Rex Zero and the End of the World by Tim Wynne-Jones

Author:Tim Wynne-Jones
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: JUV000000
Publisher: Groundwood Books Ltd
Published: 2006-09-01T00:00:00+00:00

12

Alone Again

WHEN I ARRIVE AT Buster’s the next morning, his dad is standing in the driveway watching the workers. Buster’s father has a flattop like Buster’s, and his hair is red — just a more weary shade of red. He is wearing a checked shirt and a tie with numbers painted on it. I wonder if all mathematicians wear ties with numbers on them, kind of like a uniform.

The workmen are putting in the forms for pouring concrete. I know that’s what they’re doing because I’ve gone on job sites with my father.

“Cement truck coming today, sir?”

He looks at me. “Haven’t seen you around before,” he says.

“We just moved here. I’m a friend of Buster’s.”

“Buster?”

I can’t remember Buster’s real name. Luckily, Mr. Keaton puts two and two together.

“Kevin,” he says.

“Right, Kevin.” I introduce myself and shake his hand. I’m pretty good at knowing what to do with grownups. When you move a lot it’s an important skill to learn.

“Is Bus — I mean, is Kevin up yet?”

He frowns again. “Kevin?”

“Your son.”

“Yes, I know who he is,” he says. “But, he’s gone.”

I go cold all over.

“Gone, sir?”

“Up north with Mrs. Keaton. Up to her folks’ place in Wakefield for a bit of a getaway.”

“Oh.” I’m relieved he’s not dead. But I’m still kind of shocked. Maybe he phoned me when we were out on our drive. Or maybe he didn’t because our number isn’t in the book yet.

“When will he be back, sir?”

He sighs. “Well, I’ll tell you, sonny. He’ll be back when he’s had a chance to do some serious thinking.” That sounds ominous. It’s hard to think of Buster doing much serious thinking. “He started up at the dinner table the other night about some wild cat loose in the neighbourhood. Said he’d seen it himself. That’s why I’ve sent him up-country for a bit.”

“Where he’ll be safe,” I say.

Now Mr. Keaton looks downright angry.

“Tarnation!” he says. “I don’t know about your parents, but we don’t have much patience with cockamamie tales in the Keaton household. There’s enough real danger around, what with the Reds threatening world domination.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Who spreads these rumours, anyway?” he asks. I’m not sure if he means about the Reds or the panthers. “Well, Kevin’s not going to hear such nonsense up at his Grandmother McGregor’s. Now, there’s a woman who has no time for a runaway imagination.”

I don’t know what to say. I thank Mr. Keaton, because you have to be polite to grownups, even crazy ones. As I ride away on Diablo I try to imagine living in a bomb shelter with Mr. Keaton for twelve years. Yikes! I’d rather take my chances with the mutants.

James answers my knock at his front door. I smile, relieved to see him, but then my smile slips.

“What’s wrong?” I ask. He looks down and kicks at the welcome mat with the toe of his running shoe. “You don’t have to tell me,” I say quickly, because I have this horrible feeling he’s got some really bad news.

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