42 - Egg Monsters from Mars (8 page)

I twisted my head from side to side. I tried to roll away.

But it was no use.

Too late. Too late to fight back.

And now I lay there, trapped. And felt it creep up to my chin.

Felt it throbbing. Pulsing.

Dozens of eggy monsters all pressed together. Alive. A living sheet of egg
creatures. Covering me.

Covering me.

I took a deep breath and held it as the heavy, warm carpet pressed itself
against my chin. My arms and legs were pinned to the floor. I couldn’t squirm
away.

I couldn’t move.

To my surprise, the egg carpet stopped under my chin.

I let out a long whoosh of air.

And waited.

Had it really stopped?

Yes.

It didn’t crawl over my head. It rested heavily on top of me. Throbbing
steadily, as if it had two dozen heartbeats.

So warm.

I felt so warm beneath it. Almost cozy.

I let out a sigh. For the first time, I had stopped shivering. My hands and
feet were no longer frozen. No chills ran down my back.

Warm. I felt toasty and warm.

A smile spread over my face. I could feel my fear fading away with the cold.

The egg creatures weren’t trying to harm me, I realized.

They wanted to help me.

They pressed themselves together to form a blanket. A warm and cozy blanket.

They worked together to keep me from freezing.

They saved my life!

With the warm, pulsing blanket on top of me, I suddenly felt calm. And
sleepy. I drifted into a peaceful, dreamless sleep.

Such a wonderful, soothing sleep.

But it didn’t help get me ready for the horrors of the next morning.

I awoke a couple of times during the night. At first, I felt alarmed and
frightened when I saw that I wasn’t home in bed.

But the pulsing, warm egg blanket relaxed me. I shut my eyes and drifted back
to sleep.

Some time in the morning, I was aroused from a deep sleep by an angry voice.
I felt hands grab my shoulders roughly.

Someone was shaking me hard. Shaking me awake.

I opened my eyes to find Dr. Gray bending over me in his white lab coat. His
face was twisted in anger. He shook me hard, shouting furiously.

“Dana—what have you done? What have you done to the egg monsters?”

“Huh?” I was still half asleep. My eyes struggled to focus. My head bobbed
loosely on my shoulders as the angry scientist shook me.

“Let go!” I finally managed to choke out.

“What have you done to them?” Dr. Gray demanded. “How did you turn them into a blanket?”

“I—I didn’t!” I stammered.

He uttered a furious growl. “You’ve ruined everything!” he shrieked.

“Please—” I started, struggling to wake up.

He let go of me and grabbed the egg blanket in both hands. “What have you
done, Dana?” he repeated. “Why did you do this?”

With another cry of rage, he ripped the blanket off me—and heaved it
against the wall.

The egg creatures made a soft
splat
as they hit the lab wall. I heard
them utter tiny squeals of pain. The blanket folded limply to the floor.

“You shouldn’t do that, Dr. Gray!” I screamed, finally finding my voice. I
jumped to my feet. I could still feel the warmth of the egg blanket on my skin.

“You hurt them!” I shrieked.

I gazed down at the yellow blanket. It bubbled silently where it had been
thrown. It didn’t move.

“You let them touch you?” Dr. Gray demanded, twisting his face in disgust.
“You let them cover you up?”

“They saved my life!” I declared. “They pushed together to make a warm
blanket—and they saved my life!”

I glanced down again. The egg creatures remained stuck together. The blanket
appeared to be seething now. Throbbing hard. As if excited. Or angry.

“Are you crazy?” Dr. Gray cried, his face red with anger. “Are you crazy? You
let these
monsters
rest on top of you? You touched them? You handled
them? Are you trying to destroy my discovery? Are you trying to destroy my
work?”

He’s the crazy one, I realized. Dr. Gray isn’t making any sense. He isn’t
making any sense at all.

He moved quickly—and grabbed me again. Held me in a tight grip so I
couldn’t escape. And pulled me to the door.

“Let go of me! Where are you taking me?” I demanded.

“I thought you could be trusted,” Dr. Gray replied in a menacing growl. “But
I was wrong. I’m so sorry, Dana. So sorry. I had hoped to keep you alive. But I
see now that is impossible.”

