Winter Shadows by Margaret Buffie Read Free Book Online

waited for the final bell to ring, I played with the star brooch pinned to my sweater and wondered how bad this cold was going to get. Suddenly a young woman in a long dark dress appeared right beside Mr. Weizer’s desk, looking bewildered. Weizer just sat there, sipping coffee and picking his nose, like he always did during a test.
    The girl had a narrow dusky face, with high cheekbones and dark eyes, her black hair pulled back from her forehead into a braided knot. She wore no jewelry except a small brooch in the middle of her collar, which glinted in the strange light around her. I sat up. The brooch was identical to the one pinned to my sweater!
    I knew, when Weizer kept sipping and picking, that he didn’t see her. A few of the other kids were waiting for him to notice that they were finished their tests, so clearly they didn’t see her either. I lifted one hand to wave at her,but just as she looked my way, she stepped back and … 
vanished
. To keep myself from crying out, I put my head down on my arms. My head whirled.
Was I hallucinating? Was I dreaming while awake?
    Someone touched my elbow. “You okay, Cass?” I peered over my arm at Martin Pelly. “You just went the color of Elmer’s glue.”
    “I – uh – I’m gedding a cold, I think,” I said.
    The bell rang. I threw my paper onto Weizer’s desk, lunged for my locker, then ran out into the cold fresh air. My throat was swollen by then. I pulled my woolen hat down over my aching ears.
Could a fever make you see things that weren’t there?
I wiped away beads of sweat from my upper lip. My stomach tightened.
Please don’t let me throw up!
    I ran through huge floating snowflakes toward the school bus. For once, I was glad to be returning to Old Maples. I even waved at Daisy in one of the backseats. For some reason, seeing her made me feel better. She stared at me, mouth open, glasses still frosted from the cold.
    I sat beside a girl I didn’t know, so I wouldn’t have to talk. Kids crowded onto the bus. There’s not supposed to be anyone standing in it, but once the dust settled, Martin Pelly and two other boys were left over.
    Gus Thompson, the bus driver, looked in his mirror, his expression grim. Clearly some kids were taking friends home with them. “Hang on tight, you three,” he shouted. “I’m not takin’ the blame if you go ass over teakettle!” We knew he was a good driver, but he was taking a big chance.He put his foot on the gas, and the yellow box rumbled slowly forward.
    Before I knew it, Martin was staring down at me, one hand holding the rail above, the other gripping the tubing on the back of my seat. “Hey, partner, feeling better?” he asked.
    The girl beside me shifted her attention to listen.
    “Yeah,” I said, but it came out a squeak. My hands were clammy in my mitts.
    “You look like a sick puppy.”
    “Thanks for that,” I said. The girl glanced at me, but I frowned and she turned away.
    “So, Cass, you sure got worked up about group assignments in English class today,” Martin said. “I think partnered assignments are a good idea. I figure it’ll be –”
    “– less work for you?” I croaked. “I’ll be the one who ends up doing it all. I prefer completing assignments
by myself
– not with someone who serves up chips and dogs every night, ignoring the whole thing.”
    Martin’s parents owned a fast-food restaurant called Pelly’s, just behind the locks that span the river as a bridge. Pelly’s was known for its foot-long dogs and homemade fries. I’d heard Martin worked there on weekends. I glared at him, then sneezed into my sleeve – three times.
    “Triple blessings, my child,” he intoned, and the girl giggled. I ignored them, searching in my pocket for a tissue. “We could get together during winter break and get most of it done.”
    “Whatever,” I said, mopping my nose and wondering if my throat was actually on fire.
    “Don’t worry, Cass. I’ll do my share.” I could hear the