The Bizarre Events at Hellman Elementary: My Family, My Nightmare

By Richard M. Born

Have you ever looked to the skies to see a shooting star? In Golfing Blue, every fifty years, you can look up at the sky and see the streak of blue light from Jeffrey’s comet. This can only mean one thing for the students of Hellman Elementary—even more bizarre happenings! Taking on the teachers at the school is next to nothing compared to Jeffrey’s comet and who may be riding it.

Strange things are happening this week at Hellman Elementary. Changes are occurring, teachers are just as strange, and the janitor is locking doors more often than normal. What could possibly be hiding in the basement? What does the lunch lady really use to make the Sloppy Joes? Does it have something to do with comet shooting across the sky?

Jacob is about to find out the dangers of wishing upon shooting stars. He is tired of being the only boy in his family and tired of the way his sisters treat him. But when he wishes for a different family, he finds out just how strange things can get, not only at home but at school as well. Will Jacob get his original family back, or will he be destined to live with his new nightmarish family?

Do not miss the next bizarre event, The Perfect Game—Book 5, in the series.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Page Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Jan 7, 2022
• ISBN: 9781662445545

Book preview

Chapter 1

Jacob felt pain shoot through his leg as his knee met the metal bar of the seat in front of him. His mom, Vivian, had hit another pothole as they sped to the mall. As Jacob massaged his knee, he looked down at the floor of the minivan, at least what he could see of the floor. The floor of his mother’s minivan was a wreck as there was at least a foot of junk underneath his feet. There were fast-food wrappers, half-drunk juice boxes that spit out a little bit of juice if you accidentally stepped on them, and toys that had long been forgotten.

He brushed some crushed Røros cereal from his sneakers. He was trying to keep them as clean as possible as they were his only item that was not a lame off-brand. He hated sitting in the back seat as it was always crowded and he had no legroom. Even as he thought about how cramped he was, something from his left side smacked him across the face. It was his sister’s doll. She had been chewing on it, so it was wet and sticky. Her name was Alison, but everyone called her Ally for short. Ally was in the first grade, but she still had to sit in a car seat, which took up half the back seat. Jacob always had to sit next to her. Even worse was his baby brother Zane, who was in the car seat to his right. Zane was the only other boy in the family. He had just turned a year old a few days ago. Jacob loved his brother, but he did wish that he were a little bit older. Jacob had a big family, and he was the oldest boy in-between four girls. He enjoyed being in a big family for the most part, but there were certain things he wished were different. He loved his sisters, but sometimes, they would get annoying.

For instance, whenever they were in the van, his three sisters were always in the middle seat, leaving him between Ally and Zane. He always argued with his mom that his sister Carol, who was in third grade, should be the one sitting between the two babies. But Carol was a crybaby and was always crying that she wanted to sit with her sister Mallory. Also when Jacob would bring up the fact that Ally and Carol would be able to play with their toys together, his mom would always respond, Well, you and Zane can play together. How crazy is that? Jacob thought. How can a one-year-old who can barely say five words talk to him about important things like baseball or wrestling or anything that would be relevant to a fourth grader?

Mallory was Jacob’s favorite sister. She was only a year older, in fifth grade, and was the rebel of the family. She enjoyed doing things to make Jacob’s parents crazy. In fact, just a few weeks ago, she got her nose pierced. Jacob’s stepfather, Ned, did not like that at all. Next to Mallory sat his oldest sister, Jaylen. She was a junior at Hellman High School and was always telling Jacob that scary things were at the high school. However, he felt that Hellman Elementary was the strangest of all schools!

Hellman Elementary was the only elementary school in Golfing Blue, Kentucky. It had to be one of the strangest and scariest schools in America. The teachers were odd, and rumors of scary creatures roaming the halls were all the students talked about. His older sister Mallory even insisted that she had changed into a kindergartner not too long ago. No one in the family really believed her except for Jacob. He knew of all the strange things that occurred in the school.

