Walrus Chain (Walrus Hut Series Book 3)

Chapter 32 (Mitchell)

"I'm in the mood for adventure!" I say, jumping onto Cole's bed. We just got back from that awful restaurant. I tried not to complain, but I secretly didn't eat anything. My stomach growls loudly.

"Aw, come on, man! That was gross!" Says Cole, trying to push me off of his bed. Why is he so offended by my hunger?

"You want adventure, yet you just got mugged earlier today," Jack comments from his bed. He's quietly reading a book. "Haven't you had enough, Mitchell?"

"You can leave," I say confidently.

"Whatever," he says. He stands up and leaves the room.

"I wonder what he was reading!" Cole says, jumping from his bed to Jack's.

"It's not polite to snoop, Cole," says Ryan. He's reading the newspaper on his bed. Who reads the newspaper these days?

Suddenly, we hear howling. Cole and I exchange a look.

"Did you hear that?" I ask Ryan.

"It's probably just the wind," he says, his eyes not leaving the newspaper. We hear the howl again. Cole and I rush over to the window.

Spencer is outside with a megaphone, howling at our window! We're quite a few floors up. How did he know which window to go to? Mr. Stoker grabs Spencer and drags him away.

"See," says Ryan, still reading. "It was just the wind."

"No, it wasn't," Cole tells him nervously. I'm pretty disturbed too. I don't really know what to make of what just happened.

"You two are so childish," Ryan says. He turns a page in his paper.

Cole turns on the TV. Sadly, it's a cooking show, and I'm growing hungrier by the minute. After an entire episode of torture, Spencer bursts into the room.

"Why were you howling at us?" I ask in an accusatory tone.

"Pranked ya!" Spencer replies joyfully. "And I stole the keys to the minivan while Mr. Stoker lectured me!"

My annoyance at him is forgotten in the midst of my immense hunger.

"We can go get food!?" I ask excitedly.

"Sure!" Says Spencer. He tosses the keys to me. "I'll grab Kate, and we can be on our way."

Of course, she has to come. Cole and I start to head out when we remember Ryan.

"Ryan," I say. "Um, if Mr. Hayes asks-"

"Don't flatter yourself," he interrupts. "I won't tell anyone."

I don't know whether to be offended or grateful.

                                                                                           ***

It turns out that most of us didn't eat at that restaurant. We feast on fast food.

"So Mitchell," says Journey. She insisted on coming along. "When are we going to talk about what you did on the playground yesterday?"

"Really?" I say, tiredly. "Do we have to?"

"Nope!" Says Spencer. "I'm ready to get back on the road!"

"It's getting kind of late," says Kate. "Maybe we should head back."

"No way!" Says Journey. "Now is the time to explore!"