03 - Monster Blood Read online

  “The tub was nearly full to the top,” he told Andy, groaning as he struggled to pull the bag over the curb. “I’m afraid it’s going to burst out of this bag.”

  “Only two blocks to go,” she said, trying to sound reassuring. A car rolled by slowly. The driver, a teenager with long black hair, stuck his head out the window, grinning. “What’s in the bag? A dead body?”

  “Just garbage,” Evan told him.

  “That’s for sure,” Andy muttered as the car rolled away.

  Several people stopped to stare at them as they entered town. “Hi, Mrs. Winslow,” Andy called to a friend of her mother’s.

  Mrs. Winslow waved, then gave Andy a curious stare, and headed into the grocery.

  Andy climbed off her bike and walked it. Evan continued to drag his bulging bag behind him.

  They made their way to the next block, then started to cross the street to the toy store.

  But they both stopped short in the middle of the street.

  And gaped in shock.

  The door and window of the store were boarded up. A small, hand-printed sign tacked to the top of the door read: OUT OF BUSINESS.

  21

  Desperate to get rid of the disgusting contents of the garbage bags, Evan pounded on the door anyway.

  “Come on—somebody! Somebody, open up!”

  No reply.

  He pounded with both fists.

  Silence.

  Finally, Andy had to pull him away.

  “The store is closed,” a young woman called from across the street. “It closed a few days ago. See? It’s all boarded up and everything.”

  “Very helpful,” Evan muttered under his breath. He slammed his hand angrily against the door.

  “Evan—stop. You’ll hurt yourself,” Andy warned.

  “Now what?” Evan demanded. “Got any more fantastic ideas, Andy?”

  She shrugged. “It’s your turn to come up with something brilliant.”

  Evan sighed miserably. “Maybe I could give it to Kathryn and tell her it’s beef. Then she’d chop it up with that knife she’s always carrying around.”

  “I don’t think you’re thinking too clearly right now,” Andy said, putting a sympathetic hand on his shoulder.

  They both stared down at the garbage bags. They appeared to be moving—expanding and contracting, as if the green globs inside were breathing!

  “Let’s go back to Kathryn’s,” Evan said, his voice trembling. “Maybe we’ll think of something on the way.”

  Somehow they managed to drag the Monster Blood back to Kathryn’s house. The sun had gotten high in the sky. As they headed to the backyard, Evan was drenched with sweat. His arms ached. His head throbbed.

  “Now what?” he asked weakly, letting go of the bulging lawn bag.

  Andy leaned her bike against the side of the garage. She pointed to the big aluminum trash can next to the garage door. “How about that? It looks pretty sturdy.” She walked over to it to investigate. “And look—the lid clamps down.”

  “Okay,” Evan agreed, wiping his forehead with the sleeve of his T-shirt.

  Andy pulled off the lid of the big can. Then she dumped in the contents of her bag. It hit the bottom with a sick, squishy sound. Then she hurried to help Evan.

  “It’s so heavy,” Evan groaned, struggling to pull the bag up.

  “We can do it,” Andy insisted.

  Working together, they managed to slide the Monster Blood from the plastic bag. It rolled out like a tidal wave, sloshing noisily against the sides of the can, raising up as if trying to escape.

  With a loud sigh of relief, Evan slammed the metal lid down on top of it and clamped the handles down.

  “Whoa!” Andy cried.

  They both stared at the can for a long moment, as if expecting it to explode or burst apart. “Now what?” Evan asked, his features tight with fear.

  Before Andy could reply, they saw Kathryn step out of the kitchen door. Her eyes searched the backyard until she spotted them. “Evan—good news!” she called.

  Glancing back at the trash can, Evan and Andy came hurrying over. Kathryn was holding a yellow piece of paper in her hand. A telegram.

  “Your mother is coming to pick you up this afternoon,” Kathryn said, a wide smile on her face.

  I think Kathryn is glad to get rid of me, was Evan’s first thought.

