Stowaway Boys by Gary Whitmore - HTML preview

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Chapter 18

Meanwhile, back down on Earth, in Todd's home, Tater, Lilly, and Christina sat on the couch. Their eyes were glued to the TV while Biff from Channel 9 News reported.

"We have an alarming development. NASA just released the news that the asteroid of space junk has snagged one of the solar arrays to the space station. It now appears that the asteroid and space station will impact the Earth in four days," Biff said from the TV.

In Ricky's home, Louie and Rose have sprawled on the couch out from fainting.

On TV, Biff just finished giving the bad news. Behind him was a picture of the space station attached to the asteroid.

In Lucy's home, she sat with Betty on the couch and saw the bad news from Channel Nine News. They looked scared to death while they looked at the picture of the space station and the asteroid on the TV behind Biff.

In the Bully's tree house, Buster and Rocky danced around their tree house with joy with their arms locked together.

"Ding dong, the geeks are dead," Buster sang out in mocking the Wizard of Oz tune.

"Which ole geeks?" Rocky sang back in The Wizard of Oz tone.

"The geeky geeks," Buster sang out his reply.

"Ding dong, the nerdy geeks are dead!" both Rocky and Buster sang in unison.

They danced around the tree house with joy but were too dumb to realize their lives were also in jeopardy.

Back on the top of the asteroid, Todd, Ricky, and Scoota stood near the edge.

Ricky looked scared to death, and Todd and Scoota sensed it.

"Ricky, you can stay up here if you want," Todd said.

"Yeah. I don't have the strength to carry you again," Scoota added.

Ricky thought about their offer for a few minutes.

He decided he didn't want to stay behind and be a coward and regret it later in life.

He looked brave and took a couple of deep breaths. “No. It's about time I come to grips with this fear!" Ricky said and looked determined.

Todd and Scoota looked proud of him.

"Okay, let's make some rope," Scoota told the boys.

Hours later, on the top of the asteroid, Scoota, Todd, and Ricky finished making long rope out of Duct tape.

Scoota looked at their completed project. "I think that'll cover it," he said.

Scoota showed them a special knot while they tied one end of the Duct tape rope to a piece of space junk.

They ran the other end through the front straps of their suits in a pattern Scoota illustrated. He showed them another special knot with the rope's end tied to their suit straps.

Todd, Ricky, and Scoota grasped onto space junk while climbing down the asteroid's side like mountain climbers.

Their Duct tape rope trailed above them.

They grasped on space junk while they climbed down the asteroid's side.

Ricky looked below and saw the space station and Earth. He got nervous and lost his grip on the space junk.

"Ahhhh!" Ricky cried out while he quickly grabbed a piece of space junk and dangled with one glove gripping it tightly.

While Ricky dangled by one glove, he eyed the space station below, looking scared. His fingers started to slip away from the piece of space junk.

Todd and Scoota quickly climbed down to Ricky.

Scoota reached over and grabbed a strap on the back of Ricky's spacesuit. Scoota pulled Ricky up, and Ricky quickly grabbed a piece of space junk with his free glove.

"That was close. What a rush!" Ricky said and looked braver. "Let's save the station!"

Ricky climbed down the space junk.

Todd and Scoota watched Ricky while he climbed down the asteroid. They looked surprised and proud while they climbed down after Ricky.

Twenty minutes had passed.

Todd, Ricky, and Scoota finally made it to the bottom of the asteroid and paused.

"Now what?" Todd asked while he saw that the space station's solar array was thirty feet away.

Ricky reached under the asteroid and grabbed a piece of space junk with one glove, then he swung over and grabbed another piece of space junk. "We can finally use those monkey bar skills," Ricky replied while moving under the asteroid as if he was on monkey bars on the playground. His Duct rope trailed behind.

Todd and Scoota moved under the asteroid after Ricky like they were on monkey bars.

Back down on Earth in Munich, German, people stood at the storefront windows of a TV store.

They watched the Disaster channel on TV and the live footage of Todd, Ricky, and Scoota swinging like monkeys to the space station's solar arrays.

The "Stowaways Will Free the Space Station From Asteroid" message scrolled across the screen.

The people looked leery that those boys could perform such a dangerous task.

In Prague, the Czech Republic, people stood at the storefront windows of a TV store.

They watched the Disaster channel on TV and the live footage of Todd, Ricky, and Scoota swinging like monkeys to the space station's solar arrays.

The "Stowaways Will Free Space Station From Asteroid" message scrolled across the screen.

The people looked leery that those boys could perform such a dangerous task.

In Hong Kong, China, people stood at the storefront windows of a TV store.

They watched the Disaster channel on TV and the live footage of Todd, Ricky, and Scoota swinging like monkeys to the space station's solar arrays.

The "Stowaways Will Free Space Station From Asteroid" message scrolled across the screen.

The people looked leery that those boys could perform such a dangerous task.

In Todd's home, Tater, Lilly, and Christina sat on the edge of the couch and stared at the TV in horror.

They saw Biff on the news and a picture of Todd, Ricky, and Scoota while they hung underneath the asteroid by their gloves.

In Ricky's home, Louie and Rose sat on the edge of the couch and stared at the TV in horror.

They saw Biff on the news and a picture of Todd, Ricky, and Scoota while they hung underneath the asteroid by their gloves and Duct tape rope.

