Outside In by Sarah Ellis Page B

graffiti’s not allowed even though graffiti isn’t trying to get you to do anything but look.”
    Lynn knew that there must be a good argument against this idea, but she couldn’t think of it at the moment.
    â€œAnyway, it’s better when you just rearrange things. The best fancy of all is when you can get the citizens to join in. Like, have you ever noticed those little piles of stones that appear along the beach?”
    â€œThose balancing ones? They are amazing.”
    â€œWe started that.”
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œA few years ago. For a few weeks, every night we went out and piled rocks. Larch was agitated, nightmares. And this is the kind of thing that he is very good at, balancing. Then one night we noticed other piles. Suddenly, they were everywhere. The citizens had started to do it themselves. That was our best one.”
    â€œThat was even in the news. It went viral! It’s like you’re famous but anonymous. What else have you done?”
    â€œHydrant cozies. Floating flower chains. Those only last a day. Riddles in trees. Big picket fence piano. Beach mosaic.”
    â€œHow do you think them up?”
    â€œWe just start with what we have. Enough of anything is what you need. And there is always plenty of something that somebody wants to get rid of.”
    â€œBut how do you get stuff if you don’t buy it?”
    â€œSometimes we just find it. People put good stuff out with their garbage. Mostly we use Freecycle.”
    â€œFreecycle?”
    â€œIt’s where things go before they end up in the dump. It’s great because you can get your hands on things before they get stinky. It’s a computer thing. We go to the library and see what’s on give-away. Then we think of how we can use it.” Blossom was pumping to the max.
    Lynn leaned back and let her hair volumize in the afternoon sun. “Can we do another one of these fancying things?”
    Blossom launched herself off the swing and landed like a gymnast. “Any time! I’m going to the washroom. It’s a good one here, very clean. Coming?”
    â€œNo, I’ll wait.”
    Lynn twisted up her swing to tiptoe height. Rearranging the world? Not one of the usual career options.

TEN
    A Hundred Trillion Germs
    Lynn knelt on the gym floor, dipped her paintbrush and carefully filled in a large N in bright red kindergarten poster paint. The banner to welcome home the choir was nearly done.
    When news of the choir’s return date reached the school, Ms. Yandle had Lynn into the office again.
    â€œThere’s going to be a rally. Are you okay with this?”
    â€œTotally.”
    That was a lie. Celebrating the choir, that was just fine. What wasn’t so fine was welcoming Kas and Celia home.
    Lynn moved on to the fat S and switched to sunny yellow. What would she do when they asked about Heimlich girl? She couldn’t tell them. While they had been gone she had spent all her spare time with Blossom. Monday evening they’d gone to the art history class at the university and looked at pictures of fat pink and gold angels painted on church ceilings. Tuesday the whole gang had gone to the big bottle return depot. Wednesday they’d hung out at the cottage, listening to music, eating a big find of lychee nuts and making Artdog a new spring coat. They’d biked all over the city, to places Lynn had never known existed.
    How would that work when the Diode was back?
    She didn’t want to lie. She didn’t want to abandon Blossom and the Underlanders.
    She filled in the last of the S. Congratulations. Life was easier when you just texted and left stuff out.
    â€œBeautiful!”
    â€œAaagh.” Splodge.
    â€œOh, sorry. Didn’t mean to startle you.” Ms. Yandle leaned over the banner. “Good job. I just wanted to say how impressed I am by how generous you’re being. You’ll be glad to have your friends home.”
    Lynn nodded. Yes and