Slappy- Art Room

I slapped yellow paint on the posterboard. I smoothed my brush over it. I could hear the kids from my class outside the art room window.
Suddenly, I heard another sound. A chirp. A loud chirp. Then another.
My head — it suddenly felt so strange. The room started to tilt one way, then the other. I shut my eyes, but the dizziness wouldn’t go away.
Then I heard a different noise. It was the sound of Slappy’s shrill cackle.
Why did I hear that? Why did it feel like it was inside my head?
I held up my paintbrush. I didn’t think about it. I just picked it up and dipped it into a jar of black paint.
So dizzy … my head … feels so HEAVY.
I raised the paintbrush and smeared thick lines of black paint all over my poster. More paint. More paint. I worked frantically until my poster was covered in black.
Then I dipped the brush again and painted black smears all over the poster next to mine. I reached across the table and ruined another poster, brushing thick black streaks over it … more … more.
This is AWESOME!
Did I really think that? Was that me thinking that?
Yessss! Awesome!
I picked up a jar of dark blue paint. I tilted it upside down and poured the paint all over the art table. Then I stood up, reached down, and painted the seat of my chair blue. I painted a few more chairs, slapping paint all over them. Faster … more paint …
Awesome! This is so totally AWESOME!
I took a jar of red paint and let it dribble onto the floor. Then I took another paint jar — purple — and splashed the paint against the wall.
Awesome!
I tossed back my head and let out a long laugh.
Oh, wow. My laugh was high and shrill — and as nasty as Slappy’s.
I laughed and laughed. I laughed till my throat hurt. I couldn’t stop.
But, wait.
I heard voices in the hall. The kids were all returning to the art room.
I stood and stared at the door.
Think fast, Jackson. Think fast.

- Son of Slappy, chapter 17