Mr. Terupt Falls Again by Rob Buyea Read Free Book Online

camefrom if someone were to let one go, unless, of course, you were the evil Lexie. Suddenly, out of nowhere, Mr. T shouted, “THAT’S IT!” He successfully scared the snot out of us again.
    “You might as well call it quits,” he announced. “I’ve got my solution right here and there’s no way I’m going to lose. I’ve solved it.”
    “Too bad Luke’s already turned his in,” I said. “Looks like you’ll have to settle for second place.”
    Luke didn’t say anything, but Mr. T made a grand production out of adding his envelope to the submission box. He flew it up and down like an airplane, sound effects included, before spinning around and slam-dunking it home.
    We were supposed to go back to silent reading. I tried, but it was hard to settle down after Mr. T got us riled up like that. He made everything loads of fun.

F ADE IN: LS of everyone sitting in their chairs. They’ve been arranged in a semicircle facing the front of the room, making it a stage area. Written on the board are the words Solution Opening Ceremony . MR. TERUPT carries a shoe box in his hands along with his copy of The Westing Game . The box holds our solutions .
    JESSICA VO
    There was nervous chatter among my classmates as Mr. Terupt approached with the solutions, except for me and Luke. We were the only ones not talking while we waited for Mr. Terupt to get ready. Luke was all business. We were anxious, in it together, and hoping to be the winner.
    CUT TO: Days earlier in the classroom, during silent reading time. LUKE kneels next to JESSICA in a corner of the room where she’s working. THEY talk in hushed voices .
    LUKE
    How close are you?
    JESSICA
    I don’t know. I’m trying to be patient, hoping that something comes to me, but it’s not. I don’t know what I’m missing.
    LUKE
    I wasn’t patient. I rushed my solution because I was sure I had it solved, but now I know there’s more to it.
    LUKE looks down at the floor .
    LUKE
    I want to tell you what I know, and see if it helps you. Mr. Terupt said only one person has ever solved it, so I want to see if I can help you figure it out—it’s too late for me.
    LUKE looks up and meets JESSICA’s smile .
    CUT TO: Solution Opening Ceremony .
    MR. TERUPT
    Okay, gang. Here’s the deal. It’s time for us to finish this magnificent riddle. The recommender of this story did not lie—it’s a brilliant tale. After we’re finished I’ll take each solution out one at a time and read it aloud. The one that is most accurate and thorough will be considered the best, with any ties going to the earliest submission. Got it?
    Students nod, books at the ready.
    CUT TO: MR. TERUPT reading aloud the end of The Westing Game and the class following along in their copies. Signs of shock and disbelief are seen throughout the students. We see mouths agape and heads shaking. PETER smacks his forehead .
    PETER
 (excited, springing up in his seat)
    Holy smokes! If anybody got that, then they’re wicked smart!
    CUT TO: MEDIUM SHOT (MS) of MR. TERUPT. He starts pulling envelope after envelope from the box and reading the answers out loud. Then he gets to Luke’s and holds it up for the class to see. CLOSE-UP (CU) of the envelope. DETECTIVE LUKE is scrawled across the seal. MR. TERUPT opens it and reads LUKE’s solution aloud .
    MR. TERUPT
 (after whistling)
    Very impressive, Luke. Your solution is certainly evidence of a detective in the making.
    JEFFREY
    Way to go, Lukester.
    LUKE shrugs. Then he glances at JESSICA, who’s trying to be sneaky by not looking back at him .
    JESSICA VO
    I liked Mr. Terupt for praising Luke when he knew his own solution was better. But he hadn’t opened my envelope yet, and he didn’t know that Luke had a hand in that solution, too.
    CUT TO: CU of the next envelope. We see MR. TERUPT’s name. He opens it and reads his solution to a silent audience .
    MR. TERUPT
 (flexing his muscles)
    It seems I was right, Peter. I’m sorry, but my solution happens to be the