Out of Time Read Online Free Page A

Why would they be connected to each other? “The answer
just has to be on the other side, then?”
    “Yes.” Sasha told her. They walked out of the
library as Mandy started,
    “But Simon said the door leads nowhere. Don’t
you remember him saying that?”
    “I don’t believe it.” Sasha said with a sigh.
“It’s not like he’s opened the door and walked through.”
    “True.” Mandy conceded. “So when do you want
to do it?”
    “It will have to be after school. When don’t you have band practice?” Sasha asked, a little
unnerved as well with Mandy’s constant questioning.
    “We are off on Wednesdays. Tomorrow?” Mandy
offered.
    “Works for me. It’s not like you can prepare
for this stuff.” Sasha said to her.
    “What stuff?” Mandy wondered.
    “Investigating the unknown.” Sasha said, as
though it were common knowledge.
    “We should tell Simon. He’s going to wonder.”
It was true. Simon would have the time off from soccer practice on
that day as well and they all hung out together at the dairy shed
in town on their day off. He’d wonder where they had gone.
    “You can. I’m not.”
    “Fine.” Mandy said, crossing her arms after
putting her backpack on. “I’ll talk to him after school. He’s got
soccer practice and we always have some time to chat before
practice starts for both of us.” She paused in thought. “What about
Kendra?”
    Sasha huffed. Why was Mandy considering
dragging along little miss loud mouth? “What about her?”
    “Are we going to tell her about it?” Mandy
asked sweetly.
    “Do we need to?” Sasha groaned.
    “Well she’s annoyingly persistent.
Like Simon in a way. I’d rather invite her than hear her whine and
complain about us investigating the door without her.” Mandy
approached her locker, a few feet away from Sasha. She fiddled with
the lock and opened it up as Sasha replied,
    “She did sound interested in it.”
    “That’s what I mean.” Mandy said, binders in
hand as she shut the locker door. At almost the exact moment, the
warning bell for class rang.
    “I’ll see you later.” Sasha said, with a
wave.
    “Bye.”

CHAPTER 7

    The sound of students warming up on their
instruments mingled with the atheletes outside. The softball team
was on a diamond near the band field, bats cracking with the impact
of the ball. The soccer players were getting ready for practice by
juggling.
    Mandy walked over to Simon, who was
alternating juggling kicks on either leg. She held her clarinet
behind her in case the ball decided to fly somewhere it wasn’t
supposed to. “Hey Simon.” she said to him.
    “What’s up?” Simon asked, picking the ball
out of the air and holding it while he conversed with her.
    “Sasha wants to go and investigate the attic
tomorrow. After school.” Mandy told him.
    “I don’t have practice tomorrow.” Simon
realized. Mandy nodded, knowing full well he didn’t.
    “I don’t either. I thought you’d want to know
about it since you were the one who brought up checking it out.”
she said timidly.
    “What’s the big secret?” Simon wondered,
causing Mandy to shift uncomfortably from one foot to the
other.
    “What do you mean?” she answered, pretending
to be clueless.
    “Sounds like you were planning on going there
without me.” Simon told her and Mandy relaxed, glad that he wasn’t
thinking about the big secret she’d been keeping from
him.
    “The thought crossed my mind.” Mandy
admitted.
    “What about Kendra?” Simon inquired in nearly
the same tone as Mandy when she was talking to Sasha.
    “I’m telling her too.” Mandy muttered. “She’s
too nosy anyway. She’d find out soon enough and I’d rather it be
before than after. You know how whiny she gets when she doesn’t get
her way.”
    “Tell me about it!” Simon announced. “I think
she only hangs around me because I play soccer. Though, aren’t
cheerleaders supposed to hang around football players?”
    “That’s the stereotype.”