Part 16 (1/2)
”Okay,” said Russel. ”So I have another question.” ”What's that?” said Em.
”Who do we think is turning the school into zombies? The princ.i.p.al, the janitor, or the school nurse?” By now, everyone else had figured out as much of the plot as I had.
”The school nurse?” said Em. ”You mean Nurse Busty?”
”She's not that bad,” said Gunnar.
”You would say that!” said Em wryly.
”What?” he said cluelessly. ”No, wait, I'm not attracted to big b.o.o.bs.”
She whacked him on the arm. ”Thanks! Thanks a lot!”
84 ”It's probably the janitor,” said Russel.
This made me perk up. Russel thought the villain was the janitor?
”I think so too,” said Em.
”Yeah,” said Gunnar. ”I totally think it's the janitor.”
”Wait,” I said, surprised. ”You guys all think it's the janitor?” How was this possible? Russel, Gunnar, and Em were all supposed to be smart !
They all nodded or shrugged.
”There is no way it's the janitor,” I said. ”It's either the nurse, or someone completely different-maybe the captain of the football team.”
”Min,” said Russel. ”In a nutsh.e.l.l? You're nuts.”
”I am not!”
”Sorry, Min,” said Em, ”but Russel's right. It's the janitor.”
”But what about the fact that the nurse is giving them all flu shots?” I said. ”That's how she's turning the students into zombies!”
”It's a red herring,” said Russel. ”There's a reason they have the janitor acting all macho.”
”That's the red herring!” I exclaimed. ”It can't be the janitor. It's always the janitor!” Telling Russel about Leah could wait. For the time being, I had to convince him and the others that it was Nurse Busty who was turning the students of our new high school into monsters-”brain 85 zombies” or otherwise. The next day, Thanksgiving, I had an early dinner with my family. My mom wore a sweater with a turkey on it that simply had to be seen to be believed. Afterward, I drove over to Gunnar's, where he, Em, Russel, and Otto were having a little Thanksgiving dinner of their own. Once again, I was somewhat preoccupied by the whole situation with Leah, but I confess, I had a very nice time.
At one point, I excused myself to go use the bathroom. The door opened, and the smell of cheap potpourri wafted out from inside. I'm not a big fan of potpourri, even the expensive stuff, but when it comes to bathrooms, I guess it's better than the alternative.
Otto stepped out.
”Oh,” I said. ”Hey.”
”Hey, Min!” he said.
Otto was a friend of mine from summer camp, but I hadn't spent any time alone with him since he'd arrived the day before. ”It's so great you came to visit,” I said. ”Russel's really excited.”
”You think?”
86 I was surprised he said this. Then again, Russel had been a little distracted at dinner. Was something going on between them?
”He is,” I said. ”Trust me.”
Otto leaned back against the wall in the hallway. ”I was so p.i.s.sed when Russel's parents found out about me. I thought I'd have to cancel.” Russel's parents had refused to let Otto stay with them, so he'd ended up staying with Gunnar.
”Are you excited about the movie shoot tomorrow?” I asked. Russel had arranged for Otto to be an extra too.
Otto thought for a second. ”Yeah,” he said. ”Part of me wishes Russel and I could be alone. But I know Russel really wants to do it. Are you having fun?”
”On the movie?”
He nodded.
Was I having fun on the movie? I honestly didn't know. The past few weeks had all been about Leah. I had barely paid any attention to everything else going on around me.
”Sure,” I said. ”I guess so.”
”What?”
I sighed. ”Well, it's complicated.”
”Too complicated to talk about just pa.s.sing someone in a hallway, huh?” 87 I laughed. ”Yes, I think so.” ”Yeah,” he said. ”I know what you mean.” He thought for a second. ”But I have an idea.”
”Yes?”
”Let's give each other some advice.”
”Advice? What kind of advice?”
”Just . . . advice.”
”But we don't even know each other's problems,” I protested.
He winked at me. ”That's why this is such a great idea.”
”Okay. But you have to go first.”
He thought again, then said, ” 'Before you run in double harness, look well to the other horse.' ”
”What?” I said, laughing out loud. ”Where did that come from!”
”I don't know,” said Otto, smiling. ”I just always liked the way it sounded. Besides, it's good advice.”
”I guess it is-if you live in a Charles d.i.c.kens novel.”
Otto kept smiling. ”Well?”
”Well what ?” I said.