As today was Sunday, they had just left church, headed to the mall to drop Jaylen off at work. She worked at Crazy Hats and had only gotten the job a few months ago. All she did was sit there and tell people which hats looked best on them. Jacob could hear her telling their mom to speed up as she put on her makeup.

I’m going as fast as possible, honey. We will get there when we get there, said Vivian as she took a sharp turn. Jacob leaned to his right and fell into Zane’s lap just as he sneezed. Sitting back up, he brushed the green gunk out of his hair. The van was old; the air-conditioning had stopped working, so both of the front windows were rolled down. His mom had always said that if she ever got her dream car, it would be a convertible. She was a kind woman who would do anything for her family. Jacob could see her long blond hair blowing in the wind. She was not very tall, so she had to pull the seat all the way up to reach the pedals. That was why there was always legroom in the middle seats.

Sitting next to Vivian in the passenger seat was Ned’s mother, Sherry. Jacob called her Nana. Nana and Zane shared the same birthday. She just turned sixty-two and was very proud of it. Jacob loved his Nana even though she was a little bit crazy. Okay, maybe not just a little bit. She was totally nuts! Her stories were always fun to listen to as she would tell stories of aliens and strange creatures. Also she could never find her coffee cup. Almost every morning, she would go on the search for it throughout the trailer. When she couldn’t find it, she would simply say, Well, the little gnomes must have taken it. She had to ride with us to church because Dad had taken away her driving license. He had taken it away due to an incident last week. We had gone to eat at our favorite pizza restaurant, Michelangelo’s. Nana was supposed to meet the family there, and she was running a little late. She pulled into the parking spot and hit Ned’s truck not once, not even twice, but four times. We were all laughing, except for Ned, who was turning green. Because of that, he decided that Nana shouldn’t be driving anymore. Jaylen would sometimes drive Nana’s car, but since Ned had to go to work, he drove it to church today. Mom had wanted the entire family to be at church today because Jacob was singing a solo in the choir. He would be doing a second solo on Wednesday, but since that was a school night, Mom would have to get the littles—that’s what she called Jacob’s three younger siblings—to bed so they would have to stay with Nana.

Jacob saw the strip mall getting closer, giving him just enough time to put his hands out in front of him and push up against the middle seat as the van slammed to a halt in a parking spot. Thanks a lot, Mom, said Jaylen sarcastically. I almost poked out my eye. I’ve got to hurry. Jacob thought she was being dramatic as she pulled open the door and ran off. It took a while for everyone to get out of the van. Mallory and Carol jumped out as Vivian and Nana climbed down from the front seats. As usual, Jacob was stuck in the back until his mom had gotten Zane and Ally out of their car seats.

Once everyone had gotten out of the van, his mom handed Nana two large blocks of wood with rope handles. I heard a grinding noise the other day, and it makes me worry. You never know what may happen. The brakes could go at any time, she said as she pushed one of the blocks behind the back of a tire. Jacob bent down and helped Nana put her block behind the tire on the passenger side. She had been trying to place the block on the front side of the tire. She laughed and said, I was wondering how that was going to keep the wheel from rolling backward.

It took almost thirty minutes to get Zane and Ally into the double stroller. When they were finally buckled in, it took another ten minutes to find them socks and shoes to wear. Finally, they began walking toward the front entrance of the mall. Jacob could hear Mallory talking about meeting her friend Payton as Carol was skipping through the door. His mom was pushing the stroller and talking to Nana. Jacob crossed the threshold of the door just in time to see Nana fall to the floor, screaming, The alien has returned! It’s going to take me!

Chapter 2

People around the mall were staring as Nana covered her head with her arms. Jacob stifled a laugh, while his mom gave him a glaring look; but he could see the corners of her mouth trying to stop a laugh from escaping. Jacob wondered how a sixty-two-year-old woman could move so quickly. They’ve come back for me! Nana shouted at the top of her lungs. The alien is going to replace me with a clone.

Jacob finally broke down and began to laugh as his sister Mallory bent over to try to calm Nana down. Nana, there are no aliens. Let me help you up, Mallory said as she tried to pull Nana to her feet.