He dragged me to the door. He stopped and reached into the pocket of his lab
coat. Reached for the control unit to open the door.

I saw my chance. He had me by only one hand.

With a hard burst of strength, I pulled away.

He let out a cry. Reached both hands for me.

Missed.

I ran to the other side of the lab. I turned at the wall to face him.

He had a strange smile on his face. “Dana, there’s nowhere to run,” he said
softly.

My eyes flashed around the room. I don’t know what I was searching for. I had
seen it all. And I knew that he was telling the truth.

Dr. Gray stood blocking the only door. The long window was too heavy and
thick to break through. And it didn’t open.

There were no other windows. No other doors.

No ways to escape.

“What are you going to do now, Dana?” Dr. Gray asked softly, the strange
smile stuck on his face. His blue eyes locked coldly on mine. “Where are you
going to go?”

I opened my mouth to reply. But I had nothing to say.

“I’ll tell you what’s going to happen,” Dr. Gray said softly, calmly. “You’re
going to stay in here. In this cold, cold room. I’m going to leave you now and
make sure you’re locked in.”

His smile grew wider. “Then do you know what I’m going to do? Do you?”

“What?” I choked out.

“I’m going to make it colder in here. I’m going to make it colder than a
freezer.”

“No—!” I protested.

His smile faded. “I trusted you, Dana. I trusted you. But you broke that
trust. You let them touch you. You let them form this—this carpet! You ruined
them, Dana! You ruined my egg monsters!”

“I—I didn’t do anything!” I stammered. I balled my hands into fists. But I
felt so helpless. Helpless and afraid.

“You can’t freeze me in here!” I cried. “I didn’t do anything! You can’t
leave me in here to freeze!”

“Of course I can,” Dr. Gray replied coldly. “This is my lab. My own little
world. I can do whatever I want.”

He pulled the little black remote unit from his lab coat pocket. He pointed
it at the door and pushed a button.

The door swung open.

He started to leave. “Good-bye, Dana,” he called.

“No—stop!” I called.

Dr. Gray turned from the doorway.

And as he turned, the blanket of egg creatures rose up.

It stood straight up—and flung itself over him. It dropped on top of the
scientist with a hard
thud.

“Hey—” He let out an angry cry. The cry was muffled by the heavy yellow
blanket of egg creatures.

The egg blanket covered him. I watched him struggle underneath it. And I
listened to his muffled cries.

He was squirming and twisting beneath the blanket. But he couldn’t toss it
off. And he couldn’t slide out from under it.

He crumpled to the floor, and the blanket crumpled with him.

I watched it seething and bubbling on top of him.

Then I didn’t wait another second. I took a deep breath—and I ran across
the room. I darted past the egg blanket with Dr. Gray twisting and thrashing
underneath it.

Out the door.

Down the long hall to the front of the lab.

Yes! A few seconds later, I pushed open the front door and burst outside.
Breathing hard, sucking in the sweet, fresh air.

A beautiful morning. A red ball of a sun still rising over the spring-green
trees. The sky clear and blue.

I glanced around. I could see a paperboy on his bike halfway up the block. No
one else on the street.

I turned and ran around to the side of the building. The grass smelled so
wonderful! The morning air so warm and fresh. I was so thrilled to be outside!

I had to get home.

I had a hunch—and the hunch was right. I spotted my bike, resting against
the back wall of the lab, hidden by a large Dumpster.

I leaped onto it and started to pedal. Riding a bike never felt as exciting,
so
thrilling!

I was getting away, away from the horror of crazy Dr. Gray and his freezing
lab.

I pedaled faster. I rode without stopping. Without
seeing!
The world
was a blur of green.

I must have set a speed record for getting home.

I roared up the driveway, the tires sending gravel flying on both sides.

Then I jumped off my bike and let it topple to the grass. I dove for the
kitchen door and burst into the kitchen. “Mom!” I cried.

She jumped up from the breakfast table. I caught the worried expression on
her face. It melted away as I ran into the room.

“Dana!” she cried. “Where
were
you? We’ve all been so terrified. The
police are looking for you and—and—”

“I’m okay!” I told her. I gave her a quick hug.

