CLATTER The students didn’t need to be told twice They were off dashing into the hallway and pushing past one another to get to Miss Patterson’s classroom before they missed out on any clues And there was Shaniqua tearing towards them with a giant collage collage tucked under her arm shouting something crazy about an escaped tiger Ha ha Good one said Ravi I hope he doesn’t eat the fact cards before we find them Don’t worry said Mateo I’ll knock him out with one of Mom’s sugar-free rock buns They’re enough to finish anyone off Mateo was always complaining about his mother’s unappetizing new recipes This isn’t a joke Shaniqua told them glancing back over her shoulder I’m serious Yeah right said Deena Just like the time you found a piranha fish in the swimming pool or the time the headmaster got kidnapped by clowns Shaniqua was known for her active imagination Come on Sam interrupted We don’t want them to start without us Leave your project at the back of the class with the others he told Shaniqua who was sticking to her story like glue There’s a bit of space next to my sandwich But watch out for the flags I don’t want them getting squashed before the fair this Sandwich Shenanigans
afternoon And with that he was off jostling into Miss Patterson’s room with the others anxious to begin Squashed flags were the least of Sam’s worries as it turned out Maybe if he’d known the terrible fate awaiting his poor sandwich he’d have stopped to kiss it goodbye before he left Maybe even a farewell nibble of stray salami while he straightened the flags one last time Because when everyone returned to the classroom some two hours later there were no flags left for Sam to straighten No salami slices making a break for freedom No delicious fillings of any kind fighting for space on a bouncy bed of bread No colorful sauces oozing out of the sides like liquid happiness because SHOCK HORROR and some high-pitched squeals of disbelief Sam’s sandwich wasn’t there anymore It wasn’t at the back of the class where he’d left it and it wasn’t at the front of the class with Mrs Ample’s cardigan and folder either It wasn’t on his desk with his Star Wars pencil case and it wasn’t under his desk with the dried mud off his sneakers and an abandoned pile of pencil shavings It wasn’t anywhere The king of all sandwiches the cheesy meaty salad-y emperor of lunchtime creations had disappeared Gone Vanished without a trace Missing
Sandwich Shenanigans Noooooooooooooooo It was true There wasn't a single crumb left to follow No telltale trail of lettuce No saucy drips leading out of the classroom No clues whatsoever in fact Or were there
Chapter 2 Ravi 7:49 a.m. I couldn't wait to show the others my moon landing model Especially the little green alien peeking out of one of the craters That was Daada's my grandad's suggestion he's full of good ideas And it turns out he's also the world's number one expert at making model aliens out of pipe cleaners He showed me how to do it last night while we were watching Revenge of the Astronomic Overlords for the nine hundred and forty seventh time and once I'd started I couldn't stop By the time the evil emperor melted
