The Upside-Down Day

by Beverly Lewis

  “Maybe, maybe not,” said Leslie.

  Abby knew about presidents. But kings and queens? Who was this girl trying to fool?

  After art, Miss Hershey announced a special reading assignment. “I am handing out a test. You must complete it before math class.”

  Tests were icksville for Abby. She waved her pencil at Leslie Groff. Leslie smiled back. But it was another sneaky smile. What could Leslie’s secret be? Abby wondered.

  Miss Hershey gave directions. “Remember, read all the questions first.”

  Abby glanced back at Ellen. Honey was taking a nap at Ellen’s feet. Abby got up to sharpen her pencil. She passed Ellen’s desk on the way. She peeked at Ellen’s test. So this is Braille, she thought.

  The classroom was suddenly very quiet. Everyone was working hard on the tests.

  Soon, Honey was guiding Ellen to Miss Hershey’s desk.

  She can’t be finished yet, thought Abby. She looked at her own paper. She was only on number seven.

  A few minutes later, Leslie Groff was finished. Then Dunkum and Stacy.

  Abby looked around the room. She was getting worried. Something’s wrong, she thought. Very wrong!

  FOUR

  Abby noticed Jason still writing his test.

  Good, she thought, I’m not the only one.

  Miss Hershey turned away from the chalkboard. “For students who are still working, remember to read all questions first,” she reminded them.

  Abby put her pencil down and read each question. The last question was: If you have read all the questions, please write only your name, address, and telephone number at the bottom of this page. Then turn in the test.

  Very tricky, Abby thought. I didn’t follow directions.

  Quickly, she wrote her name, address, and telephone number at the bottom of the page. Then she scooted down in her seat.

  “What are you doing?” Stacy whispered behind Abby.

  “I feel like crawling under my desk,” she whispered back. “I’m so embarrassed.”

  Then Abby heard Miss Hershey’s voice. “Will you please give Jason a hint about the test, Abby?”

  Her mouth was dry as if she’d eaten chalk. Dry and yucky.

  She looked at Jason. Poor Jason. He’s still working.

  Abby’s voice cracked as she said, “Don’t write anything until you read the whole page.”

  Jason twirled his pencil. He read to the bottom of the test. Suddenly, his face turned Christmas red. “Oh, now I get it,” he said. “Good trick, Miss Hershey.”

  The class howled with laughter, including Jason.

  What a double dabble good joke!

  Miss Hershey glanced around the room. “Now, listen very carefully. Following directions is a good thing to do every day. Not only School Spirit Day.” With that, the teacher winked at Leslie.

  Abby blinked. She turned around. “Did you see that?” she asked Stacy.

  Stacy nodded. “Something’s up.”

  “OK, it’s time for some riddle fun,” said Miss Hershey. “Anyone?”

  Dunkum raised his hand. “I’ve got a riddle. What do you get when you cross a duck with a cow?”

  “Anyone know?” Miss Hershey asked, looking around.

  No one answered.

  “Quackers and milk!” said Dunkum with glee.

  Everyone clapped.

  “Yay, Dunkum!” shouted Jason.

  “Go, Dunkum!” said Eric more softly.

  Ellen raised her hand next.

  “Yes?” Miss Hershey said.

  Ellen smiled so big, her face seemed to light up. “What is the beginning of eternity, the end of time and space, the beginning of every end, and the end of every race?” she asked.

  Stacy whispered, “What a mouthful.”

  Miss Hershey nodded. “That’s an excellent question, Ellen. Does anyone know the answer?”

  The students looked puzzled.

  At last, Jason raised his hand.

  “Go ahead, Jason,” Miss Hershey said.

  He grinned and shook his head. “Sorry,” he said. “I don’t know the answer. I can’t even figure out the question!”

  The kids were laughing again.

  Miss Hershey looked at Ellen. “I believe you’ve stumped us. Please tell us the answer.”

  “The answer is the letter E,” Ellen replied.

  The kids clapped for Ellen’s riddle. Abby clapped extra hard.

  Jason raised his hand again. He still looked confused. “I don’t get it,” he admitted.

  Leslie giggled.

