Chapter 1

     The Wrong Step

Katy McCarthy, aka Katy Catastrophe (as people call her because she's so reckless) was sitting in Pre-Algebra class with Sam Andrews. Sam was the annoying boy at Pinewood School Grades K-8. Katy was in the 6th grade, the grade where everybody says you should start to act mature and tough at the same time. But Katy was only good at being reckless 

and clumsy. Thank goodness Katy wasn't annoying like Sam, but she was definitely close to something like that. 

"No way I will eat broccoli," contradicted Katy one night at dinner. "But it's a nutritious green. They're good for you," Katy's dad said. "Uh-uh," scoffed Katy. "Fine. Eat the carrots, then. You don't want to end up in 

glasses like me," said Dad. "Whatever," agreed Katy. "Now how was school today?" Dad said, quickly changing the subject. "Sam was annoying in Pre-Algebra. That's about it. You know, the usual," said Katy. "That Sam. He's always the headline of every school check-in. Don't you like him? His mommy is very nice," said Katy's mom. "Okay, one, what is a school check-in? 

Two, erase the word 'mommy' from your vocabulary. And three, why would I like him? You know children can be the exact opposite of their parents? His parents are probably the nicest ones on Earth! Spoiling him with ice cream, yelling at the teachers if they give him nothing but A+s, and worst of all, they don't even have to pay for the school!" Katy sounded exasperated. She was exasperated. "No one has to pay for the

school, Katy. It's public, you know that. You think we can afford having this huge rental house (yes, we do have to rent this) in an area that charges big money for taxes and pay for a private school? And for your information, school check-ins are what you think they are: school check-ins," said Mom, even more exasperated than Katy. After that, everyone at the dinner table was silent except for the soft purring sound coming from Ginger, the McCarthy family cat. "That reminds me," said

Katy, breaking the silence. "We forgot to feed Ginger today." "Katy, you're so irresponsible with that cat," Mom said wearily. "No I'm not," contradicted Katy. "I fed her yesterday...no, maybe the day before that. Actually, the day before that. Actually, you fed her then. So...maybe I just need a little schedule." "You're schedule is to feed Ginger twice a day every day! Once in the morning, and once at night! She's gonna

starve!" Mom was even more exasperated than she ever felt before. Katy had been slowly tiptoeing closer and closer to Ginger when she suddenly stopped in her tracks. Her mom has never been firm like that before. "Go on. Feed her," Mom said with annoyance building up inside her. Katy still didn't move. "You're like Sam! You're acting like a rotten, spoiled, naughty little girl, missy! Just feed the dang cat!" Mom scowled. She was so annoyed she

didn't know what to say. Katy had started tiptoeing again after the word 'dang' had come out of her mother's mouth. With some effort, she fed Ginger. Ginger had finally woken up after all the commotion, and just in time too. Katy had taken the wrong step.

             Chapter 2

Breaking School Records

One day at school, while Katy was opening her sandwich on one of the bleachers, she spotted her best friend Missy playing on the play structure that's mostly meant for the elementary schoolers. That is totes odd, Katy thought with a creeping sense of suspicion. "Hey Katy!" called Missy from the spiral. "Check this out!"

There was a kindergartener, Vivian, climbing to the top of the tallest and most slippery slide on the Pinewood playground. Katy thought it was silly to climb up slides instead of sliding down them, but whatever comes to that gullible Vivian's mind she can do. "I mean, look at her!" Missy said breathlessly as Vivian pulled herself up to the top. A couple of fifth graders cheered and some third graders tried to get the top, but 

they couldn't even get close. But to everyone's surprise, Vivian sulkily looked down at everyone else so they knew how she was feeling. Even one first grader called up to her, "Why are you sad, Vivian?" Vivian scowled. "I don't know how to get down!" "Just slide down the slide!" a fourth grader called. Even the eighth graders felt an urge to question her. One even did. "Yeah, I agree," the eighth grader said. "I agree with that little fourth grader." "Little?" the fourth

grader asked, obviously shocked. "My name is Mila and I am not little!" the fourth grader said. "Well my name is Jason and I am bigger than you!" laughed the eighth grader. "Guys!" whined Vivian. "I'm stuck!" "What do you mean stuck?" asked a second grader. "I'm stuck between these two bars!" said Vivian, obviously depressed. "Just pull your leg out!" called a fifth grader.

"Or just flip over the bars and you can drop down!" suggested a seventh grader, who, Katy knew, was named Serena and was more flexible than most kids her age or even older. "How are you expecting me to do that?" cried Vivian. "Ooh, I got an idea!" Katy shouted up to her cunningly. "You can jump really high, right?" Vivian nodded, feeling a bit better that she will be down soon. "Can you jump in

all directions?" asked Katy, beaming. "Uh-huh!" Vivian said, eager to get down. "Jump backwards and see if the force of the jump can unstick your leg!" said Katy. "Oh, that's easy," said Vivian, as if it were that simple and she knew that was an option all along. She gave one fierce jump backwards and almost immediately her leg unstuck. Katy had never seen anyone more happy to be back on the ground.

