RETURN TO THE COMICS – PART ONE
It's a sunny afternoon when Casey runs into the living room, where Grandma Jenkins is sitting on the sofa.
Casey: It finally came! The magazine with my slime monster story in it!
Grandma: Oh how wonderful. Your story was so good. No wonder it won second place.
Casey: Yeah. I still wish it had won first though.
Casey sits down to look through the magazine. She turns to her story, but then stops.
Casey: I already know my story. I should read the first place one. See why it won instead of mine.
Casey sits down to read. A while later, her cousin Jamal returns from the High School of Science. He comes up behind her and sees what she's reading.
Jamal: Hey. Looks like you finally got it.
Casey nearly falls off the sofa.
Casey: Don't sneak up on me like that!
Jamal: I didn't mean to. I guess that story you're reading is pretty frightening.
Casey: It sure is. This one deserved to win first place. I'm going to have to sleep with the lights on!
Jamal raises his eyebrows as Casey grins and hands him the magazine. He jumps over the couch and starts reading it while Casey goes to the kitchen. She comes back eating a peanut butter sandwich and stands right behind him.
Casey: You like it?
Jamal nearly jumps out of his skin.
Jamal: Good grief. Don't do that!
Casey: (laughing) I told you it was scary.
Jamal lets out his breath and shakes his head.
Jamal: Yeah…I see what you mean. Who wrote this?
Casey: Some guy from Chicago. There's an article about him before the story.
Jamal turns to the article and starts reading.
Jamal: Interesting. It says Arbie Alexander is being offered a book deal now…and he's only fourteen.
Casey: Well yeah. His story was great.
Jamal: It was. But he had to turn down a book deal. He's still in high school.
Casey: Aw. I want to read more of his stuff.
Jamal: Well…look at this. He did take up an offer from Cosmic Comics.
Casey: Really? He writes comics too?
Jamal: Not really. He writes stories…but has a partner that does comics. They're working together to make a comic book character named Diamond Jones. Since he has the stories written down already, it'll be his partner doing most of the work.
Casey: Wow. Is it out yet?
Jamal: Looks like it came out a couple days ago. You can check the comic book store tomorrow to see if they have it.
The next day, Casey sprints home with a new comic book in her hand. She rushes into the room, where Jamal is lounging on the couch, reading a book.
Casey: Look look! I got it!
Jamal: Wow. Let me see.
The glossy cover shows a tall man in a trench coat with a diamond stud in his ear. Behind him is a punk on a skateboard carrying a pizza, but also with a diamond stud in his ear. The title reads The Adventures of Diamond Jones.
Jamal: This looks great. Can I read it?"
Casey: (smugly) When I'm done.
Jamal: Okay. But read fast.
Casey reads the comic book in a very short amount of time, mostly due to her staying up late and reading in bed with a flashlight. She finally gives it to Jamal a couple days later as he's leaving for school.
Casey: Just to warn you, Gaby wants to read it next…and then Hector…and then Alex…and then…
Jamal: (sighs) At least I'm first in line…
Jamal takes the comic book to the High School of Science. Meanwhile, Lenni is talking to Alex as she puts things in her locker at Mead High School.
Lenni: Well I'm glad things are going well with you and Tina again.
Alex: I am too. If you hook up with Tuan, we could be relatives.
Lenni: Yeah, that's not going to happen.
Alex: Uh oh. What happened this time?
Lenni: Alex, it's over. Tuan just can't accept the fact that I have friends who just happen to be guys.
Alex: He doesn't want you to be friends with me and Jamal?
Lenni: Not you guys. He doesn't like me writing to Rob.
Lenni slams her locker shut as Alex looks confused.
Alex: Rob? He hasn't written in six months! Hector thinks he was abducted by aliens.
Lenni: (laughs) I know right? I figured I'd send him my graduation song as a reminder that we still exist and want to hear from him. I mean, Rob was the one I was thinking of when I wrote it.
