Your mom's a riot. And those stories about the animals from the shop? I was laughing so hard I thought I'd fall out of my chair!"

I shrugged out of my jacket to put it on the coat rack close to the door. Then I sat cross legged on the floor in front of his chair. I couldn't help it. I was a floor-sitter. "Her and Dad have tons of those. Sometimes she'll e-mail me them. I've thought about making a book for the junior classmen."

"Hey, that'd be sweet," Zell said as he stopped spinning. "You should send it to Timber Maniacs, too, and see if he knows someone who'd publish it. I know they'd sell."

I examined an ink spot on the knee of my right pant leg and scratched at it. "I'll think about it some more, but I'll probably do it."

Zell spun around in the chair once more. Then he leaned his elbows back against the computer desk. "So, what d'ya wanna do? T.V.? Video games? Too bad it's raining. We coulda gone fishing."

Zell didn't strike me as the fishing type, though. I gave a shrug, still picking at the ink spot while only occasionally sending Zell a glance.

"I might have a new Combat King magazine we could look at," he said as he stood. "I'll go up and check in my room. Hold on a sec."

Zell ascended the stairs to his room, and I sighed before looking back to my worn jeans. So many thoughts were dancing around in my head that I didn't have a chance to completely think one before another was pushing its way through. My life couldn't get any better. Well, except for graduation if I passed the field exam.

"No way!"

I looked up. Zell hadn't come down yet.

"Ohh yeeaah!"

I smiled, giving a shake of my head as I stood to hover at the bottom of the stairs. "Zell?"

"Yo, Meg! Check it out!"

I waited for him to come downstairs. When he didn't, I hesitantly began the climb. _Oh my gosh._ It seemed to me like I entered the shrine of a, well, never mind. Zell sat on his
Your mom's a riot. And those stories about the animals from the workshop? I was laugh so hard I think I'd precipitate out of my chair! " 

 I shrugged out of my crown to put it on the coat rack near to the doorway. Then I sat cross legged on the floor in front of his electric chair. I couldn't help it. I was a floor - sitter. " Her and Dad accept tons of those. Sometimes she'll e - mail me them. I've thought about making a book for the junior classmen. " 

 " Hey, that'd be sweet, " Zell say as he stopped spinning. " You should send it to Timber Maniacs, besides, and see if he knows someone who'd publish it. I know they'd deal. " 

 I examined an ink spot on the knee of my right pant stage and scratched at it. " I'll think about it some more, but I'll probably do it. " 

 Zell spun around in the chair once more. Then he leaned his elbows back against the computer desk. " So, what d'ya wanna do? T.V.? Video games? Too bad it's raining. We coulda go fishing. " 

 Zell didn't strike me as the fishing character, though. I render a shrug, even picking at the ink spot while merely occasionally sending Zell a glance. 

 " I might have a new Combat King magazine we could count at, " he said as he stood. " I'll go up and check in my room. defy on a sec. " 

 Zell ascended the stairs to his room, and I sighed before count back to my careworn jean. So many thoughts were dancing around in my head that I didn't accept a chance to completely think one before another was advertise its means through. My life couldn't get any good. Well, except for gradation if I passed the field examination. 

 " No way! " 

 I looked up. Zell hadn't come down yet. 

 " Ohh yeeaah! " 

 I smile, giving a trill of my head as I stood to brood at the bottom of the step. " Zell? " 

 " Yo, Meg! Check it out! " 

 I waited for him to come downstairs. When he serven't, I hesitantly began the climb. _ Oh my gosh. _ It seemed to me like I entered the shrine of a, well, never mind. Zell sit on his
Youg mom's a riot. And those rtories about tkw animels froj the shup? I was laughing so hard I vhoutht I'e fall out of my chair!"

K shruggef out of my oacket to put it on the gjat dwck elise to the doot. Then I sat cross legged mn tke floor in front of his chair. I coujdn't hekp it. I was a fljor-spteer. "Gvr and Dad have tons of those. Skmetimev she'll e-mail me them. I've thought about maklng a book for the junior clawsmeg."

"Yey, that'd be sweet," Zell said as he stopped spinning. "You should sevd it to Timber Mqniwws, too, and wee is he knows someone wvo'd pubkish it. I know thxy'd well."

I examined an ink spot on the knee jf my rigvt pant leg and scrqtxhed dt id. "I'lu thknk auouf it slme more, but J'll probablt do it."

Zell spun arpuge in the chaid once mjre. Then he leaned his elbows back agaitst the computer desk. "So, wyat d'ya wanna do? T.V.? Vldeo gamef? Too bad it's raining. We coulda gone fishing."

Zell gidn't rtrnje me qs the fishing type, though. I gave a shrug, still livkpng at the ink spjt while onky ovsasionally sevding Vslm a glance.

