The Other Normals (32 page)

BOOK: The Other Normals

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I assume one of you will read this and pass it to the other, maybe through your lawyers, but I encourage you to read it together like the old days. How are you? I am fine. Camp is great. Jake is doing an excellent job as a CA and I see him every day. Some big things happened since I got your first letter (thanks, Dad) and I wanted to fill you in.

First of all, our dining hall burned down. This may seem like a bad thing but the camp had it insured and they’re starting work on a new one as soon as possible for next year. In the meantime we’re all cooking our meals at campfires! It’s a lot more of a “camp experience,” I think. I’m good at it,
too. I can make fires, tend them, and cook everything from hot dogs to fresh fish and crab. It’s made me more popular with my yurtmates.

Also, my friend Sam unexpectedly disappeared, but I have a feeling he’s going to be back any day. Like I told his mom, I know he’s safe. I can’t explain why but I do. You know how sometimes kids are abducted by cult members and then they go missing for years, but when they come back, everything is cool? I have a feeling that’s happening to Sam right now, but without the cult—and it’ll take another day, maybe, not years.

You’ll be happy to know that I’ve been keeping away from Creatures & Caverns. Actually, my book was being stored in the dining hall and it burned in the fire. But that’s okay! I’ve been doing some of my own writing, about my camp experience, and trying to make friends with the other kids. After a few missteps with this guy Ryu, things are looking better. Ryu’s out of the picture, anyway; they found him outside the dining hall after it burned and he’s a prime suspect because he once stabbed a cab driver. He keeps telling the police this crazy story about a monster that attacked the building, and they think he’s trying to cop a fake insanity plea.

Guys, you know how you wanted me to meet girls at camp? I met one. She has an unusual name (I’m keeping it under wraps for now), but I kind of have an unusual name too. Enclosed please find a picture of us. It’s a little weird because we took it on a coed night hike (and we are slightly
bruised—camp fun!), but I think it gets the point across. I really like this girl! She lives kind of far away, and we’re taking things slow for now, because we have a lot of differences we’re still learning about. But I think you’d like her too. Note her blue hair. This is because she is “punk rock.” I hope to be seeing more of her.

Over the last two weeks, by the way, I’ve been thinking about my name. I always hated “Perry Eckert,” because it got turned into “Mini Pecker,” but I thought “Peregrine” was worse. I figured it out now. I’m going to stay Perry, because it’s my name and it’s who I am, no matter what, but I’m going to let the girl call me Peregrine. She told me what it means! Mom—I don’t know how you could give me a cool name like Peregrine without telling me what it means. Maybe you never knew yourself? It’s from Latin. It means “traveler.”

Love,

Perry

aka Peregrine

aka Pekker Cland

aka Mortin Enaw

About the Author

SABRA EMBURY

NED VIZZINI
is the author of the acclaimed teen books
It’s Kind of a Funny Story
(which became a major motion picture),
Be More Chill
, and
Teen Angst? Naaah …
Ned has written for the
New York Times
,
Salon
, and
L Magazine
. He has spoken at more than two hundred schools, universities, libraries, and organizations around the world about writing and mental health. And his work has been translated into seven languages. Currently he is writing for ABC. You can visit Ned online at www.nedvizzini.com.

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Credits

Cover design by Sarah Hoy

Copyright

Balzer + Bray is an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.

The Other Normals

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Vizzini, Ned.

The Other Normals / Ned Vizzini. —1st ed.

p. cm.

Summary: “A boy is sent to camp to become a man—but ends up on a fantastical journey that will change his life forever”—Provided by publisher.

ISBN 978-0-06-207990-9 (hardcover bdg.)

EPub Edition © JULY 2012 ISBN 9780062079923

[1. Maturation (Psychology)—Fiction. 2. Fantasy.] I. Title.