And we scrounged. Next to survival, scrounge was probably the most important word in our new vocabulary. We found a store that was throwing out water-damaged mattresses. Getting them home was a problem, since we had to make two trips, leaving Brad and Katie, armed with sticks to guard over the remained.

At the pizza place, Tony the baker was getting the pizzas ready for baking. He flattened out a ball of dough into a large pancake and tossed it in the air. He spread tomato sauce on it, sprinkled it with cheese, and shoved it in the oven. Then the phone rang. "A fellow from the factory wants a large pizza delivered in a hurry," Tony's wife called. "Okay, I'll get my coat," said Tony.

To his astonishment, Charlie found himself standing next to his bicycle, back where he had entered the swamp. That was bizarre and upsetting - but not as bad as the realization that he was still holding the skull. He thought he had dropped it before he raced out the door. He certainly hadn't intended to steal the thing. He didn't even really want it!

At dawn, Mae Tuck set out on her horse for the wood at the edge of the village of Treegap. She was going there, as she did once every ten years, to meet her two sons, Miles and Jesse, and she was feeling at ease. At noon time, Winnie Foster, whose family owned the Treegap wood, lost her patience at last and decided to think about running away.

Bobby began studying for the big math test on the bus ride home. When he got home, he didn't watch any TV because he was studying so intensely. Bobby stayed awake all night finding extra problems to solve. He felt prepared as he entered class. He sharpened his pencil, sat at his desk, put his head down, fell asleep, and failed his test.

I thought that my mother was going to flip out when Perry came over to eat. To my surprise she just ignored him, even though he wore his hat, put his elbows on the table, and rocked back in his chair. But when Perry slammed a glass of root beer and burped the ABCs, she couldn't restrain herself. :What a wonderful rendition of the alphabet, Perry, and how age appropriate." Perry looked confused.

When the first English settlers arrived in Jamestown, hygiene was not a priority. Still, some settlers found time to care for their teeth by brushing them with rags and abrasive tooth powders. Archaeologists have examined the remains of these colonists. They discovered that many were missing their teeth enamel. By using these powders, they had caused their teeth to decay.

Tom has always liked Lucy, but she has always thought he was annoying and unattractive. One day, Lucy comes home to find an eviction notice on her door. She only has 24 hours to get all her stuff over to her mom's house, and she doesn't even have a car. But Tom has a truck. So Lucy calls him and tells him she's always thought he was funny and kind. Tom thinks she's finally coming around...

A mean, old man ate a meal at a restaurant. The waitress tried to provide him with excellent service, but he complained about everything. First, he thought the soup was too hot; then he thought the steak was too chewy; finally, he complained that there was a hair in his food. She remained patient until the end of the meal, when he left her a quarter for a tip. "Thank you for your generous tip!"