Super Fast, Out of Control! (Marvin Redpost 7)

bike super fast down Suicide Hill!”

“I’m glad to see you’re so excited about riding your new bike. Your father and I were beginning to wonder.”

“Stuart’s and Nick’s parents won’t let them ride their bikes down Suicide Hill,” said Marvin. “I guess they think it’s dangerous or something. For a third grader.”

“I guess,” said his mother. She entered some more numbers into the computer.

Marvin wondered if she heard anything he said. He kept trying. “I guess Stuart’s mom is worried he might break his arm, or worse.”

“I know you’ll be careful,” said his mother.

“Sure, I’ll try to be careful,” said Marvin. “But when you’re going downhill super fast, out of control, it’s—”

“Is it raining?” asked his mother.

Marvin didn’t know what that had to do with anything. “I don’t think so,” he said, but then he saw a flash of lightning.

A few seconds later, he heard thunder. A few seconds after that, Linzy came running into the room.

“Turn off the computer!” she screamed. She was wearing her wild and worried face. She clutched her mother.

“There’s nothing to worry about,” said her mother.

There was another flash of lightning. “Turn it off! Turn it off!” Linzy demanded. She was crying.

“I know you’re scared,” said her mother. “But I—”

“The lightning will come through the computer!” Linzy shrieked.

Her mother sighed. “We are all very safe,” she said.

Marvin’s father came into the study. He picked up Linzy and held her close. “Everything is all right,” he told her.

“She has to turn it off before it explodes.”

“She has an important job to do. And it’s our job to let her do it. You too, Marvin.”

Marvin followed his father as he carried Linzy to her room and set her on her bed.

“Can I sleep with you, Marvin?” Linzy asked. “Please?”

Marvin felt bad for her, but he’d tried sleeping with Linzy once before. She could never keep still. She kept kicking him all night, and ended up sleeping sideways across the bed.

“Lightning and thunder are just part of nature,” he said.

“The bad part,” said Linzy.

“You are perfectly safe,” said her father. “Do you think I would leave you alone if I thought you were in danger?”

“No,” Linzy whimpered.

“You’re the gold unicorn,” said Marvin. “Unicorns aren’t afraid of storms.”

There was a loud clap of thunder, and she ducked under the covers.

“You know the thunder can’t hurt you,” said her father.

“I know,” Linzy said, from under the covers.