29 - Monster Blood III (10 page)

The two dark-uniformed officers approached the back of the house. “Hello,
there,” one of them called to Andy.

Evan heard a loud POP.

He uttered a startled cry as he felt himself falling. Falling to the ground.

He reached out a hand and steadied himself against the house.

It took him a second or two to realize that he hadn’t fallen. He had shrunk.

The two officers stepped into the backyard. One was very tall. The other was
short and plump. “Sorry to bother you kids,” the tall one said. “But we got a
call from a neighbor.”

“A call? About what?” Andy demanded. She cast a surprised glance at Evan. She
didn’t expect to see him back to normal.

“Did you kids see a giant in the neighborhood?” the short officer asked. He
narrowed his eyes at them, trying to appear tough.

“A giant? What kind of giant?” Kermit asked innocently.

“A giant kid,” the short officer replied.

Evan, Andy, and Kermit shook their heads. “He didn’t come back here,” Andy
told them.

“No. We didn’t see him,” Evan said. He couldn’t keep a smile from crossing
his face. His voice was back to normal, too.

The tall officer pushed his cap back on his head. “Well, if you see him, be
careful,” he warned. “He’s dangerous.”

“He’s very dangerous,” the short officer added. “Call us right away—okay?”

“Okay,” all three kids replied in unison.

The officers gave the backyard one last look. Then they turned and headed
back down the driveway to their car.

As soon as they were gone, Evan burst into a long, happy cheer. Andy and
Kermit joined in, clapping him joyfully on the back, slapping high fives all
around.

“Am I a genius or what?” Kermit demanded, grinning his toothy grin.

“Or what!” Evan joked.

They were still laughing and celebrating Evan’s return to Evan-size when
Kermit’s mom pulled up the driveway. As she climbed out of her car, she appeared
surprised to find them outdoors.

“Sorry I’m so late,” she called. She hugged Kermit. “How was your afternoon?”

Kermit glanced at Evan. Then he smiled at his mother. “Oh, it was kind of boring,” he told her.

“Yeah. Kind of boring,” Andy repeated.

“Kind of boring,” Evan agreed.

Evan knew he’d have nightmares about what had happened to him. And that
night, he had a really scary one. In the dream, he was a giant boy being chased
by giant rats. The rats all looked like Kermit.

Evan sat up in the dark, shivering all over.

“Just a nightmare,” he murmured, glancing at his clock radio. Midnight. “It
was just a nightmare.”

He sat up straight, wiping sweat off his forehead with his pajama-top sleeve.
I need a glass of cold water, he decided.

He started to climb out of bed—but stopped when he saw what a steep drop it
was to the floor.

Huh? What’s going on? he asked himself.

He tried to click on the bedtable lamp. But it towered high above him, way
beyond his reach.

He stood up on the bed. As his eyes adjusted to the dim light, he saw that
his bed seemed to stretch on forever. A lump in the bedspread curled up over
Evan’s head.

I—I’m short! he realized. I’m as short as a mouse!

Kermit!

Kermit strikes again! Evan thought bitterly.

He made the blue shrinking mixture too powerful.

I shrank—and shrank—and shrank. And now I’m as tiny as a mouse.

“I’ll pound Kermit! I really will!” Evan cried. His voice came out as tiny
mouse squeaks.

Standing on the edge of his bed, staring down, down—miles down—to the
floor, Evan heard a rumbling sound. Loud panting that sounded like a strong wind
through the trees.

A big head popped up in front of him. Two dark eyes.

“No! Trigger! Go back to sleep!” Evan pleaded in his little mouse voice. “No!
Trigger—down!”

Evan’s squeaks had awakened the cocker spaniel.

Evan felt the dog’s hot breath blow across his face.

“Yuck! Dog breath!” he squeaked.

Then he felt sharp teeth close around his waist. Felt himself tilted
sideways. Felt the hot, wet saliva of Trigger’s mouth as the dog secured Evan
between its teeth.

“Trigger—down! Put me down!” Evan begged.

He was bounced hard now. The dog teeth tightened their grip.

“Trigger! Put me down! Where are you taking me?”

Through the dark hallway. The hot breath blowing over Evan’s helpless body.

Into his parents’ room. Evan gazed up to see his mom and dad getting ready
for bed.

Mr. Ross leaned over the dog. “What have you got there, Trigger? Did you find
a bone?”

“Uh… Dad? Dad?” Evan squeaked up at him. “Dad? It’s me? Do you see me?
Dad? Uh… I think we have a little problem!”

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