She took one of the mysterious seeds and tossed it into her mouth. The two boys gaped at her, slack-jawed.
She held out her hand. “Pay up,” she said. Randall and Tom each slapped a dollar into her palm.
“Nothing's happening. She's fine. You lose, buddy. Hand it over,” said Tom.
Randall shook his head. “No way. Not yet. Hasn't been long enough. She's gonna hurl. Or get a rash. Something.” He looked at her head. “Maybe grow horns.”
Suddenly, Jill grabbed at her throat and her eyes bulged.
“Whoa!” yelled Randall. “Something's wrong. She can't breathe!”
Tom was frozen to his seat.
“She needs help!” shouted Randall. “Go! Find someone!”
Jill's body started shaking. Drool ran from the corner of her mouth and dribbled down her chin. She fell off the chair to the floor. Tom bolted from the room.
When he was gone, Jill got up and wiped the spit from her chin. “Did he buy it?” she asked.
“Hook, line, and sinker,” said Randall.
They slapped hands. “Easiest five bucks I've made in a long time,” Jill said.
“Me too.” Randall smiled.
Paul Murphy (Holt, MI) is a third grade teacher who would never pull a stunt like the one Jill and Randall pulled on their poor friend. And you shouldn't either (unless you really need five bucks.)
© 2008 Paul Murphy. Original for CCF (Murphy grants CCF first electronic rights for one month; CCF may archive the material indefinitely and include it in an eBook anthology).
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