PathFinders

By Bryant Poss and Helen Zellner

The biggest pep rally of the year is about to go down, but not everybody is invited. That just doesn't sit well with this mischievous trio. Help Yaz, Mattie, and Lou choose their way through a crazy plan that takes one wild turn after another. All three of them want to go to this event, but you must help them improvise and create the right paths

• Language: English
• Publisher: Bryant Poss
• Release date: Jul 19, 2023
• ISBN: 9798988719823

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Copyright © 2023 by Bryant Poss

All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law. For permission requests, contact the author via the distributor.

The story, all names, characters, and incidents portrayed in this production are fictitious. No identification with actual persons (living or deceased), places, buildings, and products is intended or should be inferred.

Illustrations by Helen Zellner

helenzellnerart.bigcartel.com and helenzellner_art on Instagram.

ISBN 979-8-9887198-2-3 (eBook)

A letter p in grey and white Description automatically generated

PathFinders

in

ISS: In-School Suspicion

Starring:

Yazmine Bailey

Matteo Flores

Lukas Doppler

Contents

Meeting Up

The Grab

Time for Improvisation

The Change-Up

The Pep Rally

In-School Suspicion—Rhetorical Devices

In-School Suspicion—Inference Questions

Always Follow the Three Laws to Avoid Suspicion…

Yazmine’s Three Laws of Inconspicuousness:

1st Law: Stay out of trouble.

2nd Law: Avoid exposure.

3rd Law: Don’t make eye contact.

A group of cartoon characters Description automatically generated with low confidence

Meeting Up

Lily Garden Middle School is just like any other school. It has hallways to navigate, rules to follow, and adults to please. It’s a place of structure and bells. There’s no recess, no breaks, no free time whatsoever, so when something fun comes around it’s a big deal, you know? It’s like a warm day in winter, a glass of water in the desert, or a bright light in a dark room. Everybody is as happy as a pig in mud when there’s something fun to do at school. There’s energy in the air, a certain bounce in everyone’s step. Well, almost everyone, because when that rare flicker of light comes around, it’s a beautiful thing to behold unless … well, unless you’re one of the excluded. A bright light is only beautiful to those who can see it, so it’s way worse when you find out you can’t join in the fun in a place that has so little of it. It’s downright frustrating. In fact, it’s enough to make a group of friends do whatever it takes to stay together and make sure they’re on the right side of the fun when it happens. All they have to do is make the right decisions to get to the ending they want. How hard could it be?

The school year is fairly new, just old enough for the weather to break, but the powers-that-be have decided the students need a little kick to the fall semester. Students need more than assemblies and lectures to get them through the obstacles that lie ahead (I’m reciting the commercial the principal gives during announcements here). They need to associate more than just long, droning classes with barely enough time in between to get from one brick room to the next. They want students to get pumped about the trials ahead, which is not an easy thing to do. So, what’s the plan? They’re going to throw the mother-of-all pep rallies, what they’re calling Fantabulous Friday. We’re talking pizza, soda, candy, video games, inflatables, and a DJ. Everything free. There’s just one catch: if you have any discipline referrals, you don’t get to go. Therein lies the problem for the dream team.

Now, I know what you’re thinking. How could anyone have any referrals this early in the year? There hasn’t been enough time to get into trouble. Well, some people need far less time than others to do the wrong thing. There’s no need to judge; it’s just a simple fact. The only problem is that it affects certain members of the team, and what concerns one or two members affects all three. It’s a minor setback if you’ve got the smarts to pull it off and, luckily, this trio has the brains . . .

Yazmine Bailey stood outside the front of the school, looking from one side of the parking lot to the other while desperately trying to keep the wind from destroying her hair. Fall finally began phasing out summer, and Yaz took the opportunity to dress in the appropriate outfit. She wore a long burgundy sweater over black leggings with her tan boots. With her hair done in puffs, she felt dressed for success, but when a strong gust of wind hit her, she clutched the edges of her coat closed and turned her head away. A car horn brought her eyes up, and she waved at Lita and her mom as they headed toward the car riders’ lane. She couldn’t stay out in the wind and maintain her fashion for much longer. That was for sure. With a huff, she pulled her phone from her pocket to check the time.

Eight twenty-two, she said aloud, rolling her eyes. Boys are so unreliable. Pulling up text, she pressed the same button several times—  ????? SEND then slid the phone back into her pocket, knowing better than to wait.

The clang of metal on metal as the flag caught the wind played to the background of tires on the nearby highway. The smell of autumn was in the air, the leaves fading from lush green to somber yellows, browns, and reds. Yazmine looked around for either of her friends on the sidewalk, but so far they were being as prompt as usual, which was not. Reaching into her pocket once again, she slid her forefinger and thumb over the phone.

Bah!

Aaaaah!!

She screamed when the hands clasped her shoulders from behind, the boy yelling in her ear like a rabid dog.

Mattie! She turned and slapped at his chest, but he just laughed and backed away. What if I woulda dropped my phone!

Then it would have a spider web on the other end, he snorted, wiping the laughter tears from his eyes. Ahhhh, that was priceless.

It would’ve been if I’d dropped my phone, she caught him with a nice hook to the shoulder now that he was relaxed, and he moaned from the blow.

Ow, Yaz, chill! He rubbed his shoulder and looked around. Where’s Lou?

Not in my pocket, she slapped the front of her thighs. I figured he was with you.

Not this time.

After a few moments, Mattie fished his own phone from his pocket then shook it at her. Why do you send so many question marks?

You mean in the last text?

Yeah.

Because son, she replied, rolling her eyes as if the answer to his question was perfectly obvious, and it was a waste of her life to answer it. The number indicates the level of urgency, Mattie. There is a direct correlation between the number of question marks in a text and the level of anxiety of the sender. I needed an answer quickly, so I sent the required number.

Thanks so much for the explanation, Mattie replied, bending down to fix a twist in his shoelace.

Matteo Flores was not one to let his appearance slip even a fraction at any time of day. He was a good-looking kid, and he knew it. Mattie stood a little shorter than Yazmine, but it rarely showed as he always wore sneakers with insoles to increase his height a couple inches. Always coordinating, today he wore his zipper hoodie over a yellow shirt with jeans and pristine white sneakers. His hair was thick and straight with a natural shine, and he kept it shaved at the bottom with the longer falling to the left side.

Well, we’ve got about three minutes before we do this without him, Yazmine said, shouldering her book bag.

He’s coming, Yaz, we’ll just start like he’s here, Mattie replied, tightening up his own bag before pursing his lips at her. We’re sure we want to do this?

We have no choi— she tilted her head to the side, looking over his shoulder. Oh snap! There he is! Come on, son!

Lukas Doppler ran across the bus lanes with the crossing guard yelling at him like a crazed parakeet, calling him things that were blessedly covered by the diesel engines. He had on his normal gray sweatshirt that he claimed was black at one time, old high tops with Velcro tabs flapping at the tops, laces untied, and a pair of jeans with holes in both knees. His hair was dirty blond like a bird’s nest, which was actually appropriate since it was never brushed and usually had something in it like a stick or a leaf. Needless to say, he didn’t care so it was never brought up.

Hold up! he yelled, completely ignoring the crossing guard who was still shaking her sign at him. Whoa whoa whoa, hold up! His