  Miss Hershey explained. “E begins the words eternity and end. And E ends the words time, space, and race.”

  Jason was jiving at his desk. “Oh, yeah!” he said. “Very cool.”

  Leslie raised her hand. “I have a riddle, too.”

  “Yes, Leslie?” Miss Hershey said.

  “If all of you lived to be a trillion and one years old, you could never guess my secret.”

  Never? Abby held her breath.

  She thought about Leslie’s first clue, earlier today. Many kings and queens lived in England, long ago. Maybe that was a good clue after all. Abby waved her hand high. “Are you from England, and did you skip second grade?” she asked.

  “Nope to both guesses,” Leslie said. Her grin turned from sneaky to unkind.

  Time was ticking away. Abby had less than six hours now. And she didn’t like it. Not one bit.

  FIVE

  Time for lunch.

  Abby slipped into line with Stacy. Jason cut in line behind her. Leslie squealed.

  In a flash, Miss Hershey pulled Jason out of line. The rest of the class headed off to lunch.

  The older Cul-de-sac Kids always ate together at school. Today, Jason came in five minutes late. He plodded across the floor to their table. “I got in trouble,” he explained. “All because Leslie Groff screamed. She got me in trouble!”

  Jason scooted into the seat and opened his lunch. He poked his nose inside, then slammed the sack shut. “Anybody want to trade?” he pleaded.

  “What’s in there?” Dunkum asked.

  “Rabbit food,” Jason replied. He pulled a face.

  Dunkum held out his hand for Jason’s carrot and celery sticks. “I’ll trade your veggies for my orange pieces.”

  “It’s a deal,” Jason said.

  Next thing, all the kids started trading food. Eric even gave away his chocolate chip cookie. To Abby.

  Abby was double dabble glad about that. “Thanks, Eric.” She wondered if Ellen was right about Eric. Maybe he did like her extra-special.

  Well, Abby liked him, too. They went to the same church and both liked mystery books. Besides that, Eric’s mom made great chocolate chip cookies. “Yum,” she said, enjoying every bite.

  The kids chattered off and on about Leslie.

  “Any ideas about her secret?” Eric asked Abby.

  Abby shook her head. “Not yet.”

  “I think Leslie looks like a second grader,” Stacy said. “But nothing like a princess.”

  “She doesn’t act like royalty,” Jason said. He was being more serious now.

  Abby scratched her head. “So . . . what could the secret be?”

  “Maybe she has a twin sister,” suggested Jason. “And her twin got all the hair.”

  The kids laughed. A piece of Dunkum’s sandwich flew out of his mouth.

  The kids cackled some more.

  “Maybe she’s a friend of Miss Hershey,” said Stacy.

  “Or a neighbor,” said Shawn.

  “Could Leslie be Miss Hershey’s relative?” Jason asked.

  “I saw Miss Hershey wink at Leslie. Abby saw it, too,” Stacy said.

  Abby nodded. “There’s something really weird going on.”

  “Leslie doesn’t look like Miss Hershey at all,” said Dunkum.

  “Yeah, and Miss Hershey isn’t a queen,” said Jason. “And her husband can’t be a king—”

  “Because Miss Hershey isn’t married!” Abby broke in
.

  “Hey . . . . Maybe the king rules on a secret island somewhere,” said Eric.

  “Yeah, right,” Abby replied. “This is getting us nowhere. We need solid clues.”

  Ellen had an idea. “Maybe there isn’t any secret. Maybe that’s the secret.”

  Jason sputtered between apple bites. “Leslie better not set us up for nothing.”

  “Jason’s right,” Abby said. “That would be a mean trick.”

  Just then, Leslie approached their table. She was licking a pink lollipop. “What’s Jason right about?” She glared at him.

  The Cul-de-sac Kids were silent.

  SIX

  Leslie repeated her question. “Are you going to tell me or not? What’s Jason right about?”

  Jason ignored her. He slurped on his apple and spit out the seeds. Then he stuffed them into his shirt pocket.

  Abby giggled about the seeds.

  Without blinking, he said, “You never know when I might get hungry.”

  The kids roared with laughter.

  Leslie’s face turned red. “You’re a big show-off!”

