That's the Spirit!

That's the Spirit! — page 3 — whole street and all the kids in the neighborhood called him Grandpa Henry When Grandpa Henry retired he’d given his backyard toolshed to Michael and his friends They used it as a clubhouse The shelves were stacked with things that Michael had found at garage sales and in neighborhood dumpsters They called the clubhouse the Maker Shack Michael believed that nothing should be thrown away Anything could be used to make something new Tina Maria likes gardening Liv said as they went through the gate to the backyard I think we should make her family a box to plant seeds in She reached out for the doorknob to the Maker Shack I think there are some recycled wood pieces behind the Michael grabbed her hand Wait he said pulling her fingers off the knob Something’s wrong He pointed at a thin white string It stretched down from the house’s tower window to the top of the Maker Shack door What’s that Leo asked Michael Are you and Grandpa Henry working on a project Maybe some kind of telephone wire Liv giggled She was the only one of the three of them who had a cell phone Are you talking about an old tin-can phone she asked The kind where Grandpa Henry would have a can on one end and Michael would have a can on the other That’s actually a good idea Michael said It would stop Grandpa from yelling out the window all the time Maybe I’ll make one later Then Michael looked at the string and frowned But this isn’t for a can phone So what’s it doing here Michael glanced up toward the tower window Grandpa Henry was standing in the frame They could all see him smiling He shouted down at them Go on you whippersnappers Open the shack

That's the Spirit! — page 4 — That means we shouldn’t open it Leo said stepping back Something bad will happen if we do You always think something bad is about to happen Liv teased as she reached for the knob Leo’s a chicken Yep Bawk-bawk Leo admitted I agree with Leo Michael said squinting at the string Don’t pull the doorknob Liv Leo could see it now The cord was attached to something at the top of the door Grandpa Henry loved to prank them They never knew what he might do Or when it would happen This seemed suspicious What was he up to this time You two are silly Nothing will happen Liv assured them She pulled open the door to the Maker Shack When the wooden door swung open a crack a little bell rang That’s it Michael said A bell He glanced up at his grandfather who was still watching from the window Leo could now see that Grandpa Henry was pulling the string to ring the bell He smiled and waved Leo waved back See That wasn’t so baaaaa Liv started to say But when she pushed the door the rest of the way open a bucket fell from the doorframe Hundreds of feathers fell out covering all three of them with white and yellow fluff The bell was just a distraction Grandpa had tricked them

That's the Spirit! — page 5

That's the Spirit! — page 6 — Leo started to laugh You always say I’m a chicken he told Liv But we all look like chickens now Liv and Michael laughed Gotcha whippersnappers Grandpa Henry shouted out from the tower window Then he disappeared from their sight But his heavy laughter continued to echo through the backyard for a few more moments Leo looked around and said What a mess They started pulling feathers out of their hair and off their clothes Look on the bright side We can totally use these feathers for a project Michael said He began collecting them in a small bag The others joined him Maybe we can use them to decorate the flower box for Tina Maria’s parents Leo suggested He sneezed and three feathers fell off his head I hope the present will convince them to stay A raspy voice called through the shed Nothing will convince them Mom and Dad refuse to stay here on Shaker Street the voice said Leo Michael and Liv all turned to find Tina Maria standing in the doorway Her black hair was pulled back neatly in a headband She was wearing a blue T-shirt that said Wizard in Training across the front and she was carrying a small green purse We have to move away Tina Maria continued sadly Leo stood up and hurried over to her With every step more feathers fell off him It’s not fair he moaned I know Tina Maria said Her voice was tight and cracked I don’t want to leave Shaker Street Liv had somehow gotten all the feathers out of her hair except the few she left in for decoration She hurried over to Tina Maria and put her arm around her friend’s shoulders Why are you moving she asked And why is it so sudden Tina Maria sighed She pinched her lips together and whispered Our house is

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