by Julie Lindsey

Created on: June 09, 2010

Ghost Ponies - an excerpt

“Are we there yet?” I complained, leaning over to touch my toes in my seat.

“Almost, honey,” Mom answered in her quietest voice. She warned me to be quiet to. She put one long finger against her lips and gave my dad a sideways glance.

Dad was talking quickly into his headset. We were on assignment, again. It wasn’t a good assignment either. We weren’t spies, and we weren’t involved in anything cool like a traveling circus or carnival. Dad was a freelance writer for Amazing America and Travel Times. Those are magazines for people who can’t decide where they want to live or go on vacation.

“Have you finished your reading?” Mom was looking at me again. I don’t know why she asked.

“Ah, mom.” I stalled, stealthily avoiding her question.

This time she just pointed to my backpack that sat next to me in the back of our minivan. Then, she gave me her corny “I’m watching you” routine. She took her first two fingers and pointed to her eyes and then to mine.

She winked.

I rolled my eyes and tried looking out the window, but mom kept watching.

“Homeschool stinks.” I complained again, hoping to change the subject. I actually liked home school most days. I slept in and ate when I wanted and mom gave me candy for finishing seatwork. Also, we weren’t home very much. So, homeschool was a funny name. Pretty much, it just meant that mom taught me, and it wasn’t done at a school. “Other kids wouldn’t do homework on vacation.”

“Maxwell, our life is a vacation.” Mom was very happy. I guess that was a girl thing. I crossed my arms tightly over my chest.

“Other kids don’t get to travel like we do. They have to wait for field trips. Now read.”

“Bor-r-r-ring.” I grunted and then waited to see what she would do. Dad was on the phone. I had the upper hand.

“I suppose ghost ponies are boring,” she sighed and turned away from me.

“Wait, what?” Normally I read about talking animals and cartoon children for school.

 “Well I picked up some materials about the island that we will be visiting.”

“We’re going to an island?”

She nodded.

“In the car?”

Nod.

I looked cautiously at my backpack. If I opened it, I had to read. If I kept this going with my mom, I could try to put it off until dad got off of the phone. Then, she’d

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