Cobra Strike (11 page)
She opened her eyes wide and stared straight at me. “The shoes,” she said. “I know they are his shoes.”
I paced back and forth several times. Then I grabbed her shoulder and spun her toward me. “Tell me,” I said, “how do you know they are his shoes?”
She raised her left hand to her mouth and bit the knuckle of her forefinger. Then she fled from the stage.
I moved to a desk beside the bed. I picked up the telephone receiver and dialed a number.
“Yes,” I said a few seconds later. “Martha? It's Joshua Rich here. It looks like our little plan is working.”
And the play was off and running.
An hour and a half later, I stood with five other actors to take our bows as the crowd gave us a standing ovation.
It actually felt better than the last five minutes of the final football game of the season when everyone knew we were about to win the state championship.
It even felt better than the scholarship offer I had accepted at Notre Dame. The same university where Waymen was headed next year. The end of Albert Wayne Johns III had helped me realize that I was interested in investigative journalism. I looked forward to starting on a degree.
Why did I feel so good as the applause rolled over us? Not because I had cured my stutter. I hadn't. Although it was getting better, off the stage I still struggled. Not as much as before. But it was still there.
No, as the applause kept going, I realized I felt good for one simple reason.
I had found my wings.
Sigmund Brouwer is the best-selling author of many books for children and young adults. He has contributed to the Orca Currents series (
Wired
,
Sewer Rats
) and the Orca Sports series.
Sigmund enjoys visiting schools to talk about his books. Interested teachers can find out more by e-mailing [email protected].
Other titles in the Orca Sports series
All-Star Pride
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Blazer Drive
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Cobra Strike
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Jumper
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Kicker
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Rebel Glory
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Tiger Threat
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Titan Clash
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Visit
www.orcabook.com
for more information.
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Chat Room
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Cracked
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Daredevil Club
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Dog Walker
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Finding Elmo
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Flower Power
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Hypnotized
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Laggan Lard Butts
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Mirror Image
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Pigboy
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Queen of the Toilet Bowl
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See No Evil
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Sewer Rats
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Spoiled Rotten
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Sudden Impact
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Swiped
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Wired
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Visit Visit
www.orcabook.com
for more information.
Orca Soundings
Bang
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Battle of the Bands
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Blue Moon
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Charmed
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Chill
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Crush
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Dead-End Job
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Death Wind
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Exit Point
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Exposure
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Fastback Beach
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Grind
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Hit Squad
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I.D.
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Juice
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Overdrive
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Sticks and Stones
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Stuffed
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Tell
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Truth
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Wave Warrior
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Who Owns Kelly Paddik?
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Yellow Line
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Zee's Way
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Visit Visit
www.orcabook.com
for more information.