CHAPTER FIVE
Oliver stood outside Campbell Junior High. The playground was as noisy as ever, filled with kids running, shouting, and throwing balls like grenades.
Oliver felt a knot of anguish in his stomach. It wasn’t that he was scared of the kids—or of crossing the playground filled with flying basketballs—it was because he would soon be seeing Ms. Belfry again.
As far as his favorite teacher was concerned, he’d been sitting in her class just yesterday. But for Oliver, it felt like a lifetime ago. He’d been on a whole, tumultuous adventure back in time. It had changed him, matured him. He wondered if she’d notice the changes in him when they came face to face.
He crossed the playground, ducking beneath the flying balls, then headed straight up the corridor to Ms. Belfry’s science cl
