To be honest, I was NOT looking forward to getting my face ripped off.
As the three continued to stare up at me, I slowly backed away from the vent opening, into the shadowy darkness, until I was pretty sure they couldn't see me anymore but I could still see them.
That's when Ralph started screaming at the top of his lungs. . . .
"DON'T JUST STAND THERE, YOU IDIOTS!! GO CATCH THE LITTLE SNITCH! CHECK EVERY SINGLE VENT IN THIS ENTIRE SCHOOL UNTIL WE HUNT HIM DOWN!"
"But, Ralph, we're too big to go in there after him," Tucker argued.
"Yeah, so how are we supposed to catch him?" asked Moose.
"Just FIND him, you MEATHEADS, and leave the rest to me!" Ralph growled.
"Okay, Ralph. But can we at least take a little break for dinner first?" Tucker asked.
"You want a BREAK?! I'll give you a break! I'LL BREAK YOUR NOSE!" Ralph hollered as he picked up a magazine from a nearby desk and rolled it into a weapon. "HERE'S your stinking BREAK!"
WHACK! He smacked Tucker upside his head!
"OUCH!" Tucker yelled.
"I told both of you to EAT before we left, but NO! You NEVER listen!"
WHACK! He smacked Moose upside his head.
"OW!" Moose bellowed.
"Still hungry? Here's some DESSERT!"
WHACK! He smacked Tucker again.
"HEY!" Tucker said, staring up at the magazine. "Dude, just hold up for a second! Let me take a closer look at that mag, okay?"
"How about I just shove it down your throat for wasting my valuable time? Will that be CLOSE enough for you?" Ralph grumbled.
"Sheesh, Ralph! Just chillax, will you?" Tucker snatched the magazine out of his boss's hand and squinted at the small print on the front cover.
"This ain't the library. Read on your OWN time, you IDIOT!" Ralph spat.
"NO WAY! This looks like a limited-edition COMICS DIGEST from 1972. I'm pretty sure it's worth BIG BUCKS!" Tucker exclaimed.
My heart skipped a beat! It sounded like he was describing my dad's comic book! I inched forward to take a closer look!
OH, CRUD! It WAS my dad's comic book!! It must have accidentally fallen out of my backpack while I was playing video games in the computer lab.
"Well, it looks totally worthless to me!" Ralph shot back.
"Listen! I know my comics, bro. And I'm telling you, this one is worth its weight in GOLD! You want proof? I can google it on this computer."
"You'd better be right! Or you'll be EATING it for dinner!" Ralph grunted.
I admit I probably should've been more focused on getting as far away from those guys as quickly as possible. But I was really curious to know just how BADLY I'd SCREWED UP by losing Dad's comic book!
"See, boss? It's worth five thousand dollars!! And even more if it's in excellent condition!" Tucker grinned proudly.
$5,000?!!!
I felt like I had just gotten sucker punched in my gut!
"BOO-YAH! There's nothing like easy money, boys!" Ralph exclaimed. "Tucker, why didn't you say something before I smacked you with it? I could have damaged this VERY valuable comic book on your CONCRETE HEAD. Now hand it over!"
"Wait a minute!" Tucker protested. "You said we'd get a cut of ALL the merchandise. And that includes this comic book! So for now let's just leave it right here on this table for safekeeping."
Just great! Those thugs were stealing the school's computers AND my dad's $5,000 comic book!!
I turned around and started crawling back through the vents as fast as my arms and legs could carry me!
I went fifty-five yards and made a right turn, and then I went another thirty yards and made a left.
I ended up in a long corridor with no vent openings. It was the perfect place to stop and rest.
All I could hear were the faint muffled voices of the men still arguing about the comic book, and my heart pounding in my chest like a bass drum.
Beads of sweat dripped off my forehead, and my hands and knees were stinging from the friction of crawling.
I sat up, hugged my knees, and closed my eyes. I was starting to feel really light-headed. That's when I suddenly realized I was holding my breath.
Okay, Crumbly! Get a grip! NOT breathing will make it kind of difficult to stay alive. I took two large whiffs from my inhaler and tried to breathe deeply.
The only thing WORSE than being locked in the school alone after hours?
Being locked in the school after hours with three RUTHLESS burglars! All intent on ripping my face off! This was some serious stuff!
Where were the hall monitors when you REALLY needed them?!
Somebody had to stop those crooks. But, unfortunately, I was the only "somebody" around.
My gut told me to step up and be a hero. But my lungs were like, "No way! There are three of them against one of you. So let's just go hide out in our safe and cozy locker until these criminals pack up and leave!"
Um, okay. I'll admit my lungs had a valid point.
Yes, I was a totally useless coward. And I didn't have six-pack abs like Thug Thurston.
But I DID have BRAINS and my trusty inhaler. I'd made it to level forty-nine in the Valiant Knights of the Galaxy video game in only three days.
And I was pretty much an expert on superheroes and villains from reading hundreds of comic books.
But, most importantly, I needed to try to get my dad's comic back before he realized it was missing and strangled me!
That's when I came up with a BRILLIANT plan.
While those men were busy loading up the computers, I'd simply crawl through the vents to the school office, grab a phone, and dial 911! Then I'd sneak back to the computer lab and swipe Dad's comic book in the ten minutes it would take the police to arrive, and BAM!! I'd be an instant HERO and a local CELEBRITY!
SWEET!
Then if Thug wanted to try to start something with me again, he'd have a HUGE fight on his hands.
Why?
Because he'd have to FIGHT his way through my very large throng of friends, admirers, autograph seekers, and cute girls (of course, including (Y/n). DUH!) who were crushing on me!
My life would NEVER be the same. I couldn't help smiling at the thought of it all. . . .
I mentally mapped out my trip to the office. Estimated time of arrival: 2.5 minutes. However, just as I was about to crawl past a vent in the main hall, I ran into a slight complication.
Well, actually THREE slight complications! RALPH, TUCKER, and MOOSE! I hung back a few feet so they couldn't see me.
"Okay, so this is the plan. I'll take the north wing. Tucker, you take the west wing, and Moose, you take the east wing. Now move it! We gotta find that kid before it's too late!" Ralph scowled. Then he strode quickly down the hall and disappeared.
"This school is HUGE! We're never gonna find that kid!" Tucker complained. "We should just grab the computers and get outta here while we can, but Ralph is so stubborn, he won't listen!"
"Forget Ralph! I've got an even BETTER idea!" Moose said, and winked.
"DUDE!! Are YOU thinking what I'M thinking?" Tucker snickered.
"Yeah, BRO! It'll be just YOU and ME!" Moose chuckled.
"Awesome!" Tucker exclaimed.
"Let's roll! We gotta be done before Ralph comes back!" Moose said as he took off running.
"Hey, Moose! Wait up!" Tucker yelled as he scampered off after him.
I didn't have the slightest idea what those two were up to. Although it sounded to me like they were planning to double-cross Ralph. But as long as they stayed out of MY way, I didn't care. I scurried through the vents, and within minutes I'd reached my final destination. . . .
THE MAIN OFFICE!! That's when I noticed all the lights in the school had been turned on by the burglars.
I popped open the vent and quickly lowered myself to the floor. Then I dashed to the phone, grabbed it, and dialed 911. I glanced cautiously over my shoulder and then whispered loudly. . . .
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