Free R. L. Stine_Mostly Ghostly 07 by Freaks, Shrieks Page B

pounds as I pulled open the gate, walked past the barbed wire fence, and stepped up to the front door.
    This is crazy, I thought. Why would Dr. Smollet come back here?
    How can I even get in?
    My hand shook. I tried the front door. Was it locked? No. I pulled it open easily.
    As soon as I stepped inside, I heard the cries and howls of the lab animals hidden somewhere beyond the white walls. I wanted to find them and set them all free.
    But I knew that getting my brain back to normal was more important right now.
    I strode quickly down the twisting white halls. I was surprised that I remembered the way.
    The door to the lab stood open. I took a deep breath and stepped inside.
    “Oh!” I let out a cry when I saw Dr. Smollet and Mr. Harvey in the middle of the room.
    A smile spread slowly over Dr. Smollet's face. “Come in, Max,” he said. “Mr. Harvey and I have been waiting for you.”

I FROZE IN THE doorway. My whole body locked in fear.
    Before I could move, Dr. Smollet rushed across the room and grabbed me by the shoulders. He was surprisