Project by Gary Paulsen

Author:Gary Paulsen [Paulsen, Gary]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-0-307-80398-6
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Published: 2011-08-31T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 9

It was better, easier, not to think, not to question.

Jim sat on the back porch and watched the moon slowly climb over the top of the mountains. It had been three days since his accident and he still hadn’t remembered anything.

His family had done their best to assure him that everything was fine. But deep down he knew it wasn’t. How could he recall the tiniest things about his early family life, things like meals he’d eaten and birthday presents he’d received, and yet have blocked out everything else concerning his past? Every time he asked a question or made an attempt to remember, an excruciating pain vibrated through his head.

A new car had been delivered to their house. It was almost identical to the other expensive cars up and down the block. Jim was told it was company policy. They wanted to keep their workers happy.

His mother and father seemed to love their new life here. Every night, like clockwork, they attended company meetings, and when they came home they acted even more like strangers than before.

Laura kept to herself. She never played outside or asked him to take her anywhere. She just wanted to be left alone.

“Pssst.”

Jim sat up. The noise was coming from behind the tall redwood fence surrounding their backyard.

“Pssst. Jim, over here.”

Jim moved to the fence and looked over. A pretty girl with long dark hair was standing on the other side.

“Who are you?”

She held her finger to her lips. “Quiet, you big lunkhead. Do you want them to find me?”

“That depends. Who are you hiding from?”

A small brown monkey climbed up the girl’s back and jumped over the fence.

“Sammy, get back here,” she whispered. “You’re going to ruin everything.”

Jim’s head started to pound. He was sure he knew that monkey, and he’d seen the girl somewhere before too. The name “Maria” sprang to his mind. He said it out loud. “Maria?”

She put her hands on her hips. “So you remember my name. Well that’s a start at least.” She stepped inside the gate, scooped Sammy up in her arms, and held the gate open. “Come on. We don’t have much time.”

Bewilderment clouded Jim’s aching brain. “Where are we going?”

“I’m taking you to my uncle Max. He’s going to try to help you.”

Help. He definitely needed help. It hurt too much to ask any more questions. He walked out the gate and followed her up into the mountains.

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