Chocolate Fever Read Online Free

who he is. I heard it on the radio when I came home from school. There’s a kid who ran away from a hospital this morning . . . and the police are looking for him. His name is Henry Green.”
    Big Boy called out as Henry kept walking, “Is that you, kid? Are you Henry Green?”
    “Henry Green?” Henry called back over his shoulder. “Never heard of him.”
    Just the same, as soon as he was clear of the schoolyard, Henry broke into a run and didn’t stop until he had left the gang far, far behind him.

Chapter 8
    Mac
    THE TRUCK THUMPED AND RUMBLED along the superhighway, its powerful headlights cutting a yellow slice through the blackness. “Are you all right up there, kid?” the driver called.
    From the sleeping bunk set up high in the cab of the big diesel Henry answered, “Right, Mac, I’m okay.”
    Okay, Henry thought bitterly, sure I’m okay. I don’t have a friend in the world, I look like some sort of side-show freak, the police and doctors and my folks and heaven knows who else is after me, and I don’t know where I’m going. If that’s being okay, then I’m okay.
    He had stood out on the highway for a long time and watched the day turn into dark. Hundreds of cars and trucks had swept by without stopping. But Mac had stopped and offered him a lift. That was hours ago, and they had come a long way. Henry didn’t know how many miles they had traveled or where they were heading, and what’s more he didn’t care.
    He was sure that Mac had not seen his spots. It had probably been too dark to notice them. No one in his right mind would have anything to do with me, Henry thought. Not once they got a look at these stupid big brown spots. Even Mac, nice as he seemed, wouldn’t have taken a chance if he had seen me clearly.
    “Hop in,” Mac had said, “the weather’s fine,” a big grin crossing his friendly face. He was a huge black man dressed in dirty coveralls. His truck was clean and warm, and Henry didn’t hesitate. After sitting alongside Mac for an hour or so in the front seat, Henry had climbed up to the bunk and fallen quickly asleep. He didn’t know how long he had slept, but he felt rested now.

    Mac turned the big truck off the highway and onto a service road. Slowly, he shifted down through the gears and, braking gently, brought the huge trailer to a stop.
    “Hey, kid,” he called. “Come on down here.”
    Henry climbed down to sit beside Mac.
    “Suppertime,” Mac said. “Now just as soon as I get the lights on—”
    “I like the dark,” Henry said quickly.
    “You what?”

    “I like the dark,” Henry said as the lights came on. Henry blinked at the sudden brightness. He’s seen me now, he thought.
    Mac reached down below his seat and brought up a big picnic basket. He placed it between them on the seat.
    “Now let’s just see what that woman gave us for supper,” he said.
    “It’s all right,” Henry said. “I’ll get off here.”
    “Huh?”
    “I won’t make any fuss,” Henry said. “I’ll just go quietly.”
    “You are a strange one, kid,” Mac said. “Now what are you talking about?”
    “Well, you must see these big brown spots all over me by now . . .”
    Mac nodded. “Yeah, -I see them.” He began looking through the picnic basket. “You like ham and cheese?”
    “I’m willing to go,” Henry began.
    “Maybe chicken spread? We got chicken spread, too. And I do believe . . . yes, by heavens, tuna fish.”
    “I mean,” Henry began again, “if you don’t want to have anything to do with me, I’ll understand. I really will.”
    “What’ll it be?” Mac asked. “Tuna, chicken spread, or ham and cheese?” He was looking squarely into Henry’s face, smiling ever so slightly.
    “Tuna,” Henry said after a moment, taking the sandwich Mac handed him.
    “Glory be, we eat at last,” Mac said.
    Henry gobbled the tuna sandwich in nothing flat, then went on to dispose of a ham and cheese, an apple, a piece of raisin cake, and half a thermos bottle of