The Mapmaker and the Ghost Read Online Free

Drew stopped watching Goldenrod and looked lazily at the doctor instead.
    â€œYoung man!” the doctor said briskly. “How are you doing that?”
    â€œDoing what?” Drew asked in a slow drawl.
    â€œStanding that way.”
    Drew smirked and shrugged; only when he did so, he caused his whole spine to go up and down one vertebra at a time, almost like piano keys.
    The doctor seemed beside himself with fascination. “You must understand, I’m a doctor, a chiropractor. I’ve spent years studying the human spine, and I have never, ever seen it manipulated in that way.”
    â€œYeah, I know.”
    â€œTell me, my boy. Have you ever been studied?”
    â€œStudied?”
    â€œYes,” the doctor said. “I feel like I could create a whole paper on you. Would you let me examine you?”
    â€œWhat’s in it for me?”
    â€œWell … you’d be doing it in the name of science. Of progress. Of great possible medical breakthroughs.”
    Drew hesitated for a moment. “Medical breakthroughs?”
    â€œColossal ones,” the doctor said.
    â€œNah,” Drew said. “Not interested.”
    â€œI’ll give you fifty bucks.” The doctor obviously had to have some brains to be a doctor, after all.
    â€œMake it two hundred,” Drew said.
    â€œTwo hundred?!” the doctor said in alarm.
    â€œAll in the name of colossal medical breakthroughs,” Drew said.
    The doctor thought for a second. “Okay, fine.”
    â€œBut I can’t do it now.”
    â€œHow about tomorrow? Would you make an appointment with my secretary for then?”
    â€œMaybe. If I get a deposit today.”
    â€œA deposit?”
    â€œFifty bucks. Just so I know you won’t bail on me and my valuable time, Doctor.”
    The doctor was looking grouchy now. “Oh, fine, come along then,” he said and led Drew into his office.
    Goldenrod was a little angry at herself for getting distracted by the odd conversation, so she immediately got back to work. A few minutes later, she had just finished putting the duct tape down by the edge of the museum door when a large foot almost stepped on her pinkie. She looked up to see Charlie Cookman, carrying two bottles of his orange energy soda and a small striped ball. He did a double take upon seeing her.
    â€œHey! What are
you
doing here?” he asked her. He saidthe word “you” like it was a moldy piece of toast he needed to get out of his mouth as quickly as possible.
    She really was about to ask him the same thing. Surely he hadn’t just come out of the science museum, as it was highly unlikely that Charlie would be found anywhere near something educational in his spare time. But then Goldenrod glimpsed the small vitamin shop next to the museum and things became a little clearer.
    â€œI’m allowed to be here, you know,” she said coolly. “It’s a free strip mall.” She made a point of glaring at his soda bottles as she gripped her pencil tighter.
    Charlie looked a little alarmed and held his soda closer to his body as he walked away. Despite the summer heat, he was wearing a black hoodie, and as he pressed the bottles to it, it was obvious the pockets bulged with something. Goldenrod frowned.
Just what is he up to now?
    Across the street, Drew was coming out of the doctor’s office. Charlie went over to him.
    â€œEverything okay?” Drew asked.
    â€œYeah,” Charlie said. “What were you doing in there?”
    â€œJust a little extra business. Come on, let’s go,” Drew said as they both walked away together, Charlie bouncing his rubber ball.
    Distracted again
, Goldenrod thought to herself. She really needed to focus a little better if she ever wanted to get her map done.
    Ten minutes later, she had an even bigger problem on her hands. Although she had a symbol for dogs on her legend, it was impossible to measure the tiny, yapping dog’s