بگو سیب و بمیر فصل 22

Say Cheese and Die! - Chapter 22

“No way,” Bird said heatedly, leaning against the bleacher bench. “Have you gone totally bananas?”

Swinging the camera by its cord, Greg turned hopefully to Michael. But Michael avoided Greg’s stare. “I’m with Bird,” he said, his eyes on the camera.

Since it was just about dinnertime, the playground was nearly deserted. A few little kids were on the swings at the other end. Two kids were riding their bikes around and around the soccer field.

“I thought maybe you guys would come with me,” Greg said, disappointed. He kicked up a clump of grass with his sneaker. “I have to return this thing,” he continued, raising the camera. “I know it’s what I have to do. I have to put it back where I found it.”

“No way,” Bird repeated, shaking his head. “I’m not going back to the Coffman house. Once was enough.”

“Chicken?” Greg asked angrily.

“Yeah,” Bird quickly admitted.

“You don’t have to take it back,” Michael argued. He pulled himself up the side of the bleachers, climbed onto the third deck of seats, then lowered himself to the ground.

“What do you mean?” Greg asked impatiently, kicking at the grass.

“Just toss it, Greg,” Michael urged, making a throwing motion with one hand. “Heave it. Throw it in the trash somewhere.”

“Yeah. Or leave it right here,” Bird suggested. He reached for the camera. “Give it to me. I’ll hide it under the seats.”

“You don’t understand,” Greg said, swinging the camera out of Bird’s reach. “Throwing it away won’t do any good.”

“Why not?” Bird asked, making another swipe for the camera.

“Spidey’ll just come back for it,” Greg told him heatedly. “He’ll come back to my room looking for it. He’ll come after me. I know it.”

“But what if we get caught taking it back?” Michael asked.

“Yeah. What if Spidey’s there in the Coffman house, and he catches us?” Bird said.

“You don’t understand,” Greg cried. “He knows where I live! He was in my house. He was in my room ! He wants his camera back, and—

“Here. Give it to me,” Bird said. “We don’t have to go back to that house. He can find it. Right here.”

He grabbed again for the camera.

Greg held tightly to the strap and tried to tug it away.

But Bird grabbed the side of the camera.

“No!” Greg cried out as it flashed. And whirred.

A square of film slid out.

“No!” Greg cried to Bird, horrified, staring at the white square as it started to develop. “You took my picture!”

His hand trembling, he pulled the snapshot from the camera.

What would it show?