Dunc and Amos Meet the Slasher Read Free

me?”
    “No, you’re probably right. We probably couldn’t pull it off It might not be worth it to try to make Slasher your friend anyway.”
    “My friend?” Amos swung his legs around so he could face Dunc.
    “Yeah, have you seen that strange group he hangs out with? I noticed they’re all sort of like him.”
    Amos hugged his knees. “You mean big, ugly, and illiterate?”
    “In a way. But they all dress the part. That’s the key. I was thinking we could dress you up like one of his gang. Maybe then he’d leave you alone.”
    “I don’t know. I have my image to think of.”
    “Right.”
    “Okay—so I don’t have an image. But I’m still not so sure about this. Where would we get the clothes?”
    Dunc smiled. “Your sister, Amy.”
    “You can’t be serious. I wouldn’t be caught dead in her clothes. Which, by theway, is exactly what I would be if she found out. So forget it.”
    Dunc threw up his hands. “Okay. If you want to be on the run for the rest of the school year …”
    Amos thought for a moment. “I don’t get it. How would wearing a girl’s clothes help me?”
    “Not just any girl’s. Amy’s. Remember when she went through that motorcycle phase? She had a black leather jacket and a boyfriend named Eagle.”
    Amos grinned. “It was Vulture. He used to park his motorcycle in our living room and rev the engine. I’m pretty sure my dad paid him to leave town. Amy got over him though. She’s into granola clothes now.”
    “Perfect.” Dunc headed for the door. “She won’t be needing her jacket and stuff.”
    “Stop!”
    “What’s the matter now?”
    “You forget. Amy said she’d dismember me, among other terrible things, if I ever went near her room. I believe her.”
    “No problem. You stand at the door and keep watch. I’ll look for the stuff.”
    Dunc found a cardboard box in the back of Amy’s closet. It had everything they needed. It also contained her personal diary for the last five years.
    Amos was excited. Not about the clothes. About the diary.
    “Do you know what this means?” Amos asked.
    Dunc shook his head.
    “This”—Amos waved the diary—“means I won’t have to wash dishes for years.”
    “People really shouldn’t read other people’s personal stuff,” Dunc said.
    Amos laughed. “This from a person who just broke into another person’s room. Don’t try to talk me out of it. You don’t have to live with her. I need some kind of leverage.”
    Dunc shrugged. “Well, come on then. We don’t have much time. Mr. Johnson gave us homework, remember?”

“Amos, you look great. Quit worrying.”
    They were on their way to the cafeteria. So far, Slasher hadn’t shown up at school. Amos hoped he was taking a permanent holiday.
    Amos scratched under the sweaty leather jacket. “I’ve been giving this thing some thought. I’m not sure I want to be friends with a guy who stomps people into the ground.”
    “Who told you he does that?” Dunc asked.
    “Tommy Farrel got it straight from Eddy Sanders, who got it from Joey Bates, whopersonally knows a guy who’s seen him do it.”
    “Amos, you can’t believe everything you hear.”
    “That’s not all. I’ve also heard that he carries a switchblade knife and once in a fight, he cut off some guy’s fingers. Now he wears them on a chain around his neck.”
    “Don’t be silly. If he’d done all that, he’d be in a reformatory or something.”
    “Well, I’m not taking any chances. I’m getting out of this before it’s too late.”
    Amos felt a grip on his shoulder. “Hey, you—dorkhead. What do you think you’re doing? Are you making fun of me?”
    He turned around.
    Slasher.
    Amos gulped. “I was just—”
    Dunc interrupted. “Haven’t you heard that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery? My friend here wants to join your gang.”
    Slasher closed one eye and thought about it. He turned to Amos. “You and the Brain take a seat in here.” He shoved them through the cafeteria