The Afterlife Academy Read Free

into several pieces. “Oops,” Mo said with a chuckle.
    Charlie’s eyes burned with tears. “Don’t you have some cigarettes to go steal?”
    “What’s this? Your diary?” Mo pulled the old book from the pocket and shoved the empty backpack into Charlie’s hands.
    “Open it,” Wheeler said eagerly. “Open it.”
    Mo opened the cover just as the florist across the street stepped out onto the sidewalk and glared at the group. “What are you doing to that boy?” She marched over, her hands clenched at her sides. Mo turned his head, and Charlie yanked the book from Mo’s hands. He had no time to collect his other belongings, but they were broken anyway. Charlie took off down the sidewalk.
    The boys gave chase until the road split in two directions, and then gave up. Charlie could hear them firing off insults as he slowed his pace and chanced a wary glance back in their direction. The gang of bullies had already turned, continuing down Victory Junction.
    On Dupont Avenue, right across the street from the Kindhearted Veterinary Clinic, Charlie ascended the four crumbling stone stairs that led to his family’s apartment complex. As he fumbled with his keys, the clinic exploded with barking and wailing dogs. This was nothing unusual. They always barked whenever Charlie walked past, which always upset Charlie’s birds—all seven of them, to be exact. There were four canaries, two finches, and one very old blue parakeet that no longer chirped but instead made a sound similar to the noise a car made when it backfired. For reasons Charlie had never figured out, all dogs hated his birds, and they hated him because they could smell the feather dust on his clothing.
    Charlie finally got inside and locked the door behind him. Outside, thunder boomed, and through the thin walls of the apartment, Charlie could hear rain beginning to fall.

T he boys who had just entered Alton’s office wore stark white military-type uniforms, complete with white boots, a white beret, and a white utility belt. Their voices carried high-spirited tones of excitement, and they chatted with one another as though they were up to some wonderful plan.
    “Hey, hey! What’s up, Al?” one of the boys asked, smacking Alton’s back.
    “Ronald,” Alton replied, offering a forced smile as he swatted Ronald’s hand away from Walter’s file. “Where are you off to?”
    “We’ve just been
assigned.
” Ronald rubbed the top of his hand.
    “Ah, yes, I was told. And I suppose you need your Access Portals?” Alton scratched his nose. “Oh, joy. A trio of fresh Agents, out to save the world.”
    “That’s the idea,” Ronald answered.
    Alton opened a drawer and removed three tiny objects that looked like miniature white paper clips. “Here you go. We wouldn’t want you to forget these and end up stuck on earth, now, would we?”
    The boys took the clips from Alton and fastened them to their belts.
    “Who’s the newbie?” Ronald flicked his chin in a friendly gesture toward Walter.
    Alton frowned as one of the other boys successfully swiped the folder from the desk and began to leaf through the pages. “Give that back, Reginald!” His voice rose with agitation.
    “ ‘Walter Prairie,’ ” Reginald read. “ ‘Died Thursday by…’ ” He paused to reread the data. “Whoa, check it out!” He flashed the file to Ronald and the other boy.
    “Lightning?” Ronald asked after reading Walter’s file. “Is this for real?”
    “I was struck by lightning?” Walter scoffed as he leaned over the file and read the blurb. “Died while weeding in his mother’s herb garden.” What a sad way to go. Picking strangler weeds out of the chives. Those were the worst. Chives always made Walter’s hands smell weird.
    “Awesome! My name’s Ronald,” Ronald said, extending his hand and staring at Walter with admiration. “And this is Reginald and Riley. We’re the Logan brothers.” Walter glanced at all three boys as he shook their