Just Stupid! Read Online Free PDF Page B

suffocate down here.
       I feel an itch on the side of my neck, just below my ear, but I can’t scratch it because I’m too squashed. I hate that. It’s really itchy and the more I can’t scratch the more it itches. I can’t stop thinking about it. I need to take my mind off it. I’ll do my seven times table. One seven is seven. Two sevens are fourteen. Three sevens are . . . um . . . um . . . damn this itch! I can’t concentrate. I can’t even remember what three times seven is. It’s the itchiest itchever. And it’s spreading. Now it’s on my cheek.

       Hang on. It’s not spreading—it’s moving. Itches don’t move. I don’t think it’s an itch— I think it’s the spider.
       Okay. Get a grip. I’m not going to panic. I’m going to stay calm. I can handle this.
       I don’t know for sure that it’s the spider. It could be just a moth. Or an ant. Something harmless.
       Whatever it is, I should be able to squash it if I turn my head and press my cheek against my shoulder.
       My nose rubs the bottom of the bed as I turn my head.
       Not a good idea. Turning my head has made whatever it is move faster.
       It’s moving up towards my mouth.
       I hold my breath. I strain to look down to see what it is. Uh-oh. It’s the spider. It looks much bigger close up.
       I squeeze my eyes shut and hold my breath. I want to scream, but the spider places a leg across my lips as if to shush me. This is our secret, it seems to be saying, this is just between you and me.
       It draws its furry body across my mouth and pauses. My lips are shut tight.

       Okay. This is not good. But I’m not going to panic. I’ll be all right if I don’t panic. I have to keep control of myself and not alarm the spider.
       Maybe I could blow it off.
       I part my lips the tiniest amount possible and start to blow. The spider doesn’t budge. It lowers and flattens its body like it’s trying to hold on.
       I need a bigger breath. I breathe in as deeply through my nose as I can and blow harder. But it’s still not enough. For all I know the spider is enjoying this—it must be like standing in front of a warm heater on a cold day.
       Suddenly Jen squeals.
       ‘Stop it, Craig!’ she giggles. ‘That tickles! Stop please, no!’
       The bed buckles and thumps down on my chest.
       I gasp. Something catches in my throat. I gulp.
       Oh no.
       I just swallowed the spider!
       ‘Aaaaaggghhhhh!’ I scream.
       ‘What’s that?’ says Craig.
       They’ve heard me, but I don’t care. All I care about is the spider.
       What if it bites me on the inside? That’s worse than getting bitten on the outside. The poison will go straight into my bloodstream. I could be dead within minutes.

       I’m gagging and coughing, trying to get it out. I’m too young to die.
       ‘It’s the bogeyman!’ screams Jen. ‘He’s under the bed!’
       Craig’s face appears beside me.
       ‘Bogeyboy more like,’ he says. ‘It’s your stupid little brother.’
       He grabs my arm and drags me out.
       But I don’t care. He’s doing me a favour. I’ve got to get out of here. I’ve got to get to a hospital before the poison takes effect. Before the convulsions start.
       ‘Andy!’ says Jen.
       I try to stand up. It’s not easy because I’m so stiff from having been cramped under the bed for so long. Or maybe it’s the first sign of the poison setting in. Maybe my whole body will seize up and I won’t be able to move!
       I stagger to the door.
       ‘Stop him!’ says Jen.
       Craig strides across the room. He pushes me away from the door and stands with his back against it.

       ‘Not so fast, buddy,’ he says, rolling up his shirt sleeves. ‘I think we need to have a little talk.’
       Jen gets up from the bed and joins Craig at the door.
       ‘What were you doing under there?’ she says.
       ‘Yeah, you little weirdo!’ says Craig.