We’re not supposed to be adorable Malcolm corrected his mom Malcolm had designed their uniforms They wore brown cargo pants red T-shirts navy blue caps and matching backpacks Using paint markers Malcolm created a Ghost Detectors emblem on their T-shirts caps and backpacks The emblem showed two stick figures with their arms crossed over their heads and a melting ghost with the word Help in a speech bubble Malcolm thought they looked great not adorable Quick his mom said I want to take a picture of the cutest ten-year-olds at SciCon She picked up her camera The boys struck the Ghost Detectors pose just like their emblem Malcolm knitted his eyebrows and narrowed his eyes to show he meant business
Say cheese his mom urged Malcolm slumped Mom no one can say cheese and still look serious Click She took the picture Mom Malcolm complained I wasn’t ready Click Wait till I’m ready he insisted Click He twisted his arms back over his head Ready set Click Malcolm struck the pose again and put on his most serious ghost-hunting face But just as she took the picture Dandy dropped his arm and scratched his nose Malcolm turned Dandy Sorry Dandy apologized My nose was itchy
Click Malcolm sighed Never mind He looked at his watch It’s time to go You have your tickets right his mom asked The boys held them up grinning Click Malcolm didn’t mind that picture Come on he said motioning toward the door His mom tilted her head Hang on there You’re forgetting something Malcolm looked at Dandy Dandy looked at Malcolm They both shrugged Malcolm asked Forgetting what Right then Malcolm’s great-grandma came rolling through in her wheelchair Woo-hoo Grandma Eunice shouted She was wearing a white dress a silver belt and a gigantic pair of earmuffs There
