TWELVE
SueSue and JimJim were back in JimJim’s room. It was the middle of the night and they were not sure how they got back. One minute they were slipping away from the purple shadows. The next minute they were back in JimJim’s room. they heard the voice.
“It’s totally terrific to see you. I’m definitely very happy that you escaped. I was very worried about you once I saw what was happening. That was a very close call.”
JimJim said, “That was way too weird. We are very happy to see you too. How did you keep from being captured? Why didn’t the Shadow Kids capture you with the rest of the Council Kids?”
“It was my lucky day. Earlier today, I saw you and SueSue at your school. This huge breeze came along and blew me away. It took me longer to get back than I expected. I was a little late for the Council meeting. I got there about the same time the two of you got there. The Shadow Kids were already there. I waited until I was sure that you and SueSue got out and here we are. So what is going on now?”
JimJim walked around his room. He looked at SueSue and said, “Before we go any farther, there is something PosterGuy and I need to know. You need to decide right now. Are you a Council Kid for real now? Are you definitely a Council Kid like me and PosterGuy?”
SueSue said, “I’ve been thinking about it. I’ve been trying to make up my mind. I’m quite busy. I didn’t know if I had time for it. That was before tonight. It’s changed now. I’m definitely a Council Kid. We have to help the other Council Kids escape. I have to do it. We have to do it.”
PosterGuy said, “Welcome aboard. It’s cool that you are the newest Council Kid. JimJim and I need to have you aboard. The three of us have to save the Council. It’s up to us.”
JimJim and SueSue looked at each other and then at PosterGuy. JimJim said, “We need to do it. We have to do it. We will do it. We need to talk about that but first, what about TT? What about him and the other two kids? I thought TT was my good friend. What was he doing there with the purple shadows? Is he really a Shadow Kid? Is it true or is it some kind of trick?”
PosterGuy said, “It’s sad but true. TT is definitely a Shadow Kid. So are the other two kids who hang around with him.
“TT fooled you into thinking that he was your good friend. When you did your first thought-zap with him, he was just pretending. He was doing a test.
“When you thought-zapped the kid who was whispering, the Shadow Kids were checking to see if you really have the thought-zapping power. TT had the purple shadow pop up to test you. You thought-zapped it good.
“That was when they knew that they had to have a new strategy. It took them a while. They figured out that cooperation was needed. It looks like they have figured out how to cooperate. That is their new thing. TT is a Shadow-Kid. So are the other two kids.”
JimJim looked very sad. He was disappointed. It was hard to believe that TT was a Shadow-Kid. He saw it himself. It was definitely TT. He was right there in Council Headquarters. The Shadow Kids had definitely captured the other Council Kids.
TT was definitely there. There was no purple shadow over his head. TT and the other two kids are Shadow Kids. It must be true.
SueSue said, “You are right. It’s true. TT and the other two kids are definitely Shadow Kids. They have captured all of the Council Kids but us. It’s up to us. The Council is depending on us. What can we do? How can we get the other Council Kids out from under those purple shadows? How can we help them escape from the Shadow Kids? It’s up to us. It’s definitely up to us.”
JimJim, SueSue, and PosterGuy sat there for a while just staring at nothing. First one got up and walked around and then another one took a turn at walking. They tried to figure out what to do. They needed a plan. They needed a strategy. They needed to talk. They had to figure out how to help the other Council Kids escape. They had to do it.
