Last in a Long Line of Rebels Read Free Page A

What should I say?”
    â€œI don’t know. Just ask for something exciting to happen, sincerely. Then offer to do something God likes.”
    â€œHello? How do I know what God likes? You’re the one with a cross above your couch.”
    â€œWe’re Catholic. All I know for sure is that he likes the pope.”
    â€œYou’re a big help.” I closed my eyes, feeling silly. “Uh . . . Lord, I know I haven’t talked to you much, or ever, to be honest. But I’ve seen the pope on TV, and he looks like a nice guy. I like his car.” I paused. This was not going well. “Anyway, we’d like to ask, sincerely, if you could give us a summer with some excitement. Could you please make something happen, something life-changing, so that when we go to junior high this fall, we’re the talk of the school? And to show our sincere hearts, we’ll . . .” I drew a blank.
    â€œHurry,” Benzer whispered.
    â€œWhat can we do?” I whispered back. “You think of something!”
    â€œAnd to show our sincere hearts,” Benzer said, “we’ll start going to church. Thank you very much.”
    â€œChurch? That’s all you could think of?” I slammed the book shut. “Amen.”
    A huge gust of wind came through the open window. It ruffled my hair, and I could see the oak leaves on my tree outside fluttering wildly. The curtains were sucked outside, then pushed back into the room, just in time for the window to drop with a loud
BANG.
    â€œWhat the heck?” Benzer asked.
    â€œLou, is that you?” Mama called from the cellar. “What are you doing up there?”
    Quickly, I tried to stuff the Bible back on the bookshelf, but the cover caught on a small nail sticking out of the wood and tore.
    Benzer and I stared at each other, panicked.
    â€œLou?” Mama’s voice was getting louder, and I heard the door at the top of the cellar stairs open.
    â€œC’mon,” I whispered to Benzer.
    Of all the hiding places in my house, the one I used most was the one behind the living room bookcase. Daddy said it was probably used in the Civil War to hide valuables. I tugged on the edge of the shelf. The wood floor underneath was worn to a high shine, and it swung forward easily.
    I grabbed Benzer’s arm and pushed him into the dark space ahead of me. On the inside, a leather cord was attached with a nail. I pulled the bookcase shut, plunging us into darkness.
    â€œWe’re going to be grounded for life,” Benzer whispered in the dark.
    â€œShh.” I got on my knees and felt around the floor. “Aha.” I clicked the On button of the flashlight I’d found. “I like to read in here when cleaning’s going on,” I whispered.
    â€œLou? Benzer?” Mama’s voice was loud in the room. “Are you here?”
    I aimed the light at Benzer, who crossed his eyes and stuck out his tongue. I tried not to laugh.
    The floor vibrated as someone with a heavier tread walked into the room. “What’s going on?” Daddy asked.
    â€œDid you see Lou and Benzer outside?” Mama asked. “I swear I heard something fall.”
    â€œNo, but remind them I need them to work early tomorrow.”
    The sofa nearest the bookcase groaned with the weight of someone sitting down. Great, it looked like we were going to be stuck here awhile.
    â€œWhere’s Bertie?” Daddy asked. I heard a soft thump, and I pictured him dropping his work boots onto the floor.
    â€œPulling out some of Lou’s old clothes for the baby.”
    â€œYou better sit down,” Daddy said. “I’ve got bad news.”
    â€œOh, dear. What is it?”
    â€œI just got a call from Jimmy Dale. Pete got the votes he needed. He’s already submitted a plan and everything.” Daddy sounded tired. “Things are moving ahead.”
    Benzer raised an eyebrow. “What are they talking