Alex: Ah. But Tuan doesn't care for the idea?
Lenni: Not. A. Bit. Apparently he heard from Tina that we used to hang out a lot.
Alex: Well you did. Rob never wanted to go home…and was always hanging out at your place.
Lenni: That's because Rob lived on the tenth floor…and the elevator was usually out of order. He said he'd rather be at my place if anyone ever called a rally just to save a trip up and down the stairs.
Alex: Uh huh. Funny that he picked your place though.
Lenni: Whatever. Anyway, I went ahead and sent him the tape…and Tuan went ballistic. So I said if he can't trust me to have friends who happen to be guys…
Alex: Right. I see your point. So, have you heard back from Rob yet?
Lenni: Not yet. But I hope to soon. It was always a couple of weeks between letters before.
Meanwhile, Gaby and Tina are sitting on the steps at Hurston Middle School, reading the scary stories in the magazine they borrowed from Casey. A locker slams behind them and they both jump.
Gaby: Maybe we should be reading this stuff at home.
Tina: In the dark? With a lot of creepy noises? I don't think so.
Gaby: I guess. This guy sure knows his stuff though. Imagine the slime monster chasing you into a subway tunnel.
They both shudder and keep on reading. When the bell rings, they run to meet up with Hector and Casey.
Hector: Are you done with that? I haven't read it yet.
Gaby: It's all yours, Hector. The two of us aren't going to be able to sleep tonight.
Tina: Yeah. You might not want to read that before bed.
Hector: I'll do it anyway. Alex says I should read more often…even if it does keep me up all night.
Casey: (in a creepy voice) And it will…hee hee hee…
Hector laughs and Gaby turns to Casey.
Gaby: Is Jamal done with that comic book yet? The stores are all sold out.
Casey: You'll have to wait on that. His school doesn't let out until four.
Hector: Well Alex doesn't get out so late. I better go meet him.
Hector walks with Gaby to the bodega, reading the story on the way and tripping over the sidewalk a few times. Gaby has fun spooking him at random times and Hector is glaring at her when they got there.
Alex: (at the register) You got the scary story, huh?
Hector: Yeah. Man this guy is good. No wonder he won the contest.
Alex: (comes around the counter) Come and read some of it for me. Gaby can mind the store, right?
Gaby: (gets behind the register) Only because I'm waiting for Jamal to come by. I want to read that comic book.
The boys laugh and go to Alex's room while Gaby checks out a customer. She smiles when Jamal comes in.
Gaby: Oh please tell me you're done with the book.
Jamal: Oh I'm done with it all right. (puts book on counter) I also find it highly suspicious.
Gaby: Suspicious? In what way?
Jamal: You'll see what I mean when you read it. I gotta go. Lot of homework tonight since I was reading that during all my breaks.
Gaby: Okay Jamal. See you at karate tomorrow?
Jamal: (smiles) Wouldn't miss it.
Gaby nods and starts reading the comic book, immediately noticing what Jamal was talking about.
Gaby: Smear flyers? This sounds awfully familiar…
Gaby is finishing the comic book as Hector comes in, getting ready to go home. Alex follows him and Gaby holds up the book.
Gaby: Alex…you have got to read this.
Hector: But Alex is after me.
Gaby: (waves the book) You can read it together. But I agree with Jamal. There's something fishy about this book.
Alex: (taking the book) Fishy? What's so fishy about a pizza delivery boy who's also a private eye?
Gaby: (nods to the book) You'll know what I mean when you read that.
Two days later, Alex passes the book to Lenni at her locker, also giving her a glare.
Alex: I'm with Jamal and Gaby on this one. There's something funny about this book.
Lenni: (looking at the book) Funny? Isn't a comic book supposed to be funny?
Alex: Not in that sense. It's funny because every story in that comic book sounds just like one of our old cases.
Lenni's eyes grow wide as Alex nods.
Alex: Every. Single. One.
