Todd Strasser - Wish You Were Dead

“Mr. Farnsright, would you mind just walking me down to my car?”

The night stable manager frowned again, but then nodded. We went down the road. My car was the only one in the lot. At first everything looked fine. Then I noticed something odd. The car seemed lower than normal. The front tires were slashed.

“What’s going on?” Dad asked later, while driving me home from the stables. Mr. Farnsright had stayed with me until he’d arrived.

“I don’t know, Dad,” I said. “I’m really sorry about the car.”

“That’s the least of my worries,” he replied. “The garage will come get it in the morning. What I want to know is why you went to the stables alone.”

“I always do that,” I said.

Dad slid his eyes toward me and pursed his lips hard. “For God’s sake, Maddy, given what’s been going on, do you think that was a good idea?”

He was right. “Sorry, Dad. I didn’t think.”

“Why would anyone slash your tires?” Unlike Mr. Farnsright, Dad didn’t doubt for a second that someone else had been there upsetting the horses, and had locked me in. He drove silently through the dark, but I knew his mind was processing, assessing, and considering.

Finally he said, “We need to decide what to do.”

“About what?”

“First Lucy, then Adam, and now this. Mom told me about the note. Do we keep you home? Or send you and Mom away someplace safe until whatever’s going on passes? I won’t take any chances with you, hon. You’re too precious.”

“But we still don’t know what’s going on. Maybe my tires were slashed by mistake. Maybe whoever did it thought I was someone else.”

But I could see Dad didn’t believe that. “I’m worried about kidnappers,” he said. “Lucy and Adam both come from well-to-do families. Just because a ransom demand hasn’t arrived yet doesn’t mean one won’t come soon.”

“But what about the note?” I asked. “And don’t kidnappers usually just kidnap one person at a time? Have you ever heard of something like this happening before?”

“I’m not sure you can apply the word usual to what kidnappers do,” Dad said. “What I do know is that kidnapping has changed. It’s become an international problem with drug cartels and terrorists getting involved. The terrorist angle is especially worrisome because it accomplishes two goals. They can get money for their activities and strike fear into the hearts of people everywhere. You know that’s always been one of my greatest concerns.”

M. Archer and Company was known for being associated with people of great wealth. While other kids were learning to look both ways when crossing the street, I was being taught what to do if I was ever kidnapped. What the general public didn’t know, and the police only suspected, was that the kidnapping of the children of wealthy parents happened more frequently than was reported in the news. Most wealthy families were much more concerned with quickly paying the ransom and getting their children back than solving the crime, and so the police were rarely notified. Instead, special “intermediaries” were used to negotiate ransom demands and deliver the agreed amounts. Only the lawyers of wealthy families seemed to know who these “intermediaries” were.

“I don’t want to go away, Dad. You have my word that from now on I won’t go anywhere alone.”

He didn’t reply. As we drove through the dark, I thought of something else. “Have you ever heard of an animal anesthetic called halothane? Something veterinarians use?”

“No. Why?”

“A detective was at the stables this afternoon asking Mr. Farnsright about it. I have to think it has something to do with Lucy and Adam, but I can’t imagine what.”

Dad was quiet again and I knew he was thinking about it. Finally he shook his head. “Sorry, hon. I don’t have a clue.”

* * *

Str-S-d #10

Something weird is going on. I wished Lucy would die, and then she disappeared. Then I wished Adam would die and I just heard that he’s disappeared. It has to be a coincidence, right?

10 Comments

Realgurl4013 said …

It can’t have anything to dooo with you, but it serves ’em right, if you ask meee.

ApRilzDay said …

That is TOTALLY weird, but I agree, it has to be some kind of coincidence. You can’t hold yourself responsible. But just between you and me, I think it could also be a SIGN that it’s time for you to STOP wishing people would die.

Tony2theman said …

This is so cool!

Tweenypie said …

My friend Tony told me to read this blog. Is this true? OMG! It’s so amazing! I mean, what if you have THE POWER?

Tony2theman said …

Where R U, Str-S-d? Could you come to my school? I’ve got some people you could get rid of for me.

ApRilzDay said …

I REALLY don’t think this is funny. And I don’t think Str-S-d thinks it’s funny, either. Maybe you guys could LAY OFF, okay?

Tony2theman said …

Who asked you?

Axel said …

This is BS. This Str-S-d chick made the whole thing up. It’s just a big attention grab. That’s why she’ll never say where she is.

ApRilzDay said …

I believe her. There could be A LOT of reasons why she won’t tell where she lives.

Axel said …

Yeah, right. Uh-huh. Sure.

You say she won’t wake up, Adam? That’s too bad. You want us to do something about it? What would you suggest? Oh, Adam, aren’t you being silly? Now, don’t get angry. See what we have in our hand? You know what happens when we use it. Oh, dear, what a nasty thing to say!

Oooh, it hurts when we do that, doesn’t it? So we think you’ll have to apologize for what you just said. Not ready? You will be.

Yes, look at you with tears in your eyes. We wonder how many people have ever seen the great Adam Pinter cry. Yes, we thought you’d apologize after that. Why are we doing this? Because you deserve it, that’s why.

What did you do to deserve it? We think you know what you did. We all can’t be born handsome and strong and talented like you. Didn’t you ever, for even a minute, stop to think about how fortunate you are?

Or, should we say, were?

Tuesday 8:50 A.M.

WHEN SCHOOL REOPENED on Tuesday morning, Mom had to drive me because the Audi was still in the garage. But we had an unexpected surprise. Mobile TV vans were parked on the street outside the school entrance and reporters were doing news reports with the school in the background. Groups of kids had gathered to watch.

“I don’t like this,” Mom grumbled as we drove past. “I want you to stay away from those cameras and go straight into the building.”

“I know, Mom.”

She stared through the windows at the news crews and sighed. “Don’t they realize this is only going to make it worse?”

In homeroom, Ms. Skelling was sitting at Mrs. Towner’s desk.

“Where’s Mrs. Towner?” someone asked.

“She’s had to start her maternity leave early,” Ms. Skelling answered. “Don’t get too comfortable. You’ll be going to an assembly in a few moments.”

“What’s going on?” asked Maura.