Serena Star’s wide eyes shone with excitement. “Well, I can’t wait to hear what you’ve learned,” she said approvingly.
Camilla came in and went over to the cameraman. “This is that Eighth Dimension book I was telling you about,” Ivy heard her say as she handed him a dog-eared paperback.
“Thanks, Camilla,” the cameraman replied with an appreciative nod.
The rest of the staff filed in. Toby sat down on the other side of Serena, straightened his polkadot tie, and folded his hands on the table in front of him.
He looks confident, thought Ivy, shifting uncomfortably in her seat.
“Let’s get started,” announced Serena expectantly. “Who wants to go first?”
Marnie Squingle raised her hand, and Serena Star pointed to her.
Marnie cleared her throat and read from her notebook. “ ‘Justin Fairfax, a Franklin Grove Middle School eighth-grader who has gym class with Garrick Stephens, told me—and I quote— “Garrick Stephens has the worst BO ever. He smells like death.”’ ” Marnie lifted her face with a look of smug satisfaction.
“That’s it?” said Serena.
“He smells ‘like death.’ ” Marnie nodded. “Isn’t that shocking?”
“No,” replied Serena, “not really. Who’s next?”
Rudy Preston waved his beefy arm in the air. He glanced at the piece of a paper in front of him and then folded it up and put it in his pocket.
He must have memorized his quote, Ivy thought, impressed.
Rudy looked around the table and began. “I want to be Serena Star’s assistant because she is the most beautiful, intelligent, interesting reporter working today,” he said in a steady voice. “I admire her courage, her sense of justice, and her perfect smile. I remember the first time I saw her on television. I was—”
“Time out,” Serena interrupted. “Is any of this going to be about Garrick Stephens and his cult?”
Rudy’s eyes crossed. “I thought you just wanted the best quote.”
“Next,” Serena said dismissively. Rudy opened his mouth and shut it again, clearly not understanding where he’d gone wrong.
“Poor guy,” Sophia whispered in Ivy’s ear.
Next was Will Kerrell. Nervous at the best of times, he glued his eyes to his notebook and read in a rushed monotone, “ ‘Those Beasts are into heavy metal music, and everyone knows that if you play that stuff backward, it will make you eat the head off a bat, and then you’ll run into the street screaming and your eyeballs will explode and your brains will go everywhere!’ ”
“Who said that?” asked Serena.
“My cousin Charlie,” Will told her. “He’s in high school.”
“Well, he’s absolutely right,” Serena said. “Unfortunately, heavy metal is old news.”
At this rate, Ivy thought hopefully, I just might get the assistant job. She took a deep breath and raised her hand.
“Let’s hear it,” invited Serena.
“My quote is from Franklin Grove’s very concerned guidance counselor, Mr. Reginald Slipson,” Ivy said. “Mr. Slipson has long suspected that something is very wrong with students in Franklin Grove. According to him, this latest incident at the graveyard was a perfect example of the sinister problem that is threatening our community.”
“This sounds promising,” Serena murmured. Sophia looked at Ivy encouragingly.
“Mr. Slipson has done some digging into the school records,” Ivy continued, “and he’s noticed a disturbing pattern. It appears students aren’t getting enough sleep at night. In fact, he would bet that Franklin Grove has more students falling asleep in class than anywhere else in the nation!”
“Why?” asked Serena.
“Yes, why is that?” asked Principal Whitehead.
Ivy raised her eyebrows. “I think you’ll all be shocked by the answer,” she said. Then she paused for effect and cleared her throat. “I quote Mr. Slipson directly: ‘What, exactly, are these students doing when normal people are in bed? Horrible things. Unnatural things!’ ”
Serena Star’s eyes were wider than Ivy had ever seen them. Ivy leaned back in her seat and shared a triumphant look with Sophia.
After a second, Serena said, “Don’t stop there.”
“W-what?” Ivy stammered.
“Tell us the rest of your quote. What kind of ‘unnatural’ things?”
Ivy hesitated. She had really hoped that what she’d read would be enough to do the trick.
“Go on!” Serena insisted, and Sophia looked at Ivy hopefully.
Ivy read Mr. Slipson’s quote in its entirety, her voice getting quieter and quieter as she went along. “ ‘What, exactly, are these students doing when normal people are in bed? Horrible things. Unnatural things! Eating junk foods packed with additives, listening to portable music devices, surfing the Internet, playing video games, watching satellite television beamed from the sky. This insomniac epidemic is destroying our youth!’ ”
Serena tapped her pink fingernails on the table. “I liked the beginning,” she said, “but then you lost me. Help me out here. Is the scoop that kids are staying up late?”
“Exactly,” Ivy agreed.
Serena nodded. “I was afraid so.” Then she added, “What a snooze.” Everyone laughed.
Ivy pressed her hands into the table. “The truth is sometimes less sensational than we imagine, Ms. Star.”
“I know,” Serena said. “Isn’t that the worst?”