  “You can’t call him that,” Dunkum scolded.

  “And why not?” Leslie demanded, her hands on her hips.

  Dunkum scowled at Leslie.

  She began to squirm and opened her mouth to say something. But the lunchroom teacher marched over to their table. All of them were sent out for recess.

  But Leslie didn’t head for the playground. She walked back toward the classroom.

  Where’s she going? Abby wondered. She wanted to follow Leslie, but her friends called to her from the doorway.

  “OK, I’m coming!” Abby said.

  Outside, Abby and Stacy hung upside down from the monkey bars. Ellen’s guide dog, Honey, rested in the sand nearby.

  Abby kept her eyes on Ellen, who swung straight across the bars. “You’re good at that,” she said.

  “Thanks,” Ellen replied.

  “I’ve never known a blind person before,” Stacy said. “I wondered what you were like.”

  Ellen swung on the bars. “I’m no different than anybody else.”

  Abby thought about that. “Your riddle was terrific,” she said. “Did you make it up?”

  Ellen dropped down from the bars. “I listen to the radio and TV a lot. If I hear something once, I never forget it.”

  “That’s so cool,” Stacy whispered.

  “Can you keep a secret?” Abby asked.

  “Sure,” both girls answered.

  “I’m going to play a joke on Miss Hershey.”

  “You are?” Stacy whispered. She moved closer to Abby. “Tell us more.”

  “I’m going to make the whole class disappear.”

  Ellen coughed. “How?”

  “During library, when Miss Hershey has a break, I’ll ask the librarian to tell the class about it. Then, during social studies, I’ll see if the principal will page Miss Hershey. When she gets back from the office—poof! The whole class just disappeared to the library!”

  “Will the principal and librarian help you?” asked Ellen.

  “I think so,” Abby said. “Mr. Romerez, the librarian, is a friend of my dad. And Mrs. Millar teaches Sunday school at our church. She likes a good practical joke. I’m sure she’ll help me play a trick on Miss Hershey.”

  “Your plan sounds great,” said Ellen. “I hope it works.”

  “Too bad we won’t get to see Miss Hershey’s face!” Stacy said.

  When the kids filed in from recess, Leslie Groff was sliding her desk close to the teacher’s.

  Now what’s she doing? Abby wondered. She picked up her pencil and headed for the pencil sharpener.

  When she walked past Ellen’s desk, Ellen touched her arm. “Abby, please bring Leslie here to me,” she said.

  Abby looked startled. “How did you know it was me?”

  “Oh, by the way you smell,” Ellen said, a big smile on her face. “And . . . that’s a good thing.”

  Amazing! thought Abby. She hurried to get Leslie before the bell rang. And before time for library.

  “Hey, Leslie,” said Ellen. She stretched her hand out. “I didn’t meet you yesterday. I’m Ellen Mifflin. I guess we should stick together, since we’re the new girls, right?”

  Leslie was silent at first. Then she said, “But we don’t have to, do we?”

  Abby studied Leslie. God’s Word teaches us to love each other, but some people are harder to love. Leslie Groff is one of them. What is her problem? And what is her secret?

  Ellen didn’t seem to mind Leslie’s rudeness. “Maybe we could play together at recess,” she suggested.

  “Maybe,” Leslie replied. She tapped Ellen’s hand. “There, I gave you five.”

  Will Leslie really go outside for the last recess? Abby wondered. Why did she stay inside, anyway? Was she allergic to the sun or something? Abby had read about kids like that. But, no, that couldn’t be Leslie’s secret.

  What about her crazy story? Was her father really a king? Abby doubted it. Leslie didn’t act very much like a princess.

  The whole thing must be a lie, Abby decided. She would watch Leslie even more closely. Every move and every word.

  Like a good detective.

  SEVEN

  In the library, Abby whispered her secret plan. Both the librarian and the principal agreed to help the class disappear. Just as she hoped!

  Abby would hide in the closet while the class tiptoed to the library. She couldn’t wait to see Miss Hershey’s face.

  So, the secret was set.

  During social studies, Mrs. Millar, the principal, called Miss Hershey over the intercom. “Please come to the office, Miss Hershey,” the principal said.