I saw…over there…me. Nana, who was in the process of standing up, pointed toward the right side of the mall.

Jacob was puzzled. What did you see, Nana?

I saw a person who looked just like me! Nana exclaimed. She was right over there. She was very pretty. You probably wouldn’t even know that I had been replaced until they were replacing you also.

Jacob looked closer to see where she was pointing. He started laughing even harder. His mom gave him a look that told him to stop, but he was laughing so hard that his next words were almost drowned out. Nana, there is a mirror in that clothing store. You just saw your own reflection!

Nana was upright now and slowly looking into the store. See, Nana, no aliens, Mallory said, patting her arm while handing Nana a silver locket. This must have fallen off when you fell. Nana put the heart-shaped locket back around her neck. Mallory turned to look at Jacob. You can stop laughing now, Dimples.

That caused Jacob to stop immediately. He hated being called Dimples. His sisters loved calling him that because whenever he laughed, his cheeks had two dimples in them. His sisters thought they were cute. Nana, are you all right now?

Nana pulled Jacob into a hug. I’m fine. I just got a little confused. She began to wave at herself in the mirror. That alien may not have come for me today, but one day, he’ll be back. Mark my words. He will return!

Don’t worry. I will protect you from any alien attack, Jacob said. He had always known that his Nana was a little bit crazy, but he had gotten used to the way she acted. At first, she had been somewhat embarrassing, but Jacob still loved her. His oldest sister Jaylen, on the other hand, still thought that she was an embarrassment to the family.

As they walked into the food-court area, Jacob saw some of his friends sitting at a table. Mom, can I go hang out with Joshey? Please?

Jacob’s youngest sister Ally screamed, I want to go to the toy store!

Their mother sighed and rubbed her knee. Last year, Nana had taken all the girls skiing, and Mom had an accident and blew out her knee. Jacob could tell that it still hurt her even though she tried to hide the pain. I guess you can hang out with Joshey while I take the littles to see the toys, his mom said. Stay in the food court. If you need anything, go to Crazy Hats and tell Jaylen to call me.

I’ll be fine, Mom. Thanks, Jacob said as he walked through the rows of tables. He came to a table in front of Boko’s Ice Cream Bar. He was wishing they had sat somewhere else. A circus clown owned Boko’s by the same name, and Jacob was not fond of clowns. He sat down in an empty chair next to his friend Joshey with his back toward Boko.

There were five boys sitting around the table. To Jacob’s left sat Joshey, his best friend in the entire fourth grade. Joshey came over to spend the night at Jacob’s so much that his mom and dad considered him a seventh child. Joshey’s first name was Eugene, but he hated the name; so he went by his middle name. He and Jacob had been friends since kindergarten. Joshey was the opposite of Jacob in physical features. Whereas Jacob was tall and slender, Joshey was a little bit rounder and smaller. Joshey had long black hair that curled up in the front. He liked to play video games and knew how to win all of them.

Sitting next to Joshey was another classmate, Lennon, or Patches, as that was what most people called him. He had gotten his nickname from being in the Survival Cubs, which he had been in since first grade. The Survival Cubs were a group of boys that went out on the weekends, doing good deeds and learning how to live off the land. For each achievement, they got a patch. Lennon had 112 out of the 200 that was available to obtain. Each time he got one, he would sew it onto a jacket that he had gotten from his dad, which he wore every day no matter how hot it was outside. Patches was a guy who would always help someone in need.

In the next seat was Max. Jacob thought that Max had to be one of the strangest kids in the fourth grade. Max’s attitude was that he didn’t care what anyone thought of him. Most kids called him Wolfie behind his back. Jacob tried to be nice to him, and Max was always nice to everyone even though everybody made fun of the way he looked. He was a very hairy boy; his arms and legs were as hairy as a dog. The dark-brown hair didn’t only grow on his arms; he was the only boy in the fourth grade to have sideburns, which were covered by his long hair that fell down past his chin. Jacob’s dad had explained that sometimes boys go through puberty at an early age. Max had a strange birthmark on his face; his left eye looked as if someone had punched him. The brown spot was a perfect circle. Even though Max always dressed nicely in a button-down shirt, Jacob thought he could do a few things to stop people from calling him Wolfie. For instance, his fingernails were always long and dirty-looking, and he always wore a bow tie that had a funny smell. Whenever Jacob smelled it, it reminded him of the flea collar that they put on his dog, Valentine.

