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Brett’s spine despite himself. What if the same thing had happened to Shannon?
    As if she read his mind, Shannon said, “Shall we tell Mom about the accident?”
    “No,” Brett said quickly. She was the
last
person he wanted to tell. She’d throw The Lizard out for sure. “It would just worry her. Mom’s got enough worries to keep her busy for a month.”
    Shannon nodded knowingly. “But what if she asks me about my knees? You’ve got to be blind not to see those scratches.”
    “Just tell her you slipped on a banana peel,” he said, laughing.
    “Oh, sure,” she said.
    Brett stopped laughing when he remembered how mad he was about her taking The Lizard without permission.
    “Why did you take The Lizard, anyway?” he asked her. “Why didn’t you take Cobra?”
    She shrugged. “I don’t know. I guess I … just wanted to try The Lizard out.”
    “I guess you did,” Brett said.
    He was glad to put The Lizard away in the garage when they reached home. Haunted or not, he’d had enough of it for one night.
    On Friday, it looked as though Brett’s luck had changed — this time for the better. He got a phone call from a member of the
Springton Herald’s
staff. She informed him that his letter had been received and asked if he really was the one who had written it.
    His heart almost leaped out of his chest. He had begun to think that the letter had been completely ignored or lost.
    “Yes, I wrote it,” he said nervously.
    “And you live at eleven thirty-nine Valley Hill Road?” the woman asked.
    “That’s right,” Brett answered.
    “Thank you,” replied the caller, and hung up.
    She didn’t even give him a chance to ask if they were going to publish the letter!
    Did that call mean that they
were
going to print it?
    His question was answered the next morning, when he saw his letter in the paper.
How about that?
he thought, reading it again and again and feeling better each time.
    “Mom! Shannon! Look!” he cried. “They printed my letter in the paper!”
    They read it together.
    “That sounds good,” said his mother, but she didn’t seem very enthusiastic. “I hope somebody reads it.”
    You’re really encouraging, Mom, you know that?
Brett wanted to say to her. But he didn’t bother; it was pointless to argue. Instead he grabbed the newspaper and took off for Johnee’s house. If anyone would be impressed by his letter, Johnee would.

8
    Y ou’re really serious about this, aren’t you?” Johnee asked after he read the letter. They were sitting on the front steps of the Kales’ house.
    “Yeah. Aren’t you? I thought you loved skateboarding,” Brett said, sounding a little disappointed by his friend’s cool reaction.
    Johnee shrugged. “I like it, but there are other things in life.”
    “But wouldn’t it be great to have an arena in town?” Brett coaxed.
    “Sure it would. I just doubt it’s gonna happen. Especially after what happened to Lance….” Johnee’s eyes dropped down to The Lizard, on the step next to Brett.
    Brett snorted. “I’m sick of hearing that old excuse. An arena would prevent accidents like that from happening.”
    “Yeah, I know. But I don’t know if anyone is going to listen. There aren’t many people who feel as strongly as you do.”
    “There’s Kyle Robinson,” Brett offered with a smile.
    “That’s right,” Johnee agreed, grinning. “He probably sleeps on his skateboard! But it pays off — look how good he is.”
    “He’s good, but I’m better.”
    “What? Nobody’s better than Kyle, man.”
    “You haven’t seen me skate lately. I can do all sorts of new tricks.” Brett got up to demonstrate.
    Johnee held up his hand. “You don’t have to show me. I’ve seen you, and you are getting better — ”
    Brett whirled around sharply. “I’m the
best!
I’m telling you!”
    “Okay, okay,” Johnee said. “Chill out, man. It’s not that big a deal.”
    “Maybe it isn’t to you, but it is to me. I want to put Kyle in his place