  And then, dismissing that thought, he leapt up and whooped for joy. It was the best news he’d ever received.

  “I’m outta here!” he exclaimed after his aunt had returned to the house. “I’m outta here! I can’t wait!”

  Andy didn’t appear to share his joy. “You’re leaving your aunt a nice little surprise over there,” she said, pointing to the trash can.

  “I don’t care! I’m outta here!” Evan repeated, raising his hand for Andy to slap him a high five.

  She didn’t cooperate. “Don’t you think we have to tell someone about the Monster Blood? Or do something about it—before you leave?”

  But Evan was too excited to think about that now. “Hey, Trigger!” he called, running to the dog’s pen at the back of the yard. “Trigger—we’re going home, boy!”

  Evan pulled open the gate—and gasped.

  22

  “Trigger!”

  The dog that came bounding toward him looked like Trigger. But the cocker spaniel was the size of a pony! He had doubled in size since the day before!

  “No!” Evan had to hit the dirt as Trigger excitedly tried to jump on him. “Hey—wait!”

  Before Evan could get up, Trigger began barking ferociously. The huge dog was already past the gate and thundering across the backyard toward the street.

  “I don’t believe it!” Andy cried, raising her hands to her face, staring in shock as the enormous creature bounded around the side of the house and out of sight. “He’s so—big!”

  “We’ve got to stop him! He might hurt someone!” Evan cried.

  “Trigger! Trigger—come back!” Still off balance, Evan started to run, calling frantically. But he stumbled over Andy’s bike and fell onto the trash can.

  “No!” Andy shrieked, looking on helplessly as the metal can toppled over, with Evan sprawled on top of it. The can hit the driveway with a loud clang.

  The lid popped off and rolled away.

  The green gunk poured out.

  It oozed away from the can, then stopped and appeared to stand up. Quivering, making loud sucking sounds, it righted itself, pulling itself up tall.

  As the two kids stared in silent horror, the quivering green mass appeared to come to life, like a newly born creature pulling itself up, stretching, looking around.

  Then, with a loud sucking sound, it arched toward Evan, who was still sprawled on the toppled can.

  “Get up, Evan!” Andy cried. “Get up! It’s going to roll right over you!”

  23

  “Noooooo!”

  Evan uttered an animal cry, a sound he had never made before—and rolled away as the quivering green ball bounced toward him.

  “Run, Evan!” Andy screamed. She grabbed his hand and pulled him to his feet. “It’s alive!” she cried. “Run!”

  The Monster Blood heaved itself against the garage wall. It seemed to stick there for a brief second. Then it peeled off, and came bouncing toward them with surprising speed.

  “Help! Help!”

  “Somebody—please—help!”

  Screaming at the top of their lungs, Evan and Andy took off. Scrambling as fast as he could, his legs weak and rubbery from fear, Evan followed Andy down the driveway toward the front yard.

  “Help! Oh, please! Help us!”

  Evan’s voice was hoarse from screaming. His heart thudded in his chest. His temples throbbed.

  He turned and saw that the Monster Blood was right behind them, picking up speed as it bounced across the yard, making disgusting squishing noises with each bounce.

  Plop. Plop. Plop.

  A robin, pulling at a worm in the grass, didn�
��t look up in time. The trembling green mass rolled over it.

  “Oh!” Evan moaned, turning back to see the bird sucked into the green ball. Its wings flapping frantically, the bird uttered a final cry, then disappeared inside.

  Plop. Plop. Plop.

  The Monster Blood changed direction, still bouncing and quivering, and leaving white stains on the grass like enormous, round footsteps.

  “It’s alive!” Andy screamed, her hands pressed against her cheeks. “Oh, my God—it’s alive!”

  “What can we do? What can we do?” Evan didn’t recognize his own terrified voice.

  “It’s catching up!” Andy screamed, pulling him by the hand. “Run!”

  Gasping loudly, they made their way to the front of the house.

  “Hey—what’s happening?” a voice called.

  “Huh?”

