by Max Brallier
So I just stand there and watch Neon and Johnny Steve gearing up to set off.
“I hate saying good-bye,” I tell him. “So I’m just gonna say see ya next weekend. That’s what I used to tell my cousins when we’d leave their house after a sleepover. Makes it easier.”
A smile grows on Neon’s face—then grows even larger as Johnny Steve climbs up on his back, using the armor I gave Neon as a saddle.
We continue our walk down the track. Soon, Neon and Johnny Steve are veering left.
I look straight ahead, because the tears are building and it’s all I can do to stop them.
And then I hear Neon’s feet, on the pebbles beside the tracks. Not daring to take another look, I wave at them as they go.
As we re-enter Wakefield, everything looks a little different. A little bit smaller.
The tree house is there, looking the same as it always does.
Tonight, I’m looking forward to hanging out and playing Monopoly and just enjoying things being back to normal.
But deep down, I know things can’t stay normal for long. Not anymore.
“Guys,” I say, finally ready to share my big news. “I learned something. About Thrull. There’s a way to find him. A place we have to go. An Outpost, somewhere—way out there, in the wasteland. . . .”
Jack wheels around. “Are you saying . . .”
Acknowledgments
Douglas Holgate—the man with the million-dollar hips; thanks for joining me on this wild ride. Dana Leydig, for everything—and it was so, so much—along the way. Leila Sales, for helping bring June to life. Jim Hoover—if you’re as patient with your son as you are with me, then that’s one lucky kiddo.
Jennifer Dee—the real Captain Marvel. Josh Pruett, for endless help and late-night calls while shaping this thing—you’re the smartest story maker I know.
Abigail Powers, Janet B. Pascal, Krista Ahlberg, and Marinda Valenti—thanks for catching and managing to fix my many, many, many typos and plot holes—and to the production team for creating extra time where there shouldn’t logically be any.
Emily Romero, Elyse Marshall, Carmela Iaria, Christina Colangelo, Felicity Vallence, Sarah Moses, Kara Brammer, Alex Garber, Lauren Festa, Michael Hetrick, and all the other amazing people in Viking’s marketing and publicity department—thank you for all that you do. Kim Ryan, Helen Boomer, and the PYR subrights team—a heartfelt thanks for all your work on the series from the very beginning. The entire PYR sales squad—thanks for getting these books out there! PYR audio—all of you—for bringing these stories to people who otherwise wouldn’t have them. And Ken Wright, for being—well—Ken Wright; ’nuff said. Robin Hoffman and all the wonderful people at Scholastic—thank you for your endless support and for your endless dedication to getting books in kids’ hands.
Dan Lazar—for all that you do, big and small and in between. Cecilia de la Campa and Alessandra Birch—thanks for helping Jack, June, Quint, and Dirk travel the world. Torie Doherty-Munro, for responding kindly to the dumbest emails anyone could ever receive. Addison Duffy—you are the absolute best, bar none.
Matt Berkowitz and everyone at Atomic Cartoons—thanks for taking June and making her so much more. Jane Lee and the entire Netflix crew—for bringing this world to an entirely new audience and doing it with care and enthusiasm. And the Jakks Pacific team—for making dreams come true.
MAX BRALLIER! is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than thirty books for children and adults. His books and series include the Last Kids on Earth, Eerie Elementary, Mister Shivers, Galactic Hot Dogs, and Can YOU Survive the Zombie Apocalypse? Max lives in New York City with his wife, Alyse, who is way too good for him, and his daughter, Lila, who is simply the best. Follow Max on Twitter @MaxBrallier or visit him at MaxBrallier.com.
The author building his own tree house as a kiddo.
DOUGLAS HOLGATE! (skullduggery.com.au) has been a freelance comic book artist and illustrator based in Melbourne, Australia, for more than ten years. He’s illustrated books for publishers such as HarperCollins, Penguin Random House, Hachette, and Simon & Schuster, including the Planet Tad series, Cheesie Mack, Case File 13, and Zoo Sleepover.
Douglas has illustrated comics for Image, Dynamite, Abrams, and Penguin Random House. He’s currently working on the self-published series Maralinga, which received grant funding from the Australian Society of Authors and the Victorian Council for the Arts, as well as the all-ages graphic novel Clem Hetherington and the Ironwood Race, published by Scholastic Graphix, both co-created with writer Jen Breach.
Follow Douglas on Twitter @douglasbot.
THE MONSTER-BATTLING FUN DOESN’T STOP HERE!
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