Chapter Ten - Bug Report

As soon as Ms. Catarinas’ fourth graders came into class the next day, squeals went up. Not only was it Friday, the best day of the week, but Bob was still there.

“This is so cool,” Jacob said as he took his seat next to Kat. “I can’t believe that we actually have a class pet.”

“I don’t know,” Kat said. “Ms. Catarinas could get in to a lot of trouble. And she’s the best teacher. I don’t want her to get fired.”

“Whatever,” Jacob laughed. “It’s a little bug. Besides, I told my sister in first grade about it and now she’s jealous. Jacob is the cooler older brother once again!”

“I hope he leaves soon,” Kat whispered. She looked terrible this morning.

The dream again.

Every time Kat blinked, she saw the face of the dream spider. Begin awake was just as dangerous as sleeping now.

“Well, I think it’s a great learning experience for us all,” Lily chimes in confidently. “It’s like a living science experiment. Maybe I’ll even add Bob into my novel.”

“Ha,” Jacob laughed. “A book about a daddy long legs? It’ll never work.”

Lily stuck her tongue out as Ms. Catarinas called the class to order.

“Alright everyone, let’s get our day started with something a little new. Instead of a book report, we are going to use our friend Bob as inspiration and write bug reports.”

The class cheered. Michael and Jacob looked across their desks and said the same thing at the same time.

“Partners!”

In all their excitement, children began to call out questions, completely forgetting the classroom rules.

“Can I do butterflies,” Veronica shouted.

“Can I work with Avery,” Oistin called out.

“Do I have to write?” Michael complained.

“Five,” Ms. Catarinas began to count down. “Four, three, two, one.”

By one, the class was silenced again.

“Yesterday I was told that daddy long legs are the most poisonous spiders on Earth.”

Veronica smiled. She had saved Ms. Catarinas’ life yesterday.

“In fact,” Ms. Catarinas continued, “that’s just an urban legend. Fiction.”

“Oh,” Veronica frowned.

“Now don’t get upset Veronica. I looked it up last night and found out that the mouths of daddy long legs like Bob are more like crab claws.”

“Wow,” Veronica said. “I didn’t know that either.”

Lily turned to Kat, Jacob, and Michael. “I knew they weren’t poisonous.”

Kat rolled her eyes.

“Now,” Ms. Catarinas said. “You and a partner will choose an insect and do a report on it.
Telling us about where they live, what they eat, and other things. We’ll even build posters of your bugs.”

Michael and Jacob high-fived. “Yes!”

Ms. Catarinas laughed.

“Not quiet boys. We’re going to pull names form a cup to pick partners.”

“Ugh,” Jacob moaned.

Ms. Catarinas shook a cup full of popsicle sticks. Slowly she called names from the class and the pairs were made. When Jacob was called, he held his breath as he reached for his partner’s name.

Michael.

“Win,” Jacob screamed.

Kat watched as more and more of her classmates were paired up. It seemed like Lily and here were the only two not moving.

When it was finally Kat’s turn to be called, there was only one name left to be drawn. The rest of her classmates were already in deep discussion with their partners over their bugs. Veronica and Avery already picked dung beetles. Michael and Jacob were showing off the karate moves of their bug: praying mantis.

Kat reached for the last stick, know that her partner was already a pest. A huge, bratty, stink bug named –

“Lily,” Ms. Catarinas smiled. “Looks like you have a partner Kat.”

“What?” Lily shrieked above the rest of the class.

She moved so quickly she toppled her chair and stormed up to Ms. Catarinas.

“I’m sorry,” Lily said, “But there must be some kind of mistake here.”

“The sticks don’t lie girls,” Ms. Catarinas said with a knowing smile.

“But what could we possible find in common to write about?” Lily demanded.

Ms. Catarinas pointed to the window. “What about Bob?”

“Ah man!” Michael shouted as he held his hand high above his head. “Why do they get to do a class project on Bob?”

Kat stood silently looking at Lily. First the nightmare at home. Now the nightmare at school.

“You’re the only two left,” Ms. Catarinas said. “You’ll just have to find a way to work it out.”

Ms. Catarinas left Lily and Kat starting at each other in the middle of the classroom. Lily spoke first.

“Look, you don’t like me and I don’t like you. But I’m not going to get a B.”

Kat stood silent.

“We’ll come up with questions and answer them. I’ll get my A and you’ll leave my academic award alone.”

“What?” Kat asked.

“Oh don’t play with me,” Lily snapped. “I know what you’re doing. Even try to get a higher grade than me and you’ll find Bob in your lunch.”

Kat glanced up at the window and looked at Bob.

Why do they have to have such stupid bugs in Virginia, she thought. And some of them have only two legs.