Audible book. Stoneway
Description
Vocal Characteristics
Language
EnglishVoice Age
Teen (13-17)Accents
North American (General) North American (US General American - GenAM)Transcript
Note: Transcripts are generated using speech recognition software and may contain errors.
Chapter one. Simon Partridge. The first time I ever saw Ghost was when Coach Mac will be caught me skipping class out by the bleachers. I remember sitting with Brandon Westbury when he found us. Do you have any idea how disappointed I am in the two of you? Coach Mac will be said to us that day. I've worked incredibly hard to change your attitudes towards your education. And this is the Thanks. I again I'm sorry, sir. I said to him, My gaze lowered to the ground, drifting away from the routine, tiresome lecture we were going to receive about life and not taking school for granted. What happened to you, Bentley Coach Mac will be snapped his fingers. I thought we were making progress. I didn't know what to say to him. I never knew what to say to him. As I stood there next to Brandon, I couldn't help but notice a boy standing in the middle of the football field. His face appeared grey and blurry, but his eyes were as clear as day. I couldn't tell you what you wore, but his body remains still like a bronze statue for a second or two I thought the kid lost his way or maybe escaped from the detention center up the road. But when the sun filtered out through the clouds, his body somehow slipped away into the shadows. He just vanished. That's when I knew. I asked Brandon later that day if he saw the strange kid on the football field, but he just spat on the ground like you always did and shook his head. That was last year in the seventh grade. That was also the year Simon Partridge transferred to our school. Okay, it's were almost lakes. No way. I'm gonna ask you again to please stay seated until we have completely stopped. Coach Mac will be stood at the front of the school bus with his clipboard, his golden brown muscular arms gripped tightly onto the seat in front of him. As the bus swayed from side to side along the bumpy road to busloads of eighth graders, had already spent four hours sitting inside the sweaty old yellow school buses. With no air conditioning traveling north up the 400 every single boy and girl likely couldn't wait to get into their bathing suits and dive into the water everyone, that is, except Simon. Simon Partridge had dirty fingernails that always smelled like bonfire smoke. He lived in the foster home by the old church. He kept to himself, playing his guitar with one string missing. The only time I ever spoke to the guy was the day I saw that ghost. He must have overheard me talking to Brandon and felt compelled to strike up a conversation with me about it. I wasn't supposed to talk to him because he didn't hang out in our circle of friends. Truthfully, Brandon just didn't like the guy. Please make sure you have picked up all your garbage from the floor and haven't left anything under your seat. The coach slipped off his sunglasses and wedged it into the curls of his thick blond hair. This bus won't be coming back until Friday, so if you leave something behind, you have to make do without it. Sitting on the bus that September afternoon, watching the trail of dust rocket up into the giant maple trees and evergreens, I couldn't help but think of Simon. I didn't understand why the guy would want to go on a four day trip with a bunch of kids who hated him, especially Brandon. Maybe his new foster parents wanted him to make friends or learn some social skills. Or, better yet, swim in Lake Stone Way so that he could finally wash. I had to admit, the idea of this school trip made my feet sweat. It wasn't because of Simon or being away from home for the longest time in my short 13 years. I was nervous because we were going to stone way. Is that the lake? Is that where it happened? Marcus trends stood up and leaned his head out. The window sparkles of light bounced off a large body of water along the right side of the bus. That's where it happened, I think. Right at the point. Ever since our class learned about this big trip, the gossip spread like Wild Far about Riley Grayson. The story had it. He drowned in Lake Stone Way last summer, and people have reported seeing his ghost rise out of the water. As much as we all talk tough and joked about the story, I knew there was some uneasiness inside every kid on that bus. I looked over at Simon Partridge, sitting by himself, a couple of seats ahead of me, his guitar tucked in beside him, his snotty nose stuck to the window, leaving streaks of slime across the glass. I wondered if he thought about the ghost we saw the year before. I wonder if he tried telling anyone about it. Part of me wanted to ask him more questions that day, but somehow just looking at him would probably set Brandon off. I had a tight group of friends and enjoyed being with them at the top of the food Shane not to brag, but over the past few years we became the most popular and coolest kids at Ravens Dale public school. At least we felt like we were. Hey, Simon! Brandon shouted, standing up over the seat beside me. Did you bring some soap? There's a giant outdoor bathtub over there just for you. He pointed out to the lake and laughed. Simon pulled away from the window and wiped his hands over the dirty streaks. Long black strands of hair drooped over his eyes. Turning to the front, he yanked his hood back over his head and then coward in the seat. Brandon's comment wasn't funny. at all, and I don't think it was supposed to be. But a ripple of awkward giggles and laughter spread through the back of the bus. Anyway, I knew why Brandon did it. I mean, he knew it gave him the power over his classmates. No one dared to make hurtful comments as he did, but then again, no one dared to say anything to him either. But Brandon had a reason, a pretty good reason for being mean to Simon. So he claimed. Although none of us knew what it waas personally, I figured he just wanted an excuse to pick on someone to make himself look good. Hey, Bentley, check this out. Brandon nudged me before standing up and sliding over to Simon seat. He looked at Marcus and me for a second and grinned. All I could see was the back of Simon's pale blue hood, But I knew he must have been trembling. I watched his Brandon turned his large frame in the seed and face Simon straight on. He stared at the kid, clenching his jaw, holding back the urge to laugh. Brandon slowly lifted his giant hands up to Simon's face, hovering his fingers inches away from him. Brandon held still for a few seconds and then pounce forward. Boo Simon launched his body back, bumping his head on the window. Brandon stood up in laughed, high fiving market trend and clay dog son that was her big market shouted to get almost jumped to the glass. I sat at the back, feeling the blood pumped through my veins. My chest tightened. Simon ducked down in his seat and disappeared from my view. Behind the back rest, Brandon stepped along the aisle of the bus and sat down beside me again. What do you think he knows? Who runs the show around here? A Bentley. A 1,000,000 thoughts rushed through my mind. I wanted to tell Brandon precisely what I thought of his egotistical act of stupidity, But I also knew this year was about survival. Eat or be eaten, Brandon would say. But what he did to Simon sometimes I was just too hard to swallow. I mean, there was taunting and teasing, which I guess I could tolerate, but I couldn't help but think there was going to be a time when Brandon Westbury was gonna take things a little too far. I just hoped it wasn't gonna happen on this trip.