Chapter Three; The Fieldtrip

Cassie, Nathan, Monica, and Sugar stepped off the bus together and walked a crossed the street to the museum. As usual Sugar helped her owner make it safely a crossed. "Alright everyone make sure that you all stay together as a group and keep your hands to yourselves." Their teacher told them.

"Wow, this place is creepy." Cassie said as she glanced over at the stuffed werewolf and then over at the gigantic spider. That's when Monica held two of her fingers and made a V before she twisted her wrist to move it backward and forward.

"What is she saying?" Nathan asked.

"I think that means again." Cassie began. "Are you asking me if I've been here before?" she wondered as Monica nodded because she knew that she wouldn't understand a full sentence. "No, I haven't, but my father has." She told her. "C'mon let's go look around." She said as the three of them started walking upstairs. "Maybe sometime you can teach me some sign language, that way we'll be able to communicate more." She said.

Monica grinned and placed two of her thumbs up into the air. "That's an easy one." Cassie said with a grin as the two girls started to giggle. That's when suddenly Cassie saw a glowing golden light from up ahead. "Oh c'mon Monica, I want to show you something!" she exclaimed with a wave of her hand as she guided her and Nathan into the room.

Monica held up both of her hands and wiggled her fingers while moving her hands up and down. "Fire." Cassie realized before she made the G sign and then moved her hands apart. "Gold." Cassie said as her friend pointed at the object and then wiggled her index finger around. "Oh I see, she's asking what that fiery golden object is over there." Cassie translated as Monica nodded.

"That's the resurrection ring, it brings people back from the dead." Nathan explained as Monica smiled and wiggled her thumb back and forth.

"Oh I remember this, my father told me about it. It's a geoscope." Cassie began as she looked through it. "It helps you see right through the wall." She said when suddenly Monica pointed to her eyes with her front two fingers.

"Cassie I think she's asking if she can have a turn." Nathan told her.

"Oh, sure." She said as she backed away and allowed the other girl to look inside before she turned around and looked towards the wall. "Whoa!" she exclaimed as she saw a great humongous black machine with the plague;

"Shrink Ray"

"They actually have one of these?" she asked with astonishment as Monica turned to look up at her as she hurried over to the wall and started reading the plague out loud. "This machine can shrink any given object and was inspired by Honey I shrunk the Kids and its two sequels." She read.

"Oh my God! I can't believe it! I found my new science project! I'm going to make my own shrink ray!" she exclaimed.

"Just exactly how are you going to do that Cassie when you can't even cross the street by yourself yet." Nathan pointed out.

"I dunno, but I'm sure I'll figure it out! It's a guaranteed winner for sure!" she cried when suddenly the teacher warned the groups that they had five more minutes to look around before it was time to go back to the bus. Cassie held up her hand in front of Monica and stretched out her fingers and she nodded in agreement.

"Hey Monica, do you want to come over this weekend and help me with my new project?" she asked her but she heaved a heavy sad sigh and shook her head. She bumped her fists together and pointed outward with her pointer and middle finger before raising two fingers up on both of her hands and pointed them down to the floor inside a fast motion.

"Oh, your grandfather died?" Cassie questioned as the other girl nodded sadly. "I'm sorry. My grandmother died when I was just a baby and my mother died last year so I know how that feels." She said. "Well I guess that means you have to go to the funeral then." She said as Monica nodded again. "Well alright, I really hope you feel better and I'm so sorry about what happened." She told her.

Monica touched her chin with her hand and then moved it up and down thanking her with a final thumbs up. "C'mon guys we better go and check everything else out before we have to leave." Cassie said as the other two followed her out of the room.

….

"Thank God it's the weekend." Peter said as he came through the door with a rather large groan.

"Whoa what happened to you, you look like you just came back from combat." I told him.

"You won't believe how many tests that I've already had." He said.

"They're probably just reviewing you for what you learned last year." I said.

"Well at least one good thing happened," he began. "I talked to the principal about how unfairly Coach Jessica was treating me and the other boys and she got fired. They're now looking for a new coach." He said.

"Oh really?" I questioned him eagerly.

"Oh, no. You're not thinking what I think you're thinking are you?" he asked me.

"Sure, why not!?" I exclaimed as I clapped my hands together excitedly.

"I can think of a hundred different reasons actually." He began. "C'mon Dad! First you went out with my history teacher and now this!?" he exclaimed. "Haven't I suffered enough?"

"Oh c'mon Peter I think that I'd make a great coach." I told him.

"This isn't just another way to see Miss Oswald again is it?" he asked me.

"No, it's a way for us to spend some time together just father and son. Now you've got to admit that sounds pretty good doesn't it?" I questioned as he took a deep breath and sighed.

"Alright fine, you got the job. Just don't do anything to embarrass me alright?"

"You got it." I told him with a grin before giving him a great big pat on the shoulder.