Skin and Bones by Sherry Shahan

Author:Sherry Shahan [Shahan, Sherry]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-1-4804-7558-8
Publisher: Albert Whitman & Company
Published: 2014-02-03T21:04:00+00:00

The story was fascinating in part because it was so frightening. And it seemed a sign, albeit in a freakish way, that Bones wasn’t alone. It had to do with Calvin’s longing for the girl he’d just met, and like Bones and Alice, they were in the early stages of getting to know each other.

“Chu Man wants to see you in his office,” Lard said, sauntering back in. “Since it’s your weekly progress report, try to act like someone who’s, you know, making progress.”

18

Today Dr. Chu wore a light blue shirt and navy blue tie. It looked like a grape Popsicle had detonated in his mouth and splattered his shirt with purple juice. His face was shiny with some kind of cream that made it impossible to look at him without squinting.

He sat rigidly behind his desk thumbing through a thick file. Bones knew he was done for when Dr. Chu said, “I just finished a conference call with your parents.”

Since Bones couldn’t look at him directly without blinking unnaturally, he focused on the tie. “It isn’t their fault that I’m in here,” he said.

Dr. Chu didn’t change his expression. “I told them you were making progress,” he said.

Bones nodded because it seemed the appropriate thing to do. Besides, what could he say? Another fifteen minutes and the gang would be on the roof smoking it up. “My parents feel responsible for me being in here, which doesn’t make me feel that great.”

“Great?” Dr. Chu leaned forward, pen clicking. “Can you be more specific?”

“You know, responsible. Guilty.”

Bones wasn’t sure when feeling guilty had morphed into being guilty. Or when he’d started believing he didn’t deserve anything better. He’d hoped admitting this to himself would have made him feel better. It didn’t.

Dr. Chu closed the file. “I’d like you to write your family a letter,” he said. “And tell them what you just told me.”

Bones stared into his lap.

“But you don’t have to send it. And you don’t have to show it to me—just let me know when it’s finished. Fair enough?”

Bones did the nodding thing again. “Okay.”

“Oh, and you should know, we’ve decided to increase your caloric intake…”

(What a surprise!)

“Gradually, to avoid unnecessary health issues…”

(Fat is the new thin.)

“You’ll have a choice of a fat-free protein bar or a milkshake with vitamins and minerals…”

(Death by calories.)

“…every afternoon,” Dr. Chu said.

He might as well have said, Lean forward so I can hammer thumbtacks into your head.

“How many calories?” Bones had to know.

Dr. Chu’s mouth formed two zeros. “About one hundred.”

A hundred calories equaled jogging in place twelve minutes.

Bones took the stairs to the roof, bursting through the metal fire door. He sprinted over to Lard and Teresa, who were sitting on the edge of the tomato bed. Teresa’s jeans were looser than ever. She was drawing a peace sign on Lard’s Band-Aid.

“How’d it go with Chu Man?” Lard asked. “Did you impress him with your humility? Toss out a few agonizing emotions?”

Bones was still jogging; three minutes to go. “Something like that.

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