Shipwrecked (6 page)

As soon as I finished writing, the bell rang to go home.

I quick put away my journal. And I skipped out of Room One very gleeful.

Only ha! That night, after I ate dinner, Mother and Daddy drove me right back
there. And I skipped back in again!

And guess what?

There were parents snooping everywhere!

They were snooping at our bulletin boards. And snooping in our desks. And they were even snooping in our test papers!

All of the children had tension in us.

’Cause every test can't be a gem, you know.

Then finally, Mr. Scary saved the day.

He clapped his loud hands together. And he said it was time for the play!

Then whew! All of us got relief on our faces. And we hurried to the auditorium as fast as we could go. And we quick put on our costumes.

I tapped on Sheldon very giggly.

“My stomach has flutterflies in it,” I
said. “Does yours, Sheldon? Does your stomach have flutterflies in it?”

Just then, Roger sneezed real loud near Sheldon's ear.

Sheldon made a sick face. Then he quick held his nose nostrils again. And he whispered the word
germy boy
.

Pretty soon, Mr. Scary made the shush sign. Then he smiled at us in our costumes.

“Okay, people. It's
showtime
!” he whispered very excited.

He did a happy thumbs-up.

We did a happy thumbs-up back.

Then, very slow …

Mr. Scary opened the curtains …

And our Columbus play began!

Lucille and José walked to the middle of the stage.

“Hello, sailor. My name is richie Queen Isabella,” said Lucille.

José did a bow.

“Hola, Queen Isabella. My name is Cristóbal Colón. I would like to look for a new trade route to China. Can I please have some money to sail the ocean blue?”

Lucille reached into her purse.

“Okay. Here's some money,” she said. “But please bring back the change.”

After that, José bowed to Lucille again. And Lucille curtsied to José. And they walked off the stage.

The sailors hurried to their places.

My heart pounded and pounded inside me. On account of after the sailors came …
the ships!

Mr. Scary lined us up to go onstage.

“Good luck, you three!” he whispered.

THEN WOWIE WOW WOW!

IT WAS TIME!

I swallowed very hard.

Then me and May and Sheldon sailed
right onto the stage. And we started to say our lines.

“I am the
Pinta
. And I am the
fastest
ship,” I said.

“I am the
Santa María
. And I'm the
biggest
ship,” said May.

Then Sheldon started to say his line, too. Only too bad for him. ’Cause just then, Roger did another loud sneeze. And you could hear it everywhere.

Sheldon scrunched his face very disgusted and looked back at him.

“I am the
Niña
. And Roger should wash his hands,” he said.

Me and May looked surprised at that line. But Mr. Scary whispered to
keep on going.

José walked out and said his next words.

“Ah! Three fine ships! Just what I need
to sail the ocean blue. Tomorrow we will begin our journey.”

After that, Shirley walked out with a big sign. It said:

OKAY … NOW IT'S TOMORROW.

The audience did a chuckle. Only I don't know why.

Then Camille and Chenille stretched their ocean waves across the floor.

And hurray, hurray!

All of us ships began to sail to Roger!

There was a curvy line on the floor of the stage for us to follow.

We were supposed to sail side by side very perfect.

Only just as I thought!

Pretty soon, May tried to squeeze in front of me!

And that was just plain wrong. On
account of the
Santa María
was
not
the fastest ship. And you
can't change history
!

That is how come I had to speed up a teensy bit.

Only too bad for me.

Because when I speeded up, I accidentally nudged May's ship in her side.

And then
BAM!

She nudged me back …
hard.
On purpose, I mean!

And
CRASH!

The
Pinta
fell right off my shoulders! And I tripped over my ship! And I fell right smack on the floor!

Then OH NO! OH NO!

May tripped over my feet! And she fell down right on top of me!

And so Sheldon almost fell, too!

Only he quick did a swervy! And he crashed into Land instead!

And then
KABOOM!

Both of
them
fell on the floor across from us!

And
that's
when the worstest thing of all happened!

Because, all of a sudden,
AH—AH—AH—CHOOOOO!

Roger sneezed in Sheldon's face!

And it went
right directly up his nostrils
!

“AAUUGGHH!” yelled Sheldon.

Then he quick tried to get up. But he just kept falling down again.

And so Mr. Scary rushed onto the stage.
And he stood Sheldon up on his feet.

Only more bad news!

Because Sheldon pulled away from him.

And then
VAROOM!

Fast as a race car, he sailed straight back to Spain!

And down the steps!

And off the stage!

And right out the auditorium door!

I did a gasp at that sight.

Then I sat there sickish and frozen. And May sat sickish and frozen, too.

’Cause now Columbus would
never
get to America.

And it was all our fault!

It was the terriblest moment of my life.

I looked at the side of the stage.

All of the children had shock in their faces. Plus Mr. Scary had shock in his face, too.

He quick hurried over to close the stage curtain.

Only that's when a miracle happened!

’Cause just at that exact same minute, José hollered, “WAIT!”

Then, zippedy fast …

He jumped right into the ocean …

AND CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS SWAM TO AMERICA!

He did! He did! He
really
did!

He swam like the wind, I tell you!

And he landed right on Roger!

And all of the audience clapped and clapped!

Because Columbus got to America after all!

And that is not all the happy news, either!

’Cause the play was last night. And so today Mr. Scary brought a delicious cake to school! And we are going to have a
YAY, JOSÉ!
party!

Only there is still one teensy problem. On account of some of the children aren't actually speaking to me and May because of what happened in the play.

And so lucky for me that my bestest friend named Herbert got back from the virus today. ’Cause he already helped me write a ’pology to Room One.

I am going to read it after we have cake. On account of children are in better moods if they have sugar in them.

Here are the words I wrote to say: