Sid's Log: 01/11 @ 8 am
Truck, parked by Preston Elementary

Silver Hood present with me in Preston, using to locate Cloak (via enhanced smell/hearing, in case my age begets me again). Faint traces at the school, nothing seen yet.

Early morning meeting with Principal, very obstinate and almost ruined the plan. A "generous donation" did the trick. Success now assured, BBQ Lunch planned for today.

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Flint's Journal #4
January 11

Is it just me or is everyone at school acting like bullies today? Not to me, but to everyone else. They're all walking around like they're restless, throwing punches in class at each other's shoulders, saying mean stuff.

They're laughing it off, but they're wild, acting like animals. I'm not scared or anything, though. I'm already tougher than most of them.

* * *

Pearl's Datebook

- Get Ibuprofen after work. Massive headache.
- Get cough syrup for sore throat, too.
- Call school @ 3pm & ask about Drew, just in case.

* * *

Drew Radigan, Jan. 11th
Mrs. Graine (Gr. 6)
What is your favourite hobby or toy? (3 sentences)

My favourite hobby is drawing. Grandma tells me I'm very good at it, but I think I need a lot of practice. I like to draw Dash the Rabbit and Macaronio. My favourite toy is my slingshot, which I'm not very good with either.

Note to self: Get back slingshot from Jet before he forgets he's only borrowing it.

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Flint's Journal #4.5

Looks like the school's putting on a burger lunch for everyone, "courtesy of Sid Becken". Sweet. Just writing cause I'm bored waiting for them to get to my class. It smells so good... sounds like they're having fun in there, too.

* * *

Dear Diary,

ANOTHER bad day at school!! That stupid Shitbag was trying to butt heads with me. He kept making fun of me "mumbling nonthenthe". Just because I was talking really quiet! One girl even said my butt sticks out and I walk like a duck! They were BRUTAL! I was so mad I couldn't even think of a comeback.

When they make fun of each other, it's always for things that aren't true. "You're ugly, you're enormous, you're dumb" (that last one might be true though). But with me, they only say stuff that I can't change. I don't WANT to be this way, but they're acting like I do, just because THEY don't have the same problems. It's probably my stupid glasses, too, making me look like a geek.
Anyway, there was this BBQ lunch thing where the "Sid's Special" guy came in and gave everyone a burger or two. I was so hungry, I ate three. Then Shirwin came over and called me a "lard-ass" for eating so much, and nobody even cared that he swore! Then he tried to trip me, but I kicked him in the shin instead. Shirwin fell over, started freaking out and yelling and crying, said I was trying to "kill" him. I tried to help him up but Flint came out of nowhere and pulled me back. Like he thought I was really trying to hurt Shirwin. Well, I really thought Flint was my friend, but I guess we were both wrong.

Then the other kids went and got the teacher, who got the school nurse, and then the principal came in?! And they were ALL mad at me for something I didn't even do on purpose!! And Shirwin was screaming, "he's the Grim Reaper, he tried to kill meee... wah wah wah..."

On one hand, I picked a bad day to wear my black skull hoodie. But on the other? This whole school is STUPID!!

- Drew

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Sid's Log @ 1 pm

Quite a commotion at lunch, two kids fighting, the larger savagely attacked the terrified smaller. Survival of the fittest indeed. The attacker left school without permission (very naughty), and appeared to don the Cloak under his jacket.

Pursuit attempted, but blocked by Principal with desperate apology. Lunch went otherwise well. This little "Reaper" must live nearby to be able to walk home unafraid of weather (-30 degrees Celsius with snowfall). Will be keeping watch on neighborhood.

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Flint's Journal #4.6

They were NOT having fun in there. Drew and Shitbag went at it in the next class over, and I guess Drew jumped him cause Shirwin was screaming bloody murder. It looked like Shirwin was doing most of the punching, though, and he was on top when I got there. Pulled the big guy off of my little buddy, and Shirwin crawled away like a germ. Damn, it was like school at the Res all over again.

