The Guide To Killing A Ghost

Plan Seven: Picnic From Hell

I hate the sun. It makes my eyes hurt and my head hot. I hate my mom too. I have to keep yelling for five hours at the weekends just so she take me to this park, but when I begged her all last week not to make me come to the stupid school picnic, of course, she'd force me to come. The only time I want her to say no to something.

"Okay, everyone! Each class should be lined up together. Let's go."
I hate picnics.

Mom wanted me to give a good reason for me to stay at home. So I pretended to be sick, broke an arm, a leg, blind, dead but nothing worked on that evil witch. And I couldn't tell the real reason.

I can't tell her why I actually listened to her this time and didn't leave the house after she grounded me. Or why I'm always stuck to the window to see if anything moves in the shadows. Or why she found 'Are ghosts really real?' and 'What to do when you see a ghost?' on our computer history. I should ask Chris how to delete the history by the way.
Or why I couldn't sleep all last week when two yellow eyes that looked a lot like a fox-sometimes a dragon- -maybe a dinosaur?- keep staring at me in my dreams. Or why I stay behind the door with a bat ready for any hammer hands.

She'd be definitely taking me to that doctor if I told her I saw a ghost.

I saw a ghost. A real ghost.
And I ran away.

I sat down pulling my hair. What will that ghost think of me now? That this is just a stupid coward who isn't even worth haunting? Is that why he didn't do anything to me?

I slapped my hand on my face to hide it not wanting to think about the worst. Does he think I'm not worth killing?!

"If you're done staring at the floor Felix, why don't you join the boys' team?" Mr. Adam stared down at me.
I got up and ran to where my class was standing between the trees. I hate that teacher. He keeps looking at me like I'm going to throw a whoopie cushion at him as soon as he turns around.

The boys were in a circle fighting who our team leader was going to be. The girls' team was already on the way to their mission. I hate my class. After the prank on the first day and the trouble I got into, I thought everyone would look at me like I'm a hero. Nothing really changed. Nobody even said good morning to me all week. Except rose. I hate Rose.

I hate everything.

"It should be me. I'm the only one who can make us win against Nathan's team." Peter said from the middle of the circle.

"But Nathan is your friend," Mickell said under his beanie.

"Exactly. I know him better than anyone else, which means I can make us win against him."
I guess Peter really hates losing.
I would never betray my friends even if it was for a game.

Friends ...

"Okay, here is your checklist." Mr. Adam handed the paper to Peter.

"You need to collect stones from each of the following colors, black, white, red, green, blue, and pink. The first team to finish their list will get a movie hour and Mrs. David was nice enough to order donuts too." He stopped to let the cheering and clapping for a red-faced tom end.

I heard him whisper.
"Though she said she'll only  do it if her son's team won."

"Anyways, just remember you can look in the whole park but any team who goes near or into the river will be immediately disqualified. Have a sportsman spirit and don't try to fight with the other teams or you will be disqualified too. Remember that this whole picnic is for us to work together as a class. When you're done you can come get me from the teacher's bench so I can check that you have all the colors. Now on my count." We all got ready to run.