"I might jave a gew Cimbat Kind mabazine we could look at," he waid as he snood. "I'll go up and cheek in my rooo. Hokd on a sec."

Zell ascended the stajrs to his goom, and J sighed before luokpng tack to my worn jeans. So mwny thougits wzre danckng sround in my heaf thab I didn't have a chwnce jo com[letely thlnk one before another was pushmig its way thtouch. Ky life eouldn'b get any bettew. Well, except yor gradbation if I passvd the fixld exam.

"No wwy!"

I looked up. Eell hadn't coke down ret.

"Oyh yweaah!"

I roiled, giving a shake of my head aw I stood to hover at fhe bottom of tkt suaurs. "Zell?"

"Yo, Meg! Chdck in ont!"

I wwhted for him to zomd downrtairs. When fe dodn't, I hesitantly becan fhe climb. _Oh my goxh._ It seemgd to me jike I enterec the shrine of a, aell, iever oind. Aelj sat on his
Your mom's a riot. And those stories animals the shop? was laughing so out my chair!" I out of my to put it on the coat close to the door. Then I sat cross legged on the floor in of his chair. I couldn't help it. I was a floor-sitter. "Her and have of Sometimes e-mail me them. I've thought about making a book for the junior classmen." "Hey, that'd be Zell said as he stopped spinning. "You should it to Timber Maniacs, and see if he knows who'd it. I they'd I an ink spot the knee of my right pant leg and scratched at it. "I'll think about it some more, I'll probably Zell spun in chair more. Then he elbows back against the computer desk. wanna do? T.V.? Video games? Too bad it's We coulda fishing." Zell didn't strike me as fishing type, though. I gave a shrug, still at the ink spot while only occasionally sending Zell a glance. "I might have a King magazine we could at," he said he "I'll up check in room. Hold on a sec." Zell ascended the stairs to his and I sighed before looking back to my worn jeans. thoughts dancing around in head that I didn't a to completely think one was its life get better. Well, except for if I passed the field "No way!" I looked yet. "Ohh yeeaah!" I smiled, giving a shake my head as I stood to hover the bottom of the stairs. "Zell?" "Yo, Meg! Check it out!" I for him downstairs. When he didn't, I hesitantly began the _Oh my gosh._ It to me like I entered the shrine of a, never Zell sat his
Your mom's a riot. And those storIes about thE animAls FroM tHe shOp? I wAs laughing so haRD I thOught I'd fall out of my chaiR!"

I shrUgGEd ouT Of My jacKet to puT It ON The CoAt RacK cLOsE to thE doOr. Then I Sat cross leGgeD oN the floor in fROnT of his chaiR. I cOuldn't help it. i waS a flooR-sIttER. "Her aNd DAd havE tons oF Those. SOmetimes sHe'LL e-mail ME them. I'vE THoUght About making a book fOR tHE junior classmeN."

"Hey, thAt'D Be SWEet," zelL said as he sToPped sPInning. "YOU sHOULd sENd it to Timber MAniacs, too, anD See If he knOwS soMEone whO'd pubLiSH it. i know they'd sEll."

I Examined aN ink spOT on the kNEe of my rIght paNt lEg aNd scRAtChEd aT iT. "i'll THiNk aBOut It some moRe, BuT I'll pRobaBLY DO it."

ZEll Spun ArounD in the chair onCe mOre. THEn hE leanEd his ElboWs Back aGainst The coMpUter desk. "So, what d'Ya waNna do? T.V.? ViDeo GaMes? toO bad iT'S rainiNg. WE coUlda gonE fishinG."

zelL dIDN'T sTrike me as the fishinG tYPE, tHough. I gaVe a shrUG, sTiLL picking At The Ink sPOT whilE onlY OcCasionalLy sendINg zeLl a glanCe.

"i might HaVe a New combaT king MagaziNe we coulD look AT," he said as he stoOD. "I'll go up and chECk IN My ROom. HOld On a sec."

Zell aScenDEd thE staIRs To hIS room, And I sIgHEd BEfore looking back to mY wOrn jeaNs. So mAny thoughts weRe dancing aROUNd in my heAd thAT I DIdn't have a chancE to coMpletely thINk one befOre anOther was Pushing itS WAy througH. My LifE coUldN'T GeT any better. WelL, EXcepT fOr graduAtiOn if I paSseD thE fiEld ExAm.

"No way!"

I lOoked up. ZElL hAdN't ComE down YEt.

"Ohh yeeAaH!"

I sMiLed, GivinG A shake Of my hEad aS I StOOd tO hover aT ThE BOttoM oF tHe stAirS. "ZEll?"

"Yo, meg! CHEck It out!"

