Undergrounders Read Online Free PDF Page A

business,” Fitzy raged.
    My heart was beating so bad I swear I could hear it.
    “You say a word to anyone and I’ll smash that mouse head of yours, I swear,” Fitzy said into my ear.
    “I didn’t hear nothin’,” I stammered. “I just heard voices and Happy D said he was tired.”
    “You’re lying,” Fitzy said, “and I’m gonna pound you until the truth comes out.”
    “Why so hostile, Fitzy, my friend and bosom pal?”
    Fitzy let my collar go and stepped away. Lewis laughed at me and flopped down on the couch. I backed up into the store to get closer to Lewis. No way Fitzy would take Lewis on.
    “This snooping little puke was listening to me and Happy D having a private conversation,” Fitzy accused.
    Before Lewis could ask me I said, “I didn’t hear a word. I was waiting for you on the couch, like you told me to. Fitzy said he wanted Happy D to come with him, and Happy D didn’t wanna. That’s it. I swear.”
    Fitzy glared at me, but I could tell he wouldn’t dare do anything with Lewis there.
    “You promise not to say anything about this — and I mean to anyone — not even Rigger?” Lewis said tome.
    I nodded like a million times.
    Lewis laughed, then pulled a package out of his knapsack and handed it to me. “I need you to take this to the subway station. Scrunchy Face will be there soon, so you’d better get going.”
    We called W5’s friend Scrunchy Face because that’s what his face looked like — all scrunched together. I didn’t like him. He was always mean to me, and usually roughed me up for no reason.
    “No problem, Lewis. I’ll go right now.”
    He slapped me on the shoulder. I didn’t even look at Fitzy or Happy D. The subway station was a bit out of the way from the rink, but not too bad. Rigger was on his chair as usual, his legs hanging over the armrest.
    Rigger glanced at his watch. “Cutting it close, Mouse. Ten minutes to clear out.”
    Creeper ran past, followed by J.J., Will and Rose. Will’s eye was swollen almost shut, and there was a big black smudge under it.
    “You coming?” J.J. yelled to me.
    “You go ahead, and I’ll meet up with you.”
    As I started up the ladder, I looked down the hall and saw Fitzy and Lewis talking together. Fitzy was obviously up to something. Why would Lewis be interested? He was way too legit to hang with Fitzy.
    The cold air hit my nose and I felt my snot begin to run. The cold always did that to me. It was so irritating and everyone bugged me about it. It wasn’t my fault I didn’t have a tissue. I climbed up the hill to the streetand headed toward the subway to drop off the package. On the way I could cut over to Franklin and get some Chinese buns for breakfast. I was starving, as usual.
    After my errands were done, I made myself forget all about Fitzy, Rigger, and the whole Underground. I had skates and was going to spend the morning at the rink. The gloves I stole fit perfectly and the hockey sweater made me warmer too. My feet were cold, but I could take it. Snow began to fall lightly. It was actually kind of pretty with the snowflakes drifting in slow motion to the ground.
    This was going to be another great day. How couldn’t it be? A great sleep, money in my pocket — and hockey!

Chapter 6
    I loved the rasping sound of my blades digging into the ice. I could have done without the cold wind blowing in my face or the pain in my feet from the blisters that had broken even with the Band-Aids. But I ignored all that as I headed up ice, imagining it was game seven, overtime, Stanley Cup Final, with the puck deep in our end.
    I imagined a forechecker coming hard and I swerved at the hash marks into the slot to avoid him, cutting up the middle into the neutral zone. Time to end this, I said to myself. At centre I did a little shoulder fake to throw off the D, dangled the puck, and then about five feet from the blue line slowed a bit, bobbed my head left and right, and then flicked the puck forward and leapt high in the