Sitting next to Max were Samuel and JP. They were not in Jacob’s class; they were in the other fourth-grade class. Samuel was known as the perfect student. He had perfect grades and the perfect look. Jacob had overheard one of the teachers saying how beautiful Samuel’s eyes were. JP, on the other hand, was known as the weirdo of the school. His brother had vanished mysteriously a few years ago. JP never got over it, and he seemed to be obsessed with the strange things that happened at the school. Most of the students would try to avoid him. He was always talking about strange things lurking in the hallways. In a way, he kind of scared Jacob.

So what you guys doing? asked Jacob.

Patches was telling us about his new patch for rock climbing, replied Joshey. It sounded like a great time, but I think that I would much prefer to keep my feet firmly on the ground.

Patches ran his hand through his blond crinkled hair. There’s nothing better than feeling the wind blow through your hair when you’re a hundred feet above the ground. He looked around and asked, So where is your sister?

Joshey gave a laugh. He’s got so many sisters you have to give him a name so he knows which one you’re talking about.

Jacob didn’t need for Patches to name the sister in question. Jacob knew that Patches had a crush on Mallory. Mallory is in the mall somewhere, but you don’t have a chance with her. She is seeing a fifth grader named Payton. He saw the look of disappointment in Patches’ eyes. But hey, my third-grade sister, Carol, would love to hang out with you.

Patches rolled his eyes. No thanks. Have you thought about what you are going to be for Halloween? It’s less than a month away.

I’m staying home with my doors locked and a baseball bat under my covers, JP said with a frightened look. October is the worst month of the year, especially at our school. Not to mention that if I am right, Jeffrey’s comet will be over Golfing Blue all next week.

Jacob could not help himself. What is Jeffrey’s comet? he asked.

Jeffrey was the eldest son of the founder of Golfing Blue. According to my brother’s research, Jeffrey was big into outer space. He wanted to be the first person to ever walk on Pluto, JP said before Max interrupted.

You mean the dog from the cartoons? Why would anybody want to be that mean to a poor doggie? Max asked with a concerned look on his face.

No, Max, Pluto the planet, not the dog. Well, according to NASA, it’s not really a planet. I am still working on my Space Exploration patch, said Patches.

Letting his curiosity get the better of him, Jacob turned back to JP, asking, So what happened to him?

No one really knows for sure, but when he was seventeen, he died. His father then had a comet named after him, JP continued. According to the weather charts, it passes straight over Golfing Blue every fifty years. It stays visible for a full week. The people who I have spoken to about the comet say that it’s a beautiful sight. But I think it is mysterious that this town is the only place to have ever seen the comet and NASA has no record of it in their database.

It’s probably just another myth like the legend of the frogman, Jacob said while rolling his eyes. My Nana has lived here all her life, and she has never mentioned a comet.

The frogman is real. I saw him myself at the beginning of the school year, JP said.

I’m not saying that strange things don’t happen here, but I think you spook yourself out sometimes, Jacob replied. A terrified look spread over JP’s face. Feeling as if he had hurt JP’s feelings, Jacob began to apologize. But the words never escaped his lips. A cold, wet hand pushed against his back. Everyone at the table looked terrified as a hand, covered in blood, hit the table top right next to Jacob!

Chapter 3

Max gave a scream that sounded like a howling noise. Sam and Patches gasped, and JP and Joshey jumped out of their seats. Jacob looked at the white hand on the table. The thick red blood was smeared all over the fingertips. He was too terrified to move, so he just sat and stared at the hand. As if the sudden appearance of the hand wasn’t enough, a voice spoke directly behind Jacob. You boys look hungry!

Jacob still didn’t want to turn