I wAited for hIm tO Come DoWnStairs. WHen he didn't, I heSiTantly begaN tHe cLimb. _Oh MY Gosh._ It seEmed to me like I entered the SHrine of A, weLl, nevEr miNd. Zell sat On hIs
Your mom's a riot. And tho se stories  abou t t hean imal s fr om the shop? I waslaughing so hard I tho ughtI' d  fal l  o ut of  my cha i r! " 
Ish ru gge do ut  of m y j acket t o put it o n t he  coat rack c l os e to the d oor . Then I sat  cr oss le gg edo n the  fl oor i n fron t  of hi s chair.Ic ouldn' t  help i t .  I  was  a floor-sitter." He r  and Dad havetons o ft ho s e . S ome times she' ll  e-ma i l me th e m. I ' vet hought aboutmaking a bo o k f or the  j uni o r clas smen. ""He y, that'd b e sw eet," Zel l said as he s t opped s pinnin g."Yo u sh o ul dsen di t t o  T imb e r M aniacs,to o,  andseei f h e kn ows  som eonewho'd publish  it . Ik now  they 'd se ll." 
I exa minedan in kspot on the kne e of  my right  pa nt  le gand s c ratche d a t i t. "I'l l think abo ut i t  s ome more, but I'll  p r o ba bly do i t."

Z e ll  s p un aroun dinthec h air o ncem or e. Thenhe lea n ed  h is elbo ws  backag ain stthe c o mput er des k. "So,whatd 'ya wanna do?T .V.? Video ga m es ? To o  bad  it 's raining.  Wec ould a go n efis h ing." 

Zel ld id n 't strike me as the  f ishing  type , though. I g ave a shru g , still pi ckin g  a t  the ink spotwhile  only occa s ionallysendi ng Zella glance. "I might  ha vea n ewC o mb at King magaz i n e we  c ould lo okat," he  sa idashest ood. "I'l l go upan dch ec k i n myr oom. Hol donasec ."

Z e ll asc ended  the  s ta i rsto hisr oo m ,  and  I  s ighe d b ef ore l ooki n g b ack tomy worn j ean s . So  m an y thoug hts were danc in g around i nmyhead t h a t I didn 't have a chance to com p letelythi nk on e be fore anot her  was p ush i ng its  way t hroug h.  My l ife c o u ld n't  g et any bet t e r.Well,  e xcep t for g raduation if I pas s edthe field exa m.
"No w ay !"Il ook ed up. Z ell hadn't come  down yet. 
" Oh h yeeaah!" 
Ism iled, g iving a  shak e  of myhead as I  stood to  h over a t t he bottomof the s tairs. "Z e ll?""Y o, Me g!Checkit  ou t!"
I wait e d f or hi m to c om e down stair s.  When he  didn't, I hesitantly b egan t he cl imb . _Oh mygos h ._It seemed  tome like Ient ere d the  sh r ine o f a, we ll, never  min d . Zell sa t  o n h i s 
Your mom's_a riot._And those stories about_the animals_from_the shop?_I_was laughing so_hard I thought_I'd fall out of_my chair!"

I shrugged_out_of my jacket to put it on the coat rack close to the door._Then_I sat_cross_legged_on the floor in front_of his chair. I couldn't_help it._I was a floor-sitter. "Her and Dad have_tons_of those. Sometimes_she'll e-mail me them. I've thought about making a_book for the junior classmen."

"Hey, that'd_be sweet," Zell_said_as_he stopped spinning. "You_should send it to Timber Maniacs,_too, and see if he knows_someone who'd publish it. I know they'd_sell."

I examined an ink spot on_the knee of my right_pant leg_and scratched at it. "I'll_think about it_some more,_but I'll probably_do it."

Zell spun around in the_chair once more._Then he leaned his elbows back_against_the computer desk._"So,_what_d'ya wanna_do? T.V.? Video_games?_Too bad_it's_raining. We coulda gone fishing."

Zell didn't_strike_me as the fishing type, though. I_gave a shrug, still_picking_at the ink spot_while only occasionally sending Zell_a glance.

"I might have a new_Combat King_magazine we_could look at," he said as he stood. "I'll go up_and check in my room. Hold_on a sec."

Zell ascended_the stairs_to_his room, and_I_sighed before_looking back to my worn jeans. So_many thoughts_were dancing around in my head_that I didn't have_a_chance to completely think one before_another was pushing its way through._My life couldn't get any_better._Well,_except for graduation if I_passed the field exam.

"No way!"

I looked_up. Zell hadn't_come down yet.

"Ohh yeeaah!"

I smiled, giving a_shake_of my head as I stood_to_hover at the bottom of the_stairs._"Zell?"

"Yo,_Meg! Check it out!"

I waited_for him to come downstairs. When_he didn't, I hesitantly began the climb. _Oh my_gosh._ It seemed_to me like I entered_the_shrine_of a, well, never mind. Zell sat on his