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"This afternoon, if you feel up to it," Dad said "I’ll feel up to it," I vowed

The hospital was busier this time, packed with visitors I’d never seen so many boxes of chocolates and flowers Everybody see for Steve at the hospital store but had no money

I expected Steve to be in the children’s ward but he was in a room by himself, because the doctors wanted to study him, and also because they weren’t sure if what he had was catching We had to wear oe entered

Mrs Leonard was asleep in a chair Mos, one by one, then spoke to Dad

"A couple of results have come in from other hospitals," she told hiative"

"Surely someone knohat this is," Dad said "How many different types of poison can there be?"

"Thousands," she said "They’ve sent specin hospitals Hopefully one of the to be soet back to us"

I studied Steve while they were talking He was tucked neatly into the bed A drip was attached to one arm, and wires and stuff to his chest There were needle marks where doctors had taken samples of his blood His face hite and stiff He looked terrible!

I started crying and couldn’t stop Moht, but that onlyher about the spider but I was crying tooand shushing

New visitors arrived, relatives of Steve’s, and Mom decided to leave them alone with him and his mother She led us out, removed my mask, and wiped the tears from my face with a tissue

"There," she said "That’s better" She srinned back "He’ll be okay," she pro all they can We have to trust theht he looked pretty good," Annie said, squeezinghome now?" Dad asked Mom

"I’m not sure," she said "I think I should stick around a little longer in case"

"Angela, you’ve done enough for the tiet any sleep last night, did you?"

"Not much," Moet any today either Coie? when he’s trying to sweet-talk her into so "There are other people who can look after Steve and his ht," she agreed "But I’h," he said, and led the way out to the car It hadn’t been et away

I thought about Steve as we drove hoht about the poison in his veins and felt pretty sure the doctors would fail to cure it I bet no doctor in the world had ever come across poison from a spider like Madam Octa before

However bad Steve had looked, I knew he’d look a lot worse after another couple of days I iinto hiht

There was only one way to save Steve Only one person who ht know about the poison and how to beat it

Mr Crepsley

As we pulled into the driveway back ho to track him down and ot dark, I’d sneak out and find the vaht be And if I couldn’t force it out of him and come back with a cure

I wouldn’t come back at all