Chapter 5: The Recycled Boy

Once Andreas get's home his feelings of pride and happiness and having saved Pelle soon evaporate as his parents tear into him. He tried to explain what had happened, that him and his friends had saved Pelle but they just didn't want to hear it. A miserable couple of days pass with him being confined to his room other than for meals until word got back to his parents that what he had been trying to tell them was the truth. After that they did ease up on him but it was still made clear he was in trouble for skipping school and staying out so late....no matter the reason.

The next week at school, once he was back at school, he sought Pelle out to check on him. After everything that had happened he can't help but think of him as another friend now and made a point to make him feel more welcome with the rest of his friends..

The bike ride home felt mercifully short. Despite being frozen through and through, Robbie feels warm and content all the way to his house. As soon as he pulls open the door, he remembers that he ditched school. He winces at the sound of the door opening, and his mind begins racing as he tries to figure out how to explain himself and avoid any significant punishment.

As he closes the door behind him he here's an expectant voice, "Well?" His mom was standing in the doorway wringing her hands. The anxiety on her face was obvious, and it looked as if tears were going to erupt from her eyes at any moment. "Hi ma," Robbie says shakily. "Have a good day?"

"You weren't at school and no one knew where you were! I called everyone I could think of, and no one knew where you or your friends were. I've been sick with worry all day, so no, I did not have a good day, but that is nothing to the bad year you're going to have to makeup for this. " Even though she wasn't yelling, her whole body was trembling. I was in trouble, so I told her everything. About the damage at school, Pelle being a robot and going missing, that he figured out how to control other robots and went berserk, how I was attacked by a gigantic robotic guard dog with tentacles, how we rode all over the place, and found Pelle and saved the day ...." and everyone who says things like "the truth will set you free is lying."

"That is a ridiculous story. I knew about the damage at school, and you're here in front of me," she said still quivering. "But all of that garbage about what happened when you left for school and right now is absurd. Someone sent a robot to school?"

Instead of responding, I showed her where I had been hurt. She stopped talking, gave me a hug, and told me to go take a shower. Over dinner, I was informed that I'd be forbidden from watching TV for at least a month, was having my allowance withheld, and all plans needed advance permission. Also, if I ever ditched school again she'd send me to a juvenile delinquent facility. I just agreed to all of it, and knew that once she had collected herself there'd be a chance for more punishments to be meted out in the morning.

Until then, I kept my head down and went to bed early. While upstairs, overheard people talking outside. Someone had gone missing, apparently, run over on some old train tracks out in a forest preserve. I told my friends the next day, and that we should go look for it.

"You guys want to see a dead body?"

It's almost a shock to Mikey that he hardly gets a scolding from his uncle and aunt. They seem just glad that he's okay. He's still grounded for a week of course, but eventually he's able to see his friends again. Even Erik a few times, though the rest of them saw the older boy less and less.

Mikey's eyes go wide when Robbie mentions the dead body. Of course they're going to check it out!

Mikey pushes his glasses up his nose. "Are we taking the bikes or the walker?"