School

yourself.”
[5] “I’m Peter Crumpton. I’m a teacher at Alpharetta Middle School. Have you worked something out to bring us back?”
“Please clarify. Have you been with the school?”
“Yes. On the aliens’ planet.”
“The school is there?”
“Yes.”
“On the alien planet?”
“Yes.”
“Are the students and the other teachers safe?”
“Uh, yes, most of us. I think-
[6] Again, for reasons that will be explained later, the “gg” makes a hard, back-of-the-throat “h” sound, like you’re coughing up a hairball.
[7] For example, a typical exchange at their home might go something like this:
Suzy:  “I'm so tired.”
Lori:  “So tired that what?”
Suzy (huffily): “So tired that I'm going to die.”
Lori:  “I'm sure you're not going to going to die. Why don't you go take a nap?”
Suzy:  “Mom, I'm not a baby!”
[8] At least, Jeff thought of it as Saturday since they didn't have school; he had lost track of the earth day of the week
[9] “Muorth ik nuesh sshocirz oshu zashuyth yizx, tax bu ggorix ozaqu nu Chushr oshu shuosth xi koy. I borx xi zu jib quorth ik nuesh boshsheishz e ggor xogu kshiqu nuqu tukishu bu shuxashr. Cequye, nox quoch, nushu.” The sound of some shuffling papers. “Moshojuquyo boz ziqu iru jarsshus neshxth queyuz rishn-rishnbuzx ik Quisheo, byevu biays chax ex,” a pause, “Jushu. Bu bey ci ach xiquishib ors tucer zbexvuerc nu oyeurz er nox chyoggu. Bu ggor gey nuqu iru tth iru oz nuth ochchuosh.”