فصل پانزدهم

Chapter 15

“My poor baby,” said Bradley’s mother as she wrapped her massive arms around him.

He had stopped crying shortly after he ran away from Melinda, but started again when he saw his mother. “They beat me up and threw me in the mud,” he sobbed.

His mother wiped his face with a tissue she kept rolled up in her shirt sleeve. “Come on,” she said, and led him by the hand, down the hall to the bathroom. “You’ll take a nice warm bath, put on clean clothes, and feel good as new.” Claudia was in the bathroom, combing her hair. “What happened to him?” “Some bullies picked on him after school.”

“There were four of them,” said Bradley. “And they ripped up my homework too!” “You’ve been crying!” Claudia accused.

“That’s the rain,” said Bradley.

Claudia started to say something but her mother told her to leave the bathroom. She laid out clean clothes on the bathroom counter, then started the water.

After his bath, Bradley went into his bedroom.

He was just in the nick of time!

Ronnie the Rabbit was romping across the bed, singing “doo de-doo de-doo,” when suddenly she was lost! “Where am I?” she asked.

Suddenly, three bad guys were chasing her. They were the Two of Spades, the Nine of Hearts, and the King of Diamonds. The King of Diamonds was the leader of the bad guys. “After her!” he yelled.

“Help!” called Ronnie. She ran to the edge of the bed—the cliff! She was trapped. The floor was a thousand feet below. The bad guys moved in for the kill. “Let me go!” she shouted, then fell off the bed onto the floor, but that was an accident. Bradley picked her up and put her back on the edge of the bed. It never happened. There was time out.

“What are you going to do to me?” asked Ronnie, trembling on the edge of the cliff.

“We are going to kill you,” said the King of Diamonds.

“Oh no you’re not!” said a voice from behind. It was Bartholomew.

“Get him, boys,” ordered the King of Diamonds.

The cards attacked.

Bartholomew punched the Two of Spades in the stomach, then flipped him over his head and over the cliff. “Aaaaaaaah …” the Two of Spades yelled as he fell a thousand feet to his death. Next, Bartholomew beat up the Nine of Hearts. “Go join your friend,” he said as he threw him over the cliff too. “Aaaaaaaah,” cried the Nine.

Now only the King of Diamonds was left. He cameat Bartholomew, swinging an axe. “I’ll chop off your head!” he sneered.

Bartholomew ducked, then kicked the axe out of the King’s hand and punched his face in. He threw the King over the cliff too.

Ronnie ran to Bartholomew. “You saved my life,” she said.

“I know,” said Bartholomew.

They kissed.

Claudia walked into the room. “Mom’s making cookies because you got beat up,” she said. “Ooh, you’re going to have a black eye.” “I didn’t get beat up,” Bradley declared. “I beat them up. I gave one kid two black eyes, and another boy three.” “You can’t give somebody three black eyes,” said Claudia.

“Shut up!” said Bradley. “Or I’ll give you four black eyes.” Claudia shrugged and left his room. Bradley got up from his bed and went into the kitchen, where his mother was making chocolate chip cookies. She let him lick the spoon.

“I want to know the names of the boys who did this to you,” she said. “I’m going to call your school principal.” Bradley thought for a moment. “I don’t know all their names,” he said.

“Don’t be afraid to tell me,” said his mother. “They won’t hurt you anymore.” Bradley thought a moment. “Jeff Fishkin!” he declared. “He was the leader of the gang.” “I’ll call the school first thing in the morning,” said his mother.

“Good!” said Bradley. “I hope he gets in trouble. I hate him.”