Cover

Title Page

Copyright

Cry Wolf

Published as an ebook in 2022 by Jabberwocky Literary Agency, Inc.

Originally published in 2007 by Tundra Books in Canada and Tundra Books of Northern New York in the United States.

ISBN 978-1-625675-65-1

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, organizations, places and events are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

Dedication

To my in-laws, Michele and Regina DiMaio, an honor long overdue, but no less heartfelt.

Chapter 1

Red and green streamers hung from the gym ceiling like wrapping-paper ribbons, and the words “Happy Holidays” were stretched across each of the gym’s four walls. At one end of the room, just below the stage, Principal Terashita was acting as DJ, doing his best to play something his students might like—maybe even dance to—but without much luck.

The girls were standing on one side of the gym, talking amongst themselves with their hands folded awkwardly over their stomachs. Every once in a while a couple of girls would dance to a song, but after a few minutes they would be back standing with their backs against the wall. On the other side of the gym the boys were doing almost the same thing, talking sports, moving their heads up and down to the rhythms of each song, and daring each other to walk across the room and ask one of the girls to dance.

“Go ahead,” Argus told Harlan. “Unless you’re too chicken to do it.”

“I’m not chicken,” Harlan said with a sniff, still struggling with a stuffed-up nose and cold that he hadn’t been able to shake for days. “I just don’t like any of those girls.”

Argus turned to Harlan with a look of disbelief on his face. “But that’s all of the girls in the school.”

“I know that,” said Harlan. “I don’t like any of them, that’s all.”

Argus laughed. “You are chicken, aren’t you?”

Harlan said nothing in response. Instead, he pulled a wad of tissues from his pocket and blew his nose. When he was done, he looked his bigger brother in the eye and said, “If you’re so brave, why don’t you go over there and ask a girl to dance?”

Argus looked left and right. “I will,” he said. “It’s just that I have to go to the bathroom right now.”

“Sure you do,” Harlan said, as Argus hurried away. “Just don’t take too long, the dance will be over in an hour.”