In Lucy's home, Lucy and Betty sat on the edge of the couch and stared at the TV in horror.

They saw Biff on the news and a picture of Todd, Ricky, and Scoota while they hung underneath the asteroid by their gloves.

In the Bully's tree house, Rocky and Buster saw Biff on the news and a picture of Todd, Ricky, and Scoota while they hung underneath the asteroid by their gloves.

Buster and Rocky coached the TV.

"Fall, fall, fall!" they cried out, hoping the boys would lose their grips and become balls of flames racing down to Earth.

Back up in space in the space station, Buck and Natasha floated in front of a monitor. They watched live footage of Todd, Ricky, and Scoota while they finally arrived at the bottom of the asteroid that was stuck to the solar array.

"I don't believe it. We have kids trying to free us," said Buck.

Natasha nodded in agreement.

Underneath the asteroid, Todd, Ricky, and Scoota hung by their Duct tape rope that ran through their suit straps and through pieces of space junk above them.

They reached out and began cutting at the pieces of space junk that were punctured through and wrapped around the top of the solar array.

Back down on Earth in Los Angeles, California, people stood at the storefront window and watched the Disaster channel on TV.

They stared at live footage of Todd, Ricky, and Scoota while cutting away at the space junk above the space station's solar array.

The "Stowaways Will Free Space Station From Asteroid" message scrolled across the screen.

They looked proud of the young boys.

In Rome, Italy, people stood at the storefront window and watched the Disaster channel on the TV.

They stared at live footage of Todd, Ricky, and Scoota while cutting away at the space junk above the space station's solar array.

The "Stowaways Will Free Space Station From Asteroid" message scrolled across the screen.

They looked proud of the young boys.

In Seoul, South Korea, people stood at the storefront window and watched the Disaster channel on TV.

They stared at live footage of Todd, Ricky, and Scoota while cutting away at the space junk above the space station's solar array.

The "Stowaways Will Free Space Station From Asteroid" message scrolled across the screen.

They looked proud of the young boys.

Up in space underneath the asteroid, Todd, Ricky, and Scoota made their final cuts through the last piece of space junk that held the space station, prisoner.

They waited and looked down below at the station. The solar array slowly inched away from the asteroid.

Scoota, Todd, and Ricky looked proud of their work.

Inside the space station, Buck and Natasha were in the control room and floated in front of a monitor.

They watched with joy while the space station moved away from the asteroid.

"Way to go, boys!" Buck cheered along with Natasha.

They hugged each other, knowing they were safe from being burnt to a crisp while the station plummeted down to Earth.

Back down on Earth in the Oval Office of the White House, on the wall of TVs was live footage of the space station solar array.

President Barnaby watched, from his desk, while the space station moved away from the bottom of the asteroid with Todd, Ricky, and Scoota still dangling underneath.

President Barnaby jumped up from his desk and strutted to the center of the room.

"We're back in business!" President Barnaby cried out while he did a victory dance around the Oval Office in joy. And yes, he would never make it as a professional dancer.

In Todd's home, in their living room, Tater, Lilly, and Christina cheered at the TV, which showed live footage of the space station while it moved away from the asteroid. Todd, Ricky, and Scoota were visible while they dangled underneath the asteroid.

"That's my boy!" Tater yelled out while doing a goofy country-style dance around the living room involving lots of knee-slapping.

In Ricky's home, Louie and Rose cheered at the TV, which showed live footage of the space station while it moved away from the asteroid. Todd, Ricky, and Scoota were visible while they dangled underneath the asteroid.

"Hooray for Ricky!" Louie cried out and did a victory dance and then high-fived Rose.

In Lucy's home, she cheered with Betty at the TV, which showed live footage of the space station moving away from the asteroid. Todd, Ricky, and Scoota were visible while they dangled underneath the asteroid.

Way to go, Todd!" Lucy cried out.

"You, the man, Ricky!" Betty cried out.

Lucy and Betty locked arms and danced around the room in joy.

In the Bully’s tree house, the TV showed live footage of the space station while it moved away from the asteroid. Todd, Ricky, and Scoota were visible while they dangled underneath the asteroid.

Buster and Rocky sat on their butts with their arms crossed and were steaming mad.

"Why can't they screw up?" Buster cried out.

“I know! What is wrong with them?” Rocky added.

In New York City, people stood at the storefront window, watched the Disaster channel, and saw live footage of the space station while moving away from the asteroid.

The "Stowaways Saved The Space Station from being burnt to a crisp!" message scrolled across the screen. Everybody cheered and danced around in joy.

In Paris, France, people stood at the storefront window and watched the Disaster channel on the TV.

They stared at live footage of Todd, Ricky, and Scoota while cutting away at the space junk above the space station's solar array.

The "Stowaways Saved The Space Station from being burnt to a crisp!" message scrolled across the screen.

Everybody cheered and danced around in joy.

In Bangkok, Thailand, people stood at the storefront window and watched the Disaster channel on the TV.

They stared at live footage of Todd, Ricky, and Scoota while cutting away at the space junk above the space station's solar array.

The "Stowaways Saved The Space Station from being burnt to a crisp!" message scrolled across the screen.

Everybody cheered and danced around in joy.