Lump by Robert T. Jeschonek Read Free Book Online Page A

best square-jawed, narrow-eyed stare at Mom. " You ' re wrong . " He tipped his head to one side and shook a finger in the air . " I deserve that lump, and I ' ll prove it. "
    With that, he whirled on his heel and marched off to get his bike .
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    *****
    Buzz rode down the street as fast as he could, standing on the pedals. The bike swung back and forth under him as he pumped the right and left pedals one after the other.
    As soon as he whipped around the corner on Pine Street, he spotted little Squealie playing in his front yard in the bright afternoon sun. Squealie spotted him and took off, tossing super-hero action figures every which way as he ran.
    Buzz didn ' t waste his breath calling out. Instead, he hopped the curb and churned his b ike across the dry brown grass.
    Adrenaline sizzled through Buzz ' s bloodstream as he charged after the fleeing eight-year-old. It was one of the things he lived for, the thrill of the chase, like a lion on a quad running down an antelope on a Big Wheel.
    Squealie (real name Ellis Fingerling) bolted straight for the front door of his family ' s little red brick house. For a skinny kid, he sure was a lousy runner; by the time he ' d wobbled half the twenty feet to the door, Buzz was already hot on his heels .
    Buzz ditched his bike and leaped on top of Squealie in one smooth flying tackle. The bony kid crumpled under him like a fistful of pretzel sticks in a crushing contest .
    Which was when Squealie did what he did best in such situations. He squealed to the high heavens, letting loose a piercing cry that was music to Buzz ' s ears.
    It seemed a shame to cut it short, but the last thing Buzz wanted was for a stray parent to come a- running. " Squealie! " He pushed the kid ' s face down and yelled in his ear. " Cut it out! I ' m not gonna whale on you! "
    Squealie ' s screeches weren ' t as loud with his face jammed in the dirt, but he still kept them coming. Buzz couldn ' t blame him for calling for help; he had a pretty crummy track record when it came to telling the truth about not whaling on people .
    And honestly, it was way too easy to fall back on bad butt-kicking habits. " Seriously! I just want to talk ! " Even as he said it, Buzz had to fight the urge to beat the squealing out of Squealie. " Come on! I want to ask you something! "
    Squealie paused in his shrieking. Then he sucked in a breath and started up the fire siren all over again.
    Buzz hated what he was about to say so much, he half-wished he could punch himself in the mouth to keep from saying it . But he knew drastic measures were necessary to get through to a guy like Squeal ie. " Listen! I need your help. " He let up the pressure on Squealie ' s head. " Please, just talk to me, Squealie. "
    Suddenly, the squealing ended. The o nly sounds from Squealie were the gasps of his labored breathing .
    " Thanks. " Buzz sat up and patted Squealie ' s shoulder. " Now if I get off you, will you promise not to run away till I ' m done talking? "
    Squealie ' s eye as he stared up at Buzz looked li ke a rabbit ' s, glazed with fear . " Okay. " He nodded, brushing the side of his face against the crackling brown grass. " Unless you hurt me. "
    Another person might have felt sad that Squealie was so scared o f him...but Buzz just felt satisfied. He worked hard to keep up his reputation; if anyone deserved an award for being a neighborhood bully, it was him.
    Which, actually, was why the missing coal lump g ave him such a b rain- ache . To Buzz, it was the Pulitzer Prize, the Academy Award, and the Grammy wrapped up in one, with America ' s Most Wanted like a cherry on top.
    It went against his grain , but he got up and let Squealie roll over. He figured it was the first time he ' d let Squealie off the hook in the four years he ' d known him.
    " So...Ellis. " Buzz threw in Squealie ' s real name to sweeten the deal, but he could barely resist changing it to Smellis. " Here ' s what I want to know. Have you seen me do anything nice