Dad ran in from the hallway. “Dana—you’re okay? Where
were
you all
night? Your mother and I—”

“Egg monsters!” I cried. “Egg monsters from Mars! Hurry!” I grabbed Dad’s
hand and tugged. “Come on!”

“Huh?” Dad spun around. He narrowed his eyes, studying me. “What did you
say?”

“No time to explain!” I gasped. “They’ve got Dr. Gray. He’s evil, Dad. He’s
so evil!”

“Who has
what
?” Mom demanded.

“The egg creatures! From Mars! Hurry! There’s no time!”

They didn’t move. I saw them exchange glances.

Mom stepped forward and placed a hand on my forehead. “Do you have a fever,
Dana? Are you sick?”

“No!” I screamed. “Listen to me! Egg creatures from Mars! Follow me!”

I know I wasn’t explaining myself too well. But I was frantic.

“Dana—come lie down,” Mom instructed. “I’ll call Dr. Martin.”

“No—please! I don’t need a doctor!” I protested. “Just follow me—okay?
You’ve got to see them. You’ve got to see the egg creatures. You’ve got to
hurry.”

Mom and Dad exchanged worried glances again.

“I’m not crazy!” I shrieked. “I want you to come with me to the science lab!”

“Okay, okay,” Dad finally agreed. “You were in that lab last night?”

“Yes,” I told him, shoving him to the kitchen door. “I called and called. But
you couldn’t hear me.”

“Oh, wow,” Dad murmured, shaking his head. “Wow.”

The three of us climbed into the car.

It took about three minutes to drive to the lab. Dad parked in front. I
jumped out of the car before he stopped.

The front door to the lab stood wide open, as I’d left it.

I ran inside with Mom and Dad close behind me.

“They’re egg creatures,” I told them breathlessly. “They dropped down
from Mars. They captured Dr. Gray.”

I led the way down the long hall.

I pushed open the door to the freezing back room.

Mom and Dad stepped in behind me.

I gazed around the room—and gasped in amazement!

I saw Mom and Dad staring at me. They had worried expressions on their faces.

“Where are the egg creatures?” Mom demanded softly.

Dad rested a hand gently on my shoulder. “Where are they, Dana?” he asked in
a whisper.

“Uh… they’re gone,” I choked out.

The lab stood empty.

No Dr. Gray. No egg creatures. No one.

Bare white walls. Nothing on the floor.

Nothing.

“Maybe they went back to Mars,” I murmured, shaking my head.

“And Dr. Gray? What about Dr. Gray?” Dad asked.

“Maybe they took Dr. Gray with them,” I replied.

“Let’s go home,” Mom sighed. “Let’s get you into bed, Dana.”

Dad guided me from the room, his hands on my shoulders. “I’ll call Dr. Martin,” he said softly. “I’m sure we can get him
to come to the house this morning.”

“I—I do feel a little strange,” I admitted.

So they drove me home and tucked me into bed.

The doctor came later that morning and examined me. He didn’t find anything
wrong. But he said I should stay in bed and rest for a while.

I knew that Mom and Dad didn’t believe my story. I felt bad about that. But I
didn’t know how to convince them I was telling the truth.

I did feel a little weird.

Just tired, I guess.

I dozed off and woke up and dozed off again.

In the afternoon, I woke up to hear my sister Brandy talking to some friends
outside my room. “Dana totally freaked out,” I heard Brandy say. “He says he was
kidnapped by egg monsters from Mars.”

I heard Brandy’s friends giggling.

Oh great, I thought bitterly. Now everyone thinks I’m a nut case.

I wanted to call Brandy into my room and tell her what really happened. I
wanted to make her believe me. I wanted to make
someone
believe me.

But how?

I fell asleep again.

I was awakened by a voice calling my name. I sat up in bed. The voice floated
in from my open bedroom window.

I climbed out of bed and made my way to the window. Anne was calling me from
the driveway. “Dana—are you okay? Do you want to come over? I got a new CD-ROM
version of
Battle Chess.”

“Cool!” I called down to Anne. “I’ll be right over.”

I pulled on a T-shirt and a pair of jeans. I was feeling pretty good. Rested.
Like my old self.

So happy that everything was back to normal.

I hummed to myself as I brushed my hair. I stared at myself in the mirror.