Showdown in Crittertown (10 page)

Nilla flung her javelin. It sailed through the air and hit the center with a solid THUNK!

I leaped to my feet and cheered. The recruits shook their pom-poms and squeaked at the top of their little lungs. So did the rest of the post office clan. The third graders cheered, “Go Nilla!”

Once again, the garage fell silent. General History looked grim and very determined as he picked up his second javelin. He drew back his paw and tossed the sharpened paper clip. Every muscle of his body rippled with the effort. Even his toes clenched.

The paper clip flew through the air toward the target. It pierced the bull's-eye with a loud THUNK! The library clan cheered.

Charlie emitted a low “boo” until I put my paw on his shoulder and whispered, “Only cheers.”

He understood. “Only happy thoughts.”

I nodded and then took a deep breath. Nilla looked scared. I knew how much she wanted to win.

Charlie squeezed my paw. His little eyes shone, and he held his breath. I held mine, too!

Nilla flung back her paw and tossed her third javelin. As she completed the throw, one of her feet slipped. I knew even before it hit the target that she hadn't made the bull's-eye.

Charlie slumped. Nilla paced. Maybe General History would miss on his third toss, too. I crossed my fingers the way I'd seen the humans do when they were worried and hoping for good luck.

General History's eyes narrowed. His focus was so intense that we all felt it. He threw the paper clip with easy grace. It flew like a bird to its nest. This javelin was going home. The only sound in the garage was the THUNK as the tip struck exactly in the center of the bull's-eye.

The library clan cheered with excitement! Charlie sighed. I uncrossed my fingers. Nilla wiped a tear from one eye before taking her place on the silver medalist's podium.

From the taller block, General History said, “Maybe you'll win the gold next year.”

Nilla's smile returned. “You better keep practicing—or I just might!”

Since there were no cheese-eating or letter-writing contests, I didn't win any prizes. But I felt like a winner when Poetry found me during the post-games party.

She said, “Thank you for the cheese cracker. It was very noble of you to give it to me. I know how much you love cheese.”

I gazed into her big, beautiful eyes and wondered if she knew what I was thinking. Was it possible that I loved her even more than cheese itself?

So much had happened since the Change: understanding and making friends with small humans, saving the post office and the school, becoming the Postmouseter, helping to create a treaty between our clan and the library's. It seemed that anything was possible. Maybe even that Poetry might love me, too!