Extraordinary October by Diana Wagman Page B

stomach too. I peeled off my jeans. There were red stripes all across my legs, as if I’d been grilled on the barbecue. Great, just great. First an itch, now some disgusting rash. Maybe Nurse Raynor was right and it was mange or, I shuddered, body lice.
    I threw on my softest, loosest pajama pants and my comfiest T-shirt. I sat down on the floor with my laptop. I ran my fingers over the silly, childish ladybug sticker my mom had given me. I missed her. I knew she loved her work—Dad called her the Queen of Mushrooms—but I was sorry she was so busy right now. I wanted her home. I wanted her to meet Madame Gold so we could hate her together.
    My phone chimed signifying a text. I pulled it out of my backpack and read the screen:
    Hi October. My name’s Enoki. Where are you?
    I typed back: Home.
    ENOKI: Come out and play?
    I’d hung around with my mom enough to know Enoki was the common name of a kind of exotic mushroom. I didn’t know anybody with that name and it was definitely odd, but maybe she—or he—loved fungi as much as my mother. Anyway, who was I to say anyone’s name was unusual.
    Me: Who are you?
    ENOKI: Your BFF.
    Me: Sorry. That position is empty.
    ENOKI: Not anymore. Come outside. I’m waiting.
    Me: Outside my house?
    ENOKI: Don’t let that crazy hypnotist see you leave.
    I jumped back from the computer. I turned off my light. Enoki, whoever she/he was, was right outside, possibly able to see in my window. I closed the computer so my room was completely dark and crept to the window. I peeked out. The street looked empty. Where was she/he? How did she/he know about Madame Gold? I sat on the floor and texted.
    Me: How do I know you?
    ENOKI: Think of me as an early birthday present.
    I had no idea what that meant. I was tempted to go out there and meet this person, find out what it was all about, but then I remembered that saying: curiosity killed the cat. And that made me think of the dead cat in my side yard and the crows coming after me, at least once, even if the second time hadn’t been real. I typed a reply.
    Me: I’m staying in tonight.
    No response. I waited and waited, but no more messages came. I figured I had discouraged Enoki and I was okay with that. I really had to write that paper. Then I heard the little chime again.
    ENOKI: Trevor sent me.
    Me: Really?
    ENOKI: Let’s go save Luisa. I know where she is.
    A shiver went down my spine all the way to my feet. My logical, mature, intelligent self knew I should call the cops. But my reckless, curious, completely stupid self was already putting on my sneakers. We all want to be heroes, right?
    I dropped my phone on my bed, opened my window, and popped out the screen. I’d never had a reason to sneak out, but I knew I could. All I had to do was go out my window, sidestep across the roof with my feet in the gutter, jump over to the orange tree, and climb down. Without my father or Madame Gold hearing me. And without falling off the roof and breaking my neck. Problem was, I was scared of heights. The glass elevator at the mall made me queasy. A photograph of a person standing at the edge of the Grand Canyon—a photograph—was hard for me to look at. Still, I had to do it. I had to find out if this Enoki person really could take me to Luisa. I tied my Converse extra tight. I swung one leg out the window, then the other. I rolled over on my stomach and wiggled back until my feet felt the gutter. I scuttled along the roof. That part wasn’t too hard and my back was to the drop behind. Then I had to turn around and jump to the tree. The branch was close, but not that close. I teetered. I was definitely going to fall. I tottered. I fell, but just in time I caught the branch, scratching my hands and chin as I did. I was breathing hard as I hung there. All I had to do was let go. How far was it to the ground? I wasn’t sure, but it felt very, very far. I looked down. Not so bad. And I let