Chapter Nine - Bob

After a quick look over by Ms. Catarinas, Kat was deemed fit for kickball again. Ms. Catarinas said her cheekbone might bruise, but other than that she was okay. Kat refused an icepack, she could deal with the throbbing. Instead of playing, Kat sat on the sidelines watching two squirrels chase each other up and down the oak trees outside. There was no point in playing now. Her Thursday was already ruined.

Even though the fourth graders didn’t keep score, the kickball game was still very good. One of the players on Jacob’s team scored a double and even managed to steal third base when Michael’s team was scrambling to grab a bunt. By the end of the game, the November air had no affect on the heat coming off the fourth grade. Jacob and many other boys were sweating like cool lemonade in the beginning of August. Big drops beaded down their foreheads as the fourth graders lined up.

“You line up first Kat,” Michael said sympathetically. “I know you want to sit down.”

“Thanks Mikey,” Kat smiled. At least there were still some good people in Kat’s world.


When Ms. Catarinas’ class finally made it back to the classroom, Kat was the first one to the water fountain. As she pulled her hair back and leaned down to drink, eight long legs reached out for her mouth.

“Spider!”

The rest of the class shoved forward around her and tried to look into the sink. Kat was pressed forward even farther and felt a leg brush against her nose.

“AHH!” she screamed. Her lungs already hurt from having the wind knocked out of her. Now, she could feel a pain ripping at her throat like spider venom searing down into her.

The rest of the class began to call out too.

“Spider?”

“Is it a black widow?”

“It’s huge!”

“Kill it!”

“Back up,” Michael called out. “I’ll get it with the kickball.”

Michael wound up the pumpkin sized ball and threw it towards the sink. His aim was too high and the ball collided with the cabinets above the sink. It ricocheted back into Michael’s forehead with a great thwack! Michael dropped like a rock.

“Spider!” Kat screamed again.

The small insect in the sink crouched down, afraid to get any closer to the shouting children or the distressed girl who kept yelling.

“Everyone stop!” Ms. Catarinas demanded.

The class turned in silence to stare at their teacher.

“Sit!” she commanded.

Within seconds, all but Kat and Michael were in their seats. Kat held her breath over the sink. Her hands were clenched together and she wanted to smash it. She could see the spider from her dreams staring at her in the sink.

“Kathryn,” Ms. Catarinas said softly.

Kat began to turn blue around the temples.

“Kathryn,” Ms. Catarinas said more urgently. She shook Kat.

Kat gasped and blinked.

“It’s not the same one,” Kat whispered. Slowly, two tears rolled down the sides of her nose. “Not the same.”

“Kathryn, why don’t you take your seat,” Ms. Catarinas said softly again.

“Ah-roo,” Michael howled from the floor. The blow had jolted his mind back to his werewolf book.

“Up Michael,” Ms. Catarinas said as she looked into the sink and smiled. “It’s a daddy long legs.”
Ms. Catarinas reached into the sink and gently picked up the spider want to be.

“Be careful Ms. Catarinas,” Veronica warned. “I’ve heard that they are the most poisonous spiders on earth!”

A few small gasps went up as they watched Ms. Catarinas walk the wiggly visitor to the window.

“Don’t worry Veronica,” Ms. Catarinas laughed. “I’ll just set our new guest by the window and I’m sure he’ll find it in his heart not to bite me.”

Ms. Catarinas kept her hands cupped around the squirming legs while the class watched in awe. She set him down carefully next to the window. The daddy long legs slowly began to move. It used its second pair of legs to check for safety. That’s when he began to climb.

“Eek!” Veronica squeaked. “He’s not leaving.”

Lily couldn’t believe her good luck. The one thing that Kat was afraid of was making its home here in the classroom. In less than ten seconds the daddy long legs climbed to the top of the window and stayed there.

“Well,” Ms. Catarinas said with a grin. “Looks like we have a class pet!”

Jacob jumped up from his seat. “Let’s name him Bob!”

Kat stared at the daddy long legs, the sides of her mouth turning down. Why today of all days, she thought.

“Excuse me Ms. Catarinas,” Michael said urgently. “Maybe it’s just the full moon talking but -”

“Michael, you’re not a werewolf,” Ms. Catarinas gently reminded him.

“Ok, but what about the rules?”

Everyone in the class turned towards Michael. They had puzzled looks on their faces.

“You know,” he said again. “THE rules.”

Ms. Catarinas looked at Bob thoughtfully. “I’m sure he’ll be gone by the end of the day.”


At 3:20 pm the bell rang for dismissal and the kids filed out. Bob had not moved.

“Bye Bob,” they chimed as they left for the day.

Shortly after the kids left, Ms. Catarinas packed up to go home for the day. Before turning out the lights and heading home, she made sure that the window was open.

“If you know what’s good for you,” she said sadly to Bob, “you’d get out of here before Eugene finds you. That happens and you and I are both finished here.”