  Startled by the voice, Evan stopped short. He looked to the sidewalk to see the Beymer twins, matching grins on their beefy faces.

  “My favorite punching bag,” one of them said to Evan. He raised his fist menacingly.

  They took a few steps toward Evan and Andy. Then their grins faded and their mouths dropped open in horror as the gigantic green mass appeared, heading down the drive, rolling as fast as a bicycle.

  “Look out!” Evan screamed.

  “Run!” Andy cried.

  But the two brothers were too startled to move.

  Their eyes bulging with fear, they threw their hands up as if trying to shield themselves.

  Plop. Plop. Plop.

  The enormous ball of Monster Blood picked up speed as it bounced forward. Evan shut his eyes as it hit the twins with a deafening smack.

  “Ow!”

  “No!”

  Both brothers cried out, flailing their arms, struggling to pull themselves free.

  “Help us! Please—help us!”

  Their bodies twisted and writhed as they struggled.

  But they were stuck tight. The green gunk oozed over them, covering them completely.

  Then it pulled them inside with a loud sucking pop.

  Andy shielded her eyes. “Sick,” she muttered. “Oooh. Sick.”

  Evan gasped in helpless horror as the Beymer brothers finally stopped struggling.

  Their arms went limp. Their faces disappeared into the quivering gunk.

  The sucking sounds grew louder as the two boys were pulled deeper and deeper inside. Then the Monster Blood bounced high, turned, and started back up the drive.

  Andy and Evan froze, unsure of which way to head.

  “Split up!” Evan cried. “It can’t go after us both!”

  Andy returned his frightened stare. She opened her mouth, but no sound came out.

  “Split up! Split up!” Evan repeated shrilly.

  “But—” Andy started.

  Before she could say anything, the front door of the house burst open, and Kathryn stepped out onto the stoop.

  “Hey—what are you kids doing? What’s that?” she cried, gripping the screen door, her eyes filling with horror.

  Picking up speed, the giant ball bounded toward the stoop.

  Kathryn tossed up her hands in fright. She stood frozen for a long moment, as if trying to make sense of what she was seeing. Then, leaving the front door wide open, she spun around and fled into the house.

  Plop. Plop.

  The Monster Blood hesitated at the front stoop.

  It bounced in place once, twice, three times, as if considering what to do next.

  Evan and Andy gaped in horror from across the lawn, trying to catch their breath.

  A wave of nausea swept over Evan as he saw the Beymer twins, still visible deep within the quivering glob, faceless prisoners bouncing inside it.

  Then suddenly, the Monster Blood bounced high and hurtled up the stairs of the stoop.

  “No!” Evan screamed as it squeezed through the open doorway and disappeared into the house.

  From the middle of the yard, Andy and Evan heard Kathryn’s bloodcurdling scream.

  “It’s got Aunt Kathryn,” Evan said weakly.

  24

  Evan reached the house first. He had run so fast, his lungs felt as if they were about to burst.

  “What are you going to do?” Andy called, following close behind.

  “I don’t know,” Evan replied. He grabbed on to the screen door and propelled himself into the house.

  “Aunt Kathryn!” Evan screamed, bursting into the living room.

  The enormous glob filled the center of the small room. The Beymer twins were outlined in its side as it bounced and quivered, oozing over the carpet, leaving its sticky footprints in its path.

  It took Evan a few seconds to see his aunt. The bouncing hunk of Monster Blood had backed her against the fireplace.

  “Aunt Kathryn—run!” Evan cried.

  But even he could see that she had nowhere to run.

  “Get out of here, kids!” Kathryn cried, her voice shrill and trembling, suddenly sounding very old.

  “But, Aunt Kathryn—”

  “Get out of here—now!” the old woman insisted, her black hair wild about her head, her eyes, those blue, penetrating eyes, staring hard at the green glob as if willing it away.

  Evan turned to Andy, uncertain of what to do.

  Andy’s hands tugged at the sides of her hair, her eyes wide with growing fear as the seething green glob made its way steadily closer to Evan’s aunt.

