Hold Zero! by George Jean Craighead

Author:George, Jean Craighead [George, Jean Craighead]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Science Fiction
ISBN: 9781453223321
Amazon: 1453223320
Goodreads: 12575200
Publisher: Open Road Media Teen Tween
Published: 1966-01-01T08:00:00+00:00

9 SOS

AT SIX-THIRTY THAT night Johnny was riding in the car with his father. The game of pitch was over. He was glad, for his father was cranky toward the end when he missed the curve balls and had to go down the big embankment after them. But they had joked and laughed, and his father now seemed pleased with himself. Johnny still thought they could have spent the afternoon to more purpose at the rocket site, but he guessed his father thought pitch was Johnny’s favorite pastime. He wondered how he could let him know he was interested in other things now. He had already told him so a hundred times, but somehow words were not enough. ’Sfunny thing, Johnny thought, how hard it is to get some perfectly obvious ideas across.

Suddenly he noticed the car had slowed down. Johnny looked out the window. Fog was obscuring the road. Then, as his father turned off the ridge and started down the hill to their house, they were plunged into what seemed like a glass of milk. The road was all but invisible. Johnny felt his dad’s right leg quicken as his foot went on the brake.

“This is impossible!” Mr. Cooper said and eased the car down the hill. Carefully they crept around the bend and into the drive. They were both relieved when they were in the garage. The lights from the house shone warmly under the kitchen door. Johnny two-stepped it up the stairs and into the room.

“Hi, Mom,” he called and threw his mitt across the kitchen, through the living room, and onto the Dutch sideboard.

“Johnny, stop it. This is not a stadium. Pick that up and put it away.”

“I’m sorry.” He skidded through the door before she could say anything else. But he need not have worried. Her attention was already on his father.

“John,” she said, “tonight’s the night we have that discussion with the children. We must discuss going to Aunt Mary’s. Remember?”

“Oh, yes!” he said and washed his hands in the sink. “I enjoy these family discussions.” He kissed her cheek. “It’s a horrible night. I almost missed the drive and hit the mailbox.”

“I’m glad you’re home, dear,” Mrs. Cooper said.

Johnny threw himself belly-first on the couch. Penny, his younger sister, screamed at him to get off her new jumper. He barely heard her for he was thinking of the rocket. However, his older sister Karen rushed to Penny’s aid and shoved him to the floor. His father came into the room, sat down, and opened the newspaper. He read while the children argued. Suddenly the paper went down.

“Johnny,” began Mr. Cooper. “This is the night we’re going to discuss whether or not we go to Aunt Mary’s for Columbus Day.”

“Okay,” Johnny said. “And then can we talk about coming to see the rocket? We’ve gotta have a committee to approve it, you know.”

“Yes, I know. Mr. Brundage has called me. But, you know, afternoons and evenings are my busiest time in a town like this.

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