    The Keeper smiled as Cole handed back the speaking feather. She handed it next to Peter.
    “I don’t talk as good as Cole ’cause he kind of d-d-did a job on me,” Peter stammered. “But he had pretty bad stuff happen to him, too, when he was young. On the island, I figured out that he w-w-wasn’t the monster I thought.” Peter grinned. “He can still be a jerk when I beat him at cards.”
    The group laughed, but Peter continued seriously. “Cole has changed. One day on the island I got mad at him and he let me beat him up really bad without fighting back. I know I shouldn’t have done that, but I was still really mad.”
    Peter toyed with the feather, then looked directly at Cole. “I didn’t think I would ever say this, but now Cole is my best friend.”
    When Garvey was handed the feather, he said, “I went through banishment myself as a child—that is why I wanted Cole to have the experience. Nothing on the island went the way we planned, but I have watched two boys grow and change in front of my eyes.” Garvey considered his next words. “Their battles aren’t over yet,” he said, “but I think they’ve both proved they’re mature enough to fight those battles. Any punishment for Cole at this time would be counterproductive.”
    Cole waited nervously for Ms. Kennedy to speak. One word from her about the fight with Keith could send him to jail.
    Ms. Kennedy turned the feather in her hand slowly. “I didn’t know either Cole or Peter before this school year,” she began. “It hasn’t been easy for them coming back to the city. I do know what they’re going through, and if they’re willing to try, I think they’ll make it.”
    Instead of relief, Cole felt a flash of anger. He and Peter were already trying as hard as they could and it wasn’t working! Ms. Kennedy didn’t have a clue what they were going through!
    When the Keeper started the feather around the full Circle, everyone, including Peter’s parents, agreed that Cole had changed during his banishment to the island. The group’s recommendation to the court was to place Cole on continued probation for the next two years. If Cole stayed out of trouble during that time, his record would be cleared. If not, jail would be the automatic next step.
    The Keeper asked, “Does anybody else wish to speak?”
    Cole held his hand forward for the feather. “Garvey said that Peter and I were mature enough now to fight our own battles here at home, but he’s wrong,” Cole began. “Since we got back, kids have been all over us, picking on us and wanting to fight. They get to me by picking on Peter. I won’t let them hurt Peter, but if I fight them, I go to jail. If I don’t fight them, they’ll hurt him. They call me psycho, and they call Peter gimp and retard.” Cole’s voice grew desperate and he swallowed the anger that was growing in his throat. “I don’t know what to do. I’m scared. We’ll do whatever you tell us to do.”
    The feather went around the Circle again.
    Ms. Kennedy wasn’t much help. “There are so many problems,” she said. “Why should educators discipline a student and risk ending up in a lawsuit? What motivation is there for a tenured teacher to try