Philip Gets Even (9781597050807) Read Online Free PDF Page B

in a classroom on the third
floor of the school. Philip and Emery were on the second floor. The
school rules said that students were forbidden to leave their floor
unless specifically sent on an errand by their teacher. Philip and
Emery agreed it was a good rule because they knew Johnny Visco
would never leave the third floor since his teacher would never
send someone like him to do an errand.
    They sat next to each other in the lunchroom
as they discussed all of this.
    “Do you see him?” Philip whispered.
    Emery looked up from his sandwich. “I don’t
see... oh, here comes his teacher and the class.”
    As soon as the sixth grade class entered the
lunchroom, Johnny Visco left the line and started walking around
between the lunch tables.
    Emery peeked over top of his sandwich. When
his eyes cleared the crust, they looked straight into the eyes of
Johnny Visco three tables away.
    “He sees us,” said Emery, lowering his head
behind his sandwich.
    Philip watched Johnny Visco return to his
class, get scolded by his teacher for leaving the line, and find
his own table.
    One teacher was always assigned to lunch duty
and to patrol the yard while the children played there. Philip and
Emery stayed in their lunch seats until they saw the teacher—it was
Mr. Sundack that day—go outside. Then they followed him and stood
near him for the entire play period. They didn’t see Johnny Visco
the whole time.
    “We may make it home alive today after all,”
said Emery. “Hey, you don’t think Ms. Trinetti will be mad at us,
do you?” They had Ms. Trinetti’s art class last period.
    “I forgot about her,” said Philip. “Probably.
She was a judge, you know.”
    Just then a small boy ran up to Philip and
handed him a note.
    “What’s this?” Philip asked the boy.
    “The principal said to give it to you,” the
small boy said, looking around nervously.
    Philip looked at Emery and said, “The
principal?” He unfolded the paper and read the typed message. “It
says, ‘Philip and Emery, I’d like the two of you to report to room
319 immediately.’”
    “And it’s from Mr. Greif?”
    “His name’s signed on the bottom. I guess
Johnny Visco’s parents complained.”
    “Oooo, somebody else mad at us,” Emery
moaned.
    “He wants it back,” said the little boy,
pointing to the note.
    Philip handed the note over, and the little
boy took it and ran away.
    “I guess we better go,” said Philip.
    ~ * ~
    Philip and Emery left the staircase, pushed
through the swinging doors into the third floor corridor, and
looked around.
    “No one’s here,” Emery whispered.
    Philip didn’t answer. The third floor was
quiet, empty, and even a bit scary.
    With their sneakers squeaking on the shiny
tile floor, the boys took slow steps down the corridor.
    “There’s 319,” Emery said softly.
    The boys approached the slightly open door.
Philip knocked.
    There was no response.
    “Knock harder,” said Emery.
    Philip knocked harder and the door moved
inward a little.
    “Mr. Greif?” he called softly. “Mr. Greif.
It’s Philip and Emery.”
    Philip pushed the door open a little further
and they walked into the room. It was a windowless room with
shelves of textbooks lining the walls. In a back corner, there were
three televisions on black metal rolling stands.
    “Mr. Greif?” Philip said in a louder voice.
“Are you in here?”
    “There’s nobody here,” said Emery. “And this
is 319.”
    Suddenly, the lights flicked off, the door
slammed, and the room went black.
    “Hey!” Philip called.
    “I can’t see anything,” said Emery. “Find the
light. How’d it get turned off?”
    “Watch!” Philip cried when Emery walked into
him.
    “Find the door,” said Emery. “Find the light
switch. Find something. ”
    Philip felt Emery grab his shirt and so, with
his two hands stretched out in front of him, Philip led the way.
When his hand touched wood, he felt around for the doorknob.
    “I got it, Emery.”
    “Open the