The Forgetting Machine Read Online Free Page A

around a long time. Chances are the last time you ordered a pizza, it was delivered by drone. In fact, Pizza Hut has more drones than the US military.
    â€œIt’s not just any drone,” Billy said. “Most drones have propellers, like helicopters. This new drone is powered by antigravity waves. No propellers, just a disk about three feet across. Completely silent. It can carry up to a hundred pounds.”
    â€œSo you could ride around on it? Like a magic carpet?”
    Billy looked down at his slightly rounded belly. “Maybe you could.”
    â€œMaybe the next prototype will carry more weight. How come it’s so secret?”
    â€œGilly doesn’t want to take any chances that the antigravity tech will be leaked until he can figure out a way to control it. He’s been working on the project solo—that’s why he’s been working so much.”
    Bing!
    â€œWhat was that?” I asked.
    â€œAlfred is telling me that Mr. Rausch is here.”
    â€œWho?”
    â€œThe tutor.”
    â€œOh. Maybe you’ll get lucky.”
    Billy cocked his head. “How so?”
    â€œMaybe a bug will land on his chin, and Alfred will do his thing.”
----
    I . You can read about why in our earlier adventure, The Flinkwater Factor .
    II . That story is also told in The Flinkwater Factor.
    III . Yes, yes, you can read about that in The Flinkwater Factor too. And I promise this will be the last irritating footnote!
    IV . Okay, I lied about no more footnotes. But this is it, I swear.

5

The Tutor
    Mr. Rausch, a tall, whippet-lean, long-limbed man, ducked through the door to Billy’s room and looked around with a sour expression. His narrow, tightly compressed lips were framed by a neatly trimmed mustache and a goatee that jutted from his chin like a black spike. His hair was slicked back and held in place by some sort of shiny substance. He was wearing black jeans and a white dress shirt fastened at the neck with a bolo tie. A sweet, spicy odor, like cloves steeped in rubbing alcohol, wafted off him.
    A smallish white bulldog of opposite proportions waddled in after him.
    â€œI am Ernest Rausch,” he said. “You may call me Mr. Rausch.” He gestured at the dog. “This is Gertrude. She is a French bulldog.”
    Gertrude rolled her eyes and drooled.
    â€œWhat is that smell?” I asked. I know it was rude of me, but sometimes the words just pop out.
    Mr. Rausch gave his dog a reproving look. “Gertrude! Shame on you!”
    â€œNot the dog,” I said. “It’s more like a cleaning product. Kind of clovey.”
    Mr. Rausch drew back. “Are you referring to my Bay Rum?” he asked.
    â€œIt does smell sort of rummy,” I said.
    â€œBay Rum is a classic men’s aftershave. Discriminating people find it pleasing.” He examined me critically. “Are you Billy Bates?”
    â€œDo I look like a boy to you?” I said, horrified. Clearly, Mr. Rausch and I were not destined to get along.
    He pursed his lips and narrowed his eyes. “Despite your unflattering jeans and T-shirt, you appear to be a rather thin girl with extraordinarily curly, somewhat reddish hair and a large number of freckles, but I try not to make assumptions based upon physical appearance. Furthermore, the name Billy is not necessarily gender specific. Billie Holiday, for example, was a woman.”
    â€œI’m Ginger , and I’m a girl .” I pointed at Billy. “ He’s Billy.”
    He turned his eyes to Billy.
    â€œI understand you are having trouble with American history and language arts.”
    â€œI was having a bad day,” Billy said.
    â€œWith my REMEMBER learning system, we can make sure you don’t have any more bad days.”
    â€œRemember system?” Billy said.
    â€œREMEMBER. It is an acronym for the Really Excellent Memory Enhancement Method by Ernest Rausch. It can enable you to memorize pi to