Leapholes (2006) by James Grippando Read Free Book Online

shook as they approached the pile. She placed her hand over the middle one, then raked it clean off the board with her fingers.
    There was only sugar.
    The coach let out a nervous chuckle of relief. Then he looked at Ryan and said, "I guess it's down to you two."
    Ryan stared at the two remaining piles. He looked at the four players who would live, and then he looked at Kaylee. The four looked smug. Kaylee looked terrified. He realized that he, too, must have looked frightened. Who wouldn't have been scared? He had his whole life ahead of him. Whether h e w ould live or die came down to this: two piles on a tray. One was pure sugar, the other was hiding a bottle cap. One was life; the other, death. It all seemed so unfair.
    "Come on, Ryan," said Dr. Watkins. "Choose:'
    His heart was thumping in his chest. He swallowed the lump in his throat and picked the one on the right.
    "That one," he said.
    "Sift through it," said the doctor. "It's your lot."
    He drew a deep breath, then dragged his fingers through the pile.
    All eyes turned toward Kaylee. She was stunned, silent. The doctor tilted up one end of the tray. Slowly, the last - remaining pile of sugar dissolved, and the bottle cap rolled onto the table. It landed in front of Kaylee.
    The doctor looked at her and said, "I'm sorry, young lady."
    Her body began to tremble, and then she let out a scream. "No, not me!"
    "It's what we agreed," said Coach.
    "No, it's not fair! It's not fair at all."
    "It is as fair as we can be."
    "Why should it be me? Why should I die? I'm just fourteen!"
    Fourteen, thought Ryan. She was actually younger than he had guessed. Ryan could hardly stand to listen. It could have been him. It had come down to just two piles of sugar. He could have chosen the wrong one. He'd chosen the right one, but it didn't feel right.
    For this, I deserve to live ?
    Ryan said, "There has to be another way."
    "There is no other way," said Coach.
    Kaylee screamed even louder. Then she sprang like a cat toward the box of glass vials on the table. The men in the hazmat suits grabbed her.
    "Take her away!" Dr. Watkins ordered.
    The men tried to restrain her, but Kaylee was kicking and screaming at the top of her lungs. She refused to go without a fight. The guards wrestled her to the floor, but she kicked one man in the shins. He cried out in pain, and Kaylee wiggled free. The doctor jumped into the fracas and tried to subdue her, but Kaylee was twisting in every direction. The coach pounced on her and slapped her across the face.
    "Please!" she cried. "Somebody help me!"
    Ryan had no time to think, but his instincts took over. He grabbed the box of vials and jumped atop the table.
    "He's got the vaccine!" the coach shouted.
    "Stop right there!" said Ryan. "Or I'll smash the vials against the wall."
    The others stopped dead in their tracks.
    The doctor said, "Put the box down gently, boy. There's no need for this. You're one of the winners."
    "A winner?" he said, scoffing. "Is that what you think this is? Some kind of game?"
    "It's the best we can do," said Coach.
    Ryan shook his head, disgusted by such a lame response. "No, it's not the best we can do. We're in this together. We'll all make it out of this mess. Or none of us will."
    The coach glared. "You're talking nonsense. Give us the box."
    Ryan took a half-step backward. He nearly stepped on the Flu Lady's cup of water--and suddenly he had an idea. He grabbed the cup and pitched the water onto the floor. Then he reached inside the box of vials.
    "What are you doing?" the coach asked nervously.
    "Just stay back, or all five of these vaccines will be sprayed across the wall." Ryan kept one eye on the lookout, and on e e ye on the cup. He opened one vial and poured some of the vaccine into the empty cup.
    "Don't be a fool," said the doctor.
    Ryan said, "We have five vaccines. If each of us takes a little less, we can make six."
    "We'll all die!" said the Sling Man.
    "Or maybe we'll all live," said Ryan.
    The guard took a