CHAPTER# 3     by Sunni Yuen
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	They sat around the dinner table munching on Kraft macaroni and cheese dinner. Carmen had applied ointment and disinfect to the result of Dylexia's latest whipping. With all the bandages Mitch felt like an invalid. Hungrily he pushed spoonful after spoonful of macaroni into his mouth. Every so often, Mitch would hesitate as if verifying that this
wasn't a dream. Jerry and Carmen watched Mitch cram the food into his mouth with amazing speed. The glass of milky tea was drained just as quick. Then desert was served........ chocolate pie. Mitch shrieked and just surveyed the treat with delight. Forgetting to be polite, he shoved three thick pieces into his mouth. All of a sudden, a loud resounding, most ear-splitting window-rattling burp rose from Mitch. He turned red,
" Excuse me".

	"That was 1 great burp! I couldn't have done better! You must be starving. What did Dylexia serve you?" asked Jerry as Carmen wiped the table.

	"Tasty turnips! Beautiful Brussels sprouts! Craving cabbages and splendid spinach!" Mitch's voice was dripping sarcasm. "As well as egg sandwich and rye bread," he made a wry face for effect. 

	"What! No meat, desert or drinks or nuts?" asked Jerry.

	"No meat, sugar, or sweets. But I don't think that Dylexia would dare dehydrate me!" Mitch responded.

	The boys crept upstairs to Jerry's room. Mitch lay down on one of the two beds and sighed, "You know what were the worse parts? Fear, torture and temptation! I'm such a coward to be afraid of her".

	"Every kid is scared of her", Jerry assured his friend.

	"I hate her whip, her red nails and especially the way she pretends to be nice when she's a hellkitten inside," he continued. "I've got to tell you something about Dylexia, Jerry, and you have to make an oath to keep it as a secret".

	" I promise and swear that I shall not tell what you are about to tell me ever." Jerry made their secret solemn hand gesture.

	Mitch proceeded to tell Jerry all about Dylexia's beauty mask and in doing so, he relayed the entire event starting when Dylexia first arrived to the present. 

	"Jerry! Earth to Jerry!", Mitch waved his hand in front of Jerry.

	Jerry blinked, "Oh, sorry! I was just thinking of a way to help you get rid of Dylexia. In fact, get rid of her forever".

	"How?" Mitch's hope rose.

	"Have you told your parents about her yet or before?"

	"I've tried but stopped when my dad got angry and threatened to ground me for lying! How on Earth did you ever get your parents not to hire her anymore?"

	Jerry grinned. "Carmen did it. She entered a broadcasting journalism contest. She had to film an extraordinary event and interview the people involved. Well, Dylexia happened to be at a dance club and Carmen decided to film there. It all had to do with high school underage teens, using the bar with fake IDs. And-", he paused dramatically, "Carmen got Dylexia on camera, hanging from the big sphere light, drunk!" he giggled."Ever since that episode, my parents always found a decent baby-sitter."

	"Wow! You are so lucky. Why didn't your parents spread the news?"

	"They-um-didn't want to make any trouble", mumbles Jerry.

	"How can that cause trouble?"

	"Um-uh never mind,"

	"Anyway, do you still have the tape?"

	"Sorry Mitch,  no can do, but maybe you can film Dylexia  torturing you," suggested Jerry.

	"Well, its worth a try" then brightening up, he said, "We do have a camcorder, but how am I supposed to be able to film her while she's torturing me?"

	"That beats me, maybe we can come up with something later, let's play!" and so they did suiting action to word. They played video games, surfed the net and other things.

	Good times ended too quickly because all of a sudden, Dylexia appeared at the door sharply at 2 PM. Mitch cast one helpless look at Jerry before disappearing down the road.