Drew got in trouble so bad he just left the school. That took guts. I think he was mad at me too, for stopping the fight, but I wasn't gonna let a leprechaun die on my watch. And hey, maybe I'll get a wish.

* * *

To MOM, from JET.

While you were out, Sid from Sid's Specials came by and gave us THREE WHOLE PACKS OF
BACON!!! Is he your friend or something?

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Sid's Log @ 5 pm

Visited the Cortez Home. Parents not present, met highly enthusiastic boy (mouthful of spaghetti when talking—quite a pig) who accepted a gift of Bacon (3) in exchange for info on the "Grim Reaper".

- Name: Andrew Gonzales Radigan
- Age: 11 yrs
- Sex: M
- Dietary: Any Meat
- Address: 32 Miller Drive

According to pig-lad, Cloak was found on passing dump-truck.

Next: Grift the measly scavenger.

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Flint's Journal #5

Came home and told my dad what happened, he said it was an "honorable" thing to do, and that I'm ready to be a man if I can choose "peace over loyalty". Now we're going trapping in the woods, and I even get my own gun!

* * *

Dear Diary,

Pearl got home, and she was PISSED. Apparently my school called her at the same time she got there to pick me up for the doctor's. She freaked out on me, grounded me with no TV or video games, and pushed me into a wall and told me if I didn't "smarten up" she'd drop me off on the cold street to sleep at night. She's a stupid asshole and I hate this family

* * *

Dear Secret Diary,

Pearl caught me writing and took away my diary, and yelled at me more for what I wrote. She wouldn't stop screaming for even a second, she was just crying about how "awful" I am. She smacked me a couple times and took away my art supplies. I'm only allowed stuff for school, and she'll be checking my room and bag every day. I'm keeping this diary somewhere she'll never look.

If she wants read my diary so bad, why doesn't she read the part where the fight at school wasn't my fault? Freaking hypocri

* * *

Dear Secret Diary #2,

I freaking hate that tyrannical, lumbering, pea-brained leviathan. I'm sneaking out to buy snacks before the store closes at 8pm. I'm taking the dog in case I get caught, so I'll have an excuse. It'll look like I was trying to do something nice by taking Beans out. I'll bring the poncho thing too, cause it's cold and in case I need to hide my snacks.

* * *

Dear Secret Diary (the Second),

Wasn't caught sneaking out, Beans was good and quiet. Gave him some chips as a treat, and as a sorry for bonking his head on the curb last week. Jet gave me some "tips" on holding a leash and yanking it really hard when dogs don't listen, and I probably won't use them again. Beans should really stay off the road, though.

Also, I met Sid from the Special meat company at Baggimart! He bought me food, so I didn't have to spend any money. The hot chocolate was amaaazing.

He asked about my cloak and told me he likes Biblical Angels and stuff, like Azrael & Michael. He said he was named after Saureil, and that he's kind of a "Grim Reaper" too, because he farms animals. So that was pretty cool. I can't tell my family about it, though, or they'll know I snuck out. :-/

* * *

Sid's Log @ 8 pm

Starting from beginning. Found Drew outside Baggimart with a (very cold-looking) Jack Russell Terrier he called 'Beans'. Drew "apologized" for trouble at school, if his sarcasm could be read as such. Preston City is quaint, yet residents seem to live in a vacuum.

Treated the boy to a corn dog, chips, and hot cocoa. Asked about the Cloak. Despite his grim moniker, Drew has no knowledge of its power. And yet, hot cocoa's arsenic tablet did not take. Drew and Beans returned home unharmed. Perhaps the Cloak has given him immunity? Makes no sense.

Will need to take more drastic measures, soon.

* * *

Dear Secret Diary (the Sequel),

Just vomited my guts out in the middle of the night. Sat at the toilet and hurled until everything I ate was in front of me. The burger, the chips, the hot chocolate... I even saw a little marshmallow. Pearl said to drink some water and to stay home from school tomorrow (sweet).

* * *

Hey Secret Diary,

What does it mean if you keep having dreams where you die?