Numbed! Read Online Free Page B

poles we’ll pass on the way. Let’s count them. One, two, three …”
    I counted along. We got up to 92 when we reached his place. Before he stepped out of the car, he said, “If you bring 12 toy soldiers to school tomorrow, and I bring 15—”
    â€œWe’ll have 27,” I said.
    Mom gave me a strange look. “You shouldn’t bring toys to school.”
    â€œWe’re not. We’re just practicing for our math test.” Actually, I was enjoying the ability to do math. When we got home, I thought about studying for the test, but I figured the matheteria had pumped me so full of fresh math skills that I really didn’t need to do any more studying. So I went over my social studies lesson instead since I sometimes have a hard time remembering all those facts and dates.
    A while later, I heard Dad come home. Then Mom called me for dinner. My nose told me the good news even before I joined my parents and my little sister, Kaylee, at the table. It was takeout night. Dad had picked up chicken wings from Wingy Dingy. As it said on the side of the bucket, this was the 30-piece family pack!
    Dad took the tongs, grabbed a wing, and dropped it on his plate. Then he gave one wing to Mom.
    That leaves 28 , I thought. I was having fun doing math.
    â€œNow we can divide the rest evenly.” Dad handed me the tongs. “I heard you didn’t keep your mother waiting at the mall. Good for you. You can take your share first, Logan.”
    I reached toward the wings. Then I froze.
    â€œGo ahead, Logan,” Mom said.
    â€œSure …” I stared at the bucket. There were 28 wings. I knew that. And there were 4 people at the table. But I had no idea what my share was. I could add and subtract without trouble. If I took a wing, there’d be 27 left in the bucket. If I took 5 wings, there’d be 23. If Mom put hers back with the 28, there’d be 29. But I didn’t see how adding and subtracting could help me figure out my share.
    â€œIs there a problem?” Mom asked.
    As one part of my brain was telling me I should pretend there was an emergency and make a sudden dash to the bathroom, another part was actually thinking about math. I realized subtraction could actually help me, as long as I got everyone to play along. “We should take turns. That’s fairer.” I plucked one wing from the bucket and then passed the tongs to Kaylee.
    â€œYea!” Kaylee said as she grabbed a wing. “This will be fun.”
    We went around the table, taking one wing at a time, until they were all gone. I counted the wings on my plate. I had seven of them. So that was my fair share out of twenty-eight pieces. But I had no idea why. Even worse, I didn’t know why I didn’t know why, if that makes any sense.
    I ate the wings, along with the green beans, mashed potatoes, and salad. Nothing tasted very good. All the food seemed to sit in my stomach like pieces of brick.
    As soon as we finished dinner, I ran for the phone and called Benedict.
    â€œWe still have a problem,” I said.
    â€œI know. I was trying to study math so I won’t wreck the ice cream party. All that multiplying and dividing stuff doesn’t make any sense. I really don’t understand how fractions work either.”
    â€œI’ll bet we’re still part numbed.” I thought back to the matheteria. “There was a door on each side of the room. Remember? We went into the Give and Take Room. I guess it was just for addition and subtraction. The other room must be for multiplication and division.”
    â€œWe have to go back,” Benedict said.
    â€œThey’re closed. We’ll have to wait until tomorrow.”
    â€œSchool isn’t going to be fun,” he said.
    â€œI have a terrible feeling you’re right.”
    After I hung up the phone, I took out my math book to see for myself how bad it was. Just like Benedict, all I knew how to do was add and