            Chapter 3

            Disgusted

One rainy Tuesday, since nobody could eat outside, Katy was listening to music on her iPods at the end of the line for school lunch. Unfortunately, it was Brussels sprouts and egg salad pizza. Katy didn't know this because she 

expected the usual Tuesday lunch: a hamburger and a blueberry muffin for dessert. Personally, Katy liked cheeseburgers more than hamburgers, but the thing was the Katy was allergic to dairy; what will happen when she eats cheese pizza with egg salad on it? Katy had no idea. She didn't even know she was having pizza! And this is worse: Katy thinks Pinewood School has a non-dairy rule, but no! They make pizza with actual dairy! Katy is in big trouble. When she 

got her lunch, she stared disgustedly at the Brussels sprouts and egg salad pizza. She assumed the non-dairy rule has been fully confirmed so she took a bite of the pizza. Almost immediately she began to feel queasy. Oh no, she thought. The tummy troubles. Katy hated the tummy troubles - everybody hates the tummy troubles. That was why she has such a strict diet with only broccoli and carrots which she hated just as much. Katy's   

parents encouraged her to not use the word 'hate' but Katy had to when she's talking about the tummy troubles - or her vegetables. Katy knew what was going to happen and she rushed to the nurse. But on the way there, she threw up right in the middle of the hallway. Katy's eyes grew wide. She started to run faster and faster until a fourth grade teacher slowed her down.

"What's wrong, sugar?" asked the fourth grade teacher. Only a fourth grade teacher would say 'sugar' like that so Katy didn't answer. She started feeling queasy again. But she didn't want to throw up in front of a teacher so she completely ignored the fourth grade teacher's warning and kept running down the halls. They seemed endless from Katy's point of view, who was beginning to feel sicker than ever. All I want to do is go home, wished Katy. Going home seemed like going to dreamland right now in Katy's life.

Katy finally began feeling absolutely awful. I do not want to throw up a second time, thought Katy uncertainly. But it turned out she threw up right in the doorway to the nurse's office. "Oh, poor girl," said the nurse, Miss Harrison, gently. "Come here and lay on this bed. It reclines." Katy forced a slight smile, which made her throw up a third time. Miss Harrison made Katy jump in the school shower to rinse off.

"How are you feeling?" asked Miss Harrison when Katy got out of the shower. "Like I'm about to throw up a fourth time," said Katy who then ran to a bathroom stall with her towel wrapped tightly around her waist as she threw up in the school toilet. "I feel a bit better now," she when she got out. "I called home while you were in the shower. Your dad is coming to pick you up," Miss Harrison informed her. "Good," said Katy under her breath.  

            Chapter 4
    A Trip To Dreamland

Katy got home tired and shaking. She went to her room and hopped onto her bed. "Mom will be home soon," said Dad gently. "Only a few more hours of work left." The word 'hours' trickled through Katy's mind as she realized how long hours could take. First it starts out with two.

Then the computer slows down on her last thing she has to do before she goes home. Plus one hour. When she finally finishes, her boss will call her to his office and have some "important meeting" with her. Plus three hours. Then she will argue with someone else working there to change departments. Plus another hour. Then the train will get home late. Plus another hour. Then she will get home and spend thirty minutes on a last minute call she  

forgot to take. So two plus one plus three plus one plus one equals eight plus thirty minutes would be eight and a half hours before her mother will return home. Katy sighed and drifted off to sleep. She had the weirdest beyond weird dream. It was about every single person in the school laughing and murmuring things to each other about Katy throwing up. She woke up with a start and when she fell back to sleep, the very same dream repeated in her mind. "Ha ha!" the voices shouted. "Ha ha!

Katy Catastrophe threw up!" It was irritating. She woke up again as tears filled her eyes. "I'm a dummy," Katy said to herself. "A real dummy." But to Katy's surprise, Mom came home right then and there. Katy's tears sucked back into her eyes as she embraced her mother. "I'm a dummy," she said to her as she started crying again. "You are not," said Mom reassuringly. "I am," said Katy. "How about you have some water?" asked Mom. Katy nodded halfheartedly. She did not like the idea

of water. It sounded absolutely disgusting at the moment but whatever her mother thought would make her feel better she would do in a heartbeat. Katy sipped carefully like her mother had told her to. After that she began to feel better as she went to sleep again and 

dreamed - or should I say nightmared - of the laughing children.  

            Chapter 5

        A Sick Success

The next day, Katy awoke feeling fully rested and ready for anything. Too bad she couldn't go to school, though. They wouldn't let her in. But Katy was excited for tomorrow when she could go back to school. Katy didn't know why; the feeling would probably

ware off in a few hours. Katy was also happy that she had a free day off - she had a bucket list of things she wanted to do when she got a day like this so why not do everything? IfKaty's not allowed to go to school under the school's permission, she could go anywhere she wanted under her parents's permission! "This is going to be the best day ever!"