  “Get out!” Kathryn repeated shrilly. “Save your lives! I made this thing! Now I must die for it!”

  Evan gasped.

  Had he heard correctly?

  What had his aunt just said?

  The words repeated in his mind, clear now, so clear—and so frightening.

  “I made this thing. Now I must die for it.”

  25

  “No!”

  Gaping in horror, as the sickening glob of Monster Blood pushed toward his aunt, Evan felt the room tilt and begin to spin. He gripped the back of Kathryn’s armchair as pictures flooded his mind.

  He saw the strange bone pendant Kathryn always wore around her neck.

  The mysterious books that lined the walls of his bedroom.

  Sarabeth, the black cat with the glowing yellow eyes.

  The black shawl Kathryn always wrapped around her shoulders in the evening.

  “I made this thing. Now I must die for it.”

  Evan saw it all now, and it began to come clear to him.

  Evan pictured the day he and Andy brought home the can of Monster Blood from the toy store. Kathryn had insisted on seeing it.

  On studying it.

  On touching it.

  He remembered the way she rolled the can around in her hands, examining it so carefully. Moving her lips silently as she read the label.

  What had she been doing? What had she been saying?

  A thought flashed into Evan’s mind.

  Had she been casting a spell on the can?

  A spell to make the Monster Blood grow? A spell to terrify Evan?

  But why? She didn’t even know Evan.

  Why did she want to frighten him? To… kill him?

  “Be careful,” she had called to him after handing the blue can back. “Be careful.”

  It was a real warning.

  A warning against her spell.

  “You did this!” Evan shouted in a voice he didn’t recognize. The words burst out of him. He had no control over them.

  “You did this! You cast a spell!” he repeated, pointing an accusing finger at his aunt.

  He saw her blue eyes shimmer as they read his lips. Then her eyes filled with tears, tears that overflowed onto her pale cheeks.

  “No!” she cried. “No!”

  “You did something to the can! You did this, Aunt Kathryn!”

  “No!” she cried, shouting over the sickening grunts and plops of the mountainous ball that nearly hid her from view.

  “No!” Kathryn cried, her back pressed tightly against the mantelpiece.
“I didn’t do it! She did!”

  And she pointed an accusing finger at Andy.

  26

  Andy?

  Was Aunt Kathryn accusing Andy?

  Evan spun around to confront Andy.

  But Andy turned, too.

  And Evan realized immediately that his aunt wasn’t pointing at Andy. She was pointing past Andy to Sarabeth.

  Standing in the doorway to the living room, the black cat hissed and arched her back, her yellow eyes flaring at Kathryn.

  “She did it! She’s the one!” Kathryn declared, pointing frantically.

  The enormous glob of green Monster Blood bounced back, retreated a step, as if stung by Kathryn’s words. Shadows shifted inside the glob as it quivered, catching the light filtering in through the living room window.

  Evan stared at the cat, then turned his eyes to Andy. She shrugged, her face frozen in horror and bewilderment.

  Aunt Kathryn is crazy, Evan thought sadly.

  She’s totally lost it.

  She isn’t making any sense.

  None of this makes sense.

  “She’s the one!” Kathryn repeated.

  The cat hissed in response.

  The glob bounced in place, carrying the unmoving Beymer brothers inside.

  “Oh—look!” Evan cried to Andy as the black cat suddenly raised up on its hind legs.

  Andy gasped and squeezed Evan’s arm. Her hand was as cold as ice.

  Still hissing, the cat grew like a shadow against the wall. It raised its claws, swiping the air. Its eyes closed, and it became consumed in darkness.

  No one moved.

  The only sounds Evan could hear were the bubbling of the green glob and the pounding of his own heart.

  All eyes were on the cat as it rose up, stretched, and grew. And as it grew, it changed its shape.

  Became human.

  With shadowy arms and legs in the eerie darkness.

  And then the shadow stepped away from the darkness.