Reformed by Justin Weinberger

Author:Justin Weinberger
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
Published: 2017-07-08T16:00:00+00:00

“Let’s just quit,” says Devon as we hike back down from the amphitheater.

“We can’t quit,” says Mark. “We gotta do what they say or bad things will happen.”

“What bad things, again?” Devon says.

“Well for one thing,” says Mark, “if we don’t complete the program, they will send us to the Village.”

“And for another thing?” Devon asks.

“We will be bullies forever,” I say, “and no one will like us.”

Devon turns to me like I’m some sort of talking vegetable. Sometimes when he looks at me like that, I think that I might actually be a talking vegetable. This is my cue to catch up with Ash.

But just before I get to him, I hear his voice: “Why do people keep calling us guppies?”

“No clue,” says Alva.

“Maybe ’cause we’re the new kids here?” Ash guesses. “Baby salmon?”

“Good guess. But baby salmon aren’t guppies,” Alva says.

“They’re not?”

“Nope. Guppies are different,” she says. “I know because my friend Lacey had a tank full of them in her bedroom.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Until her mom flushed them down the toilet.”

I shouldn’t be eavesdropping on my best friend, Tom … but the Freak is way too curious to hear what they talk about when I’m not around, and after wearing myself out in this scorching sun, the Freak’s taken over my left arm, three of the fingers on that hand, and both of my legs.

“Her mom flushed them?” says Ash.

Alva nods.

“That’s horrible.”

“That’s what I told her! And now I’m not allowed to go over to their house anymore. Because I called Lacey’s mom a murderer.”

“Whoa, you really called her a murderer?”

“She said they deserved it. Can you believe that?”

“Gross,” says Ash.

“Yeah! Apart from eating their babies, they’re totally innocent.”

“Wait. Apart from what?”

“It was just one time …”

“You’re joking, right?” says Ash. “This is one of your funny jokes, Alva?”

“Nope. Guppies are totally cannibal fish.”

“You’re lying,” I hear a squeaky voice chime in.

A second later, I realize that the voice came out of my mouth. Crap. Alva spins around, eyes right on me. Double crap.

“Were you eavesdropping on us?” she says.

“Uh, no.”

“Sounds like I’m not the one who’s lying, Ian,” says Alva. “And yes, they’re totally cannibals. It’s their nature. Also? It’s totally uncool that you guys are judging them right now.”

“Why’s that?” Ash demands.

“How would you feel if you got flushed down a toilet because aliens took over the planet and suddenly held you responsible for all sorts of rules you didn’t know?”

She has a point. “Nobody deserves to be flushed down a toilet,” the Freak proclaims and shoots Ash a grin. But Ash doesn’t return it.

“You guys have fun with this,” he says. “Ian, can I have my book back for a minute?”

As I hand over The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, I can’t help feeling like Ash might be mad at me.

“Sorry for listening …” I say.

“Not like we were hiding anything from you.” He shrugs. “No secrets between you and me, ya know?”

I swallow hard. “Yeah.”

“This place is just messing with us, I think.”

“We have to make it home safe,” I say.

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