Then through the darkness I heard voices. They sounded like my sister Gina and my dad, and they were talking to each other. I was trying to hear what they were saying when CRASH!

The darkness disappeared and was replaced by blinding brightness, like the biggest light switch in the world had been turned on, and I landed on the street.

A second later—WUMFFFF!—Bones crashed right on top of me. 

Without missing a beat, he jumped up and started doing his orangutan dance. “Woah, Lump! That was awesome!” He flung his long arms and legs around as if he were a marionette doll. “Did you hear the bubbles fizzing? It was like I was trapped in a giant bottle of ginger ale! Did you feel it, Lump?” 

“Yeah, of course I felt it, ya fluffoon,” I said, getting up and dusting myself off. “You landed right on top of me.” 

Bones laughed. “It was like landing on a big, fluffy pill—” 

“OK, I get it, ya giant lummox. Now simmer down!”

A train whistle split the air and I nearly jumped out of my boxer briefs. But Bones was unperturbed, as usual. 

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