He knew he was in trouble. He could hear his parents running around downstairs. He knew what they were looking for and he knew they wouldn't find it.
Wilbur got dressed trying to stay calm. He just finished tying his shoes when the door burst open. In came Carl, looking frantic.
"Man, you're in for it now. They are ticked that they can't find it. And I wouldn't be surprised if they know…" Carl started. He was cut off by the pounding at the door.
"Wilbur, get up and get out here! If you aren't down here in two minutes, I will send the entire family up there to get you!"
Wilbur turned his glare from the door to Carl.
"You didn't tell them what happened, did you?"
Carl looked around trying not to notice the death stare Wilbur was giving him.
"Well," Carl started, "they asked if I knew where it was, and I said yes. And when they asked where it was…"
"You didn't tell them what happened did you?"
"No," Carl said defensively, still trying to avoid the stare, "I just said it was gone, until he makes a new one."
"Carl! That's almost as bad as telling them, if not worse. What were…"
BANG! The door burst open. Wilbur jumped towards the window ladder, Carl ran and hid in the closet, and Cornelius ran in. In one move, Mr. Robinson had his son thrown over his shoulder and was going down the stairs. Wilbur knew that they knew what happened; he could see it in his mother's eyes as she followed her husband to the family room.
"We know what happened, so you might as well tell us."
Wilbur was laid on the couch and Cornelius turned to face his son. His face was burning with anger, and Franny was giving Wilbur the same death stare he had given Carl only a moment before. Wilbur knew that there was no way out of this.
Wilbur looked at his shoes and mumbled, "Ok, so what do you already know? Then I will fill in the blanks or correct you."
"Fine then," Cornelius started, "At approximately 10pm last night you snuck out of the house, and took with you a prototype I was working on. You took said prototype and went to your friend Sam's house, where he was throwing a party, unsupervised," He stopped for a breath; the anger was growing as he spoke.
"At the party, you decided to turn on the invention. Don't ask me why, I have no idea. Then the invention combusted and set the place on fire!"
Franny nodded in approval and Cornelius continued,
"Now, the house is on fire, and all of you are out past curfew! What do you do? Attempt to make it look like a bonfire started the problem, so the invention isn't blamed! At least, one of you had enough common sense to call the fire department! And I can tell you this, it was not you!"
Mr. Robinson was panting, out of breath. Franny took the time to add the question,
"Well, young man, what do you have to say for yourself?"