Hamish X and the Cheese Pirates by Sean Cullen Read Free Book Online Page B

turn,” Mimi said.
    â€œMy turn?” Hamish was confused.
    â€œWhat’s your story?”

    Hamish X shook his head. “Aw, you don’t wanna hear about me. It isn’t that interesting.”
    â€œAre you kiddin’ me? You’ve been everywhere! Done everythin’!”
    â€œI guess. It doesn’t seem so big a deal to me. I’ll tell you one thing for sure, though.”
    â€œWhat’s that?”
    â€œThere isn’t an orphanage that can hold me. I always escape.”
    â€œAlways?”
    â€œAlways.”
    The door to the roof opened, interrupting their conversation. Light from electric lanterns played across them. Pianoface and Tubaface shambled to the edge of the roof. They looked as if they’d just woken up.
    â€œCold enough fer ya?” Pianoface yawned and they both laughed.
    â€œIt’s exactly cold enough, thanks,” Hamish X called.
    Â â€œYou’re a weirdo,” Pianoface answered.
    â€œA weirdo with big boots,” Tubaface chimed in. They grabbed a line each and started hauling the danglers in.
    Prodded by the guards, they staggered down the steps back towards the dormitory. Hamish and Mimi were cold and miserable, but at least they hadn’t missed their dinner. Mimi was looking forward to flopping onto her cot and sleeping. She looked at her companion. He had been awake and alert up on the roof but now he seemed exhausted, his eyes half-closed under heavy lids. He was having trouble keeping up with Mimi and kept lagging behind. Every few steps he staggered and the guard had to haul him to his feet again.
    They came to the door that led to the cafeteria and dormitory: the secure section of the complex that housedthe children. The door was made of dull grey metal, thick and heavy. Pianoface pushed it open easily.
    â€œGet in!” Pianoface barked. With one meaty hand, he shoved Mimi so hard that she sprawled on her face on the cafeteria’s linoleum floor.
    Hamish X didn’t look good. He swayed on his feet. His mouth hung open, loose and slack. His eyes were barely open.
    â€œYou, too!” The guard reached for Hamish X.
    Suddenly, Hamish X vomited a gout of porridge all over Pianoface’s front and slumped against Tubaface, clutching at his uniform.
    â€œAaaaggh,” Pianoface squawked. “He’s puked on me.”
    â€œGet off me!” shouted Tubaface. He pushed Hamish so that he fell headlong into the cafeteria, lifeless and limp. Then he hauled out his Ticklestick and advanced on Hamish X. Mimi leapt to her feet. Fists clenched, she stepped into the guard’s path, standing over Hamish’s prone body.
    â€œLeave him alone,” she snarled.
    â€œGad!” Pianoface interjected, holding his vomit-soaked shirt away from his skin in disgust. “Let’s just get back to barracks so I can get cleaned up.”
    Tubaface faltered. He held Mimi’s gaze a moment longer, then tucked the weapon back into his belt. To tell the truth, he was glad of an excuse to avoid a tussle with the terrifying girl in front of him.
    â€œLet’s get outta here. There’s a poker game tonight.”
    â€œLet’s go then.” They stepped back through the door and pulled it closed.
    â€œDo you think he has rabies or something?” Mimi heard as the door slammed.
    Mimi squatted down beside Hamish X lying motionlesson the floor. She gently turned him over. His eyes were closed. She laid a hand on his forehead, just as she remembered her mother doing when she was sick in her bed in Cross Plains.
    â€œAre they gone?” Hamish X asked.
    Mimi jerked her hand back. Hamish X opened one eye.
    â€œAre they gone?” he asked again.
    â€œYeah.” Mimi watched in astonishment as the boy vaulted nimbly to his feet, his illness seemingly vanished as suddenly as it had come.
    â€œYou were fakin’?” She was awestruck.
    â€œOf course,” he laughed. “Puking on command can