  “I’ll be right there,” Miss Hershey replied. She told the class to keep busy. “No visiting with friends,” she said. Then she left for the office. “I’ll return in a minute.”

  The second she was gone, the entire class tiptoed to the library.

  All but Abby. She sneaked to the closet and left the door open just a crack. Perfect!

  Soon Miss Hershey returned. “Oh, my!” she gasped. “Where is my class?”

  Abby giggled silently in the closet.

  The trick worked! The teacher was surprised. School Spirit Day was so much fun.

  While Abby was still hiding, Miss Hershey did a strange thing. She went to Leslie’s desk and opened it. Out came a red coin purse. Miss Hershey slipped her hand into the pocket of her backward suit jacket.

  Abby watched closely. She saw Miss Hershey put some money in Leslie’s purse!

  Abby leaped out of the closet. “Surprise!”

  “My goodness—Abby!” Miss Hershey said, startled. “Where is everyone?”

  “They disappeared,” shouted Abby. She clapped her hands. “It worked. We really fooled you.”

  “You certainly did,” Miss Hershey said. “Where are they really?”

  “In the library,” Abby told her.

  “Will you tell them to return to class now?” Miss Hershey asked.

  Abby was eager to ask about the money. And the red coin purse. “Do you know Leslie’s secret?” she asked.

  Miss Hershey nodded. “Yes.”

  “Will she tell us today?” Abby asked.

  “I think Leslie hopes someone will guess her secret,” said Miss Hershey, smiling.

  “This is turning into a real mystery,” Abby said.

  But Miss Hershey said no more.

  Abby scratched her head. What was going on?

  She hurried to the office. The principal let her talk over the intercom. “Operation Disappearing Class is a success. Miss Hershey’s students, please return to your classroom.”

  Mrs. Millar patted Abby’s shoulder. “School Spirit Day comes just once a year. Back to work now.”

  But it was already time for afternoon recess. Miss Hershey’s classroom door swung wide. Kids dashed out to the playground.

  Leslie ran outside, too.

  “Will
we find out your secret today?” Abby asked her.

  Leslie ran to the swings. She shouted over her shoulder, “Someone has to guess it first! And you don’t have much time left.”

  Leslie’s answer bugged Abby. She wanted to know the secret now!

  Ellen was playing on the monkey bars. Her guide dog waited in the sand below. While Leslie was swinging, Ellen said, “I think I know Leslie’s secret.”

  Abby stared at her. “You do?”

  “Give us a clue, OK?” Stacy begged.

  “Just keep your eyes on Leslie,” Ellen said. “That’s all I’m saying.”

  “But we are watching,” Stacy insisted. “All the time!”

  “Yeah,” Abby said. “I’m tired of watching her.” She wondered about Miss Hershey’s actions while Abby was hiding in the closet.

  “How do you know Leslie’s secret?” asked Stacy.

  Ellen laughed. “I guess my insight comes in handy sometimes.”

  They ran to the swings and played.

  Then Ellen had an idea. “Let’s play Twenty Questions with Leslie,” she said.

  “Double dabble good idea!” exclaimed Abby. “Maybe we’ll get some more clues!” She turned toward Leslie’s swing.

  But Leslie had vanished!

  “Leslie disappeared,” said Abby, looking all around.

  “Hey, look over there,” said Stacy. “I see her.”

  “Leslie’s running races with the boys,” said Abby.

  “Come on,” Ellen said. “Honey needs to walk.”

  “OK,” Abby said.

  Dunkum and Eric were squatting in their get-set-go positions.

  Jason yelled, “Are you ready?”

  The boys shouted they were.

  Abby could hardly keep her own secret inside. She had to tell Stacy and Ellen. “I saw something while I was hiding.”

  “Something in the closet?” Ellen asked.

  “No, something outside the closet. Just listen to this. Miss Hershey put some money in Leslie’s coin purse.”

  “Wha-at?” Stacy said.

  “When I hid in the closet, I saw Miss Hershey open Leslie’s desk,” Abby explained.

  “This is weird stuff,” Stacy said.

  “What was Miss Hershey doing in the new girl’s purse?” Ellen asked.