STUCK: IT'S ABOUT TO GET VERY WEIRD

Once again, I'm lying on my side in a grass field.

Seems to me Tom's machines only know how to hit grass fields. I smell smoke from burning plastic. My hand aches and I look down and see a big red scar on the palm. The burn is about the size of a golf ball, and it's already starting to blister. I must have gotten burned when I jammed the wire in the box. I turn my hand sideways and notice it kind of has an odd shape, almost like tiger's eyes....

This thought is still floating around in my head when I roll over and bump against someone or something on the ground beside me. I'm looking right into an eye. The eye clicks like a camera and I jump back in terror. But the robot doesn't move. I hear sizzling and popping and I see smoke coming from the robot's ear. The eyes go black and close for good. I see Sam and Ben, but not Tom. I shake them and they get up groggily.

"Are we home?" Sam says, getting up slowly. She jumps back when she sees the robot.

"It's okay. He's done," I say. I look around and I see we're in the schoolyard. There are kids running everywhere, laughing and playing. A kid runs by and stops. "Hey, where did you guys come from?" he asks.

I recognize that kid. We're home.

"Hey, what's wrong with that guy?" The kid says, pointing at robot-Tom.

"Stay away from him," I reply. "He's grumpy."

"Weird!" The kid says, and runs off towards the playground.

Just then I hear groaning and I turn and see Principal Wanigas getting up behind us. We all start to back away slowly when the Principal grabs the collar of his jacket and speaks into it. "Mission aborted. Get me out of here. Now."

Suddenly there's a flash, and the Principal and the robot disappear.

We all walk tiredly towards the school, and Sam hugs me as walk. We did it. We're home, finally. I feel like crying but I still can't find Tom. Where did he go? Is he trapped in yet another messed up place?

A girl runs over, and yells "Hey, Sam! Where have you been? We're playing tag!"

Sam gives me a big hug and takes off towards the monkey bars with the girl. We get to the playground and Ben wanders off and stares at all the fun happening with a big grin on his face. "Just perfect, just perfect," he says.

I hear the voice of a teacher off to my right. "Mr. Saginaw! Mr. Saginaw! We've been looking all over for you!"

I turn and see a man that looks really familiar. He is smiling and kids are running all around him.

He sees me and comes over and goes down on one knee in front of me. "Sierra. We did it."

I look at him closely. It's Tom. He's grown up. We hug for a couple of seconds, and then I see that he has tears in his eyes. He looks around and takes a big deep breath. "It's good to be home... thank you." He says.

"Thanks to us." I say. "Did you just get here too?"

Tom shakes his head, "Somehow I got here a week before you. I have a teaching job here now. I was really worried about you guys. Tiarra and her sister were here, and I helped them out, but they disappeared about twenty minutes ago, when you guys showed up, so they should be home safe now."

Then Tom looks towards the parking lot and says "There's someone here to see you."

I look over and I see my dad waiting at the edge of the schoolyard. He's just as I remember him, with his messy hair, three day old beard, jeans and a t-shirt.

I see Sam running towards him. I sprint over and we almost tackle him down and hug him hard.

"Hey whoa!" Dad says, "It's like you haven't seen me for months!"

"You have no idea," I reply.

We all get up and Dad says, "C'mon, let's go get some supper."

"Just wait." I say. I turn to look for Ben. I see him, over by with the school gymnastics team, who are having their tryouts in the field by the playground. Ben is right in the middle of a spectacular set of flips, ending with a double somersault and a perfect landing. The other boys and the coach slap him on the back and high-five him.

"Ben!" I yell. "Come get some supper!" Ben comes sprinting over to us and he's grinning from ear to ear.

"Dad, this is Ben. He's going to be staying with us. I'll explain later."

Dad looks at Ben and says "Well, ok, if that's ok with his mom."

"Oh, I promise you, it's ok with his mom." I say.

We're walking to Dad's truck when he says, "So guys, what should we have for supper tonight?"

I know exactly what we're having.

"Stinkweed Stew and Oh-Henrys." I say.