Starfish by Lisa Fipps

Author:Lisa Fipps [Fipps, Lisa]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group
Published: 2021-03-09T00:00:00+00:00

SWARMED

Sharks usually attack when

a whale is alone or distressed.

The sharks at school

swarm around me

the day I break a desk in math class.

First the desk legs steadily, slowly spread out,

like the legs on a cartoon horse

after a fat cowboy saddles up for a ride.

I struggle to escape,

but I’m stuck.

With a final creak of the bending metal

and crack of the wood,

the desk and I crumble to the floor.

I am a sea turtle on its back,

trying to get out of the rubble,

trying to get up,

trying to will the earth to open up

and swallow me whole.

The sharks circle.

Sink their teeth in.

Take turns biting

with laughter and words.

“Splash broke a chair!”

“Duuuuuuude! That was metal!”

“Collapsed like a soda can.”

“Poor desk didn’t stand a chance.”

Metal and wood cut into and jab

my stomach, sides, back, and legs.

It hurts to breathe.

“Help me.

Somebody.

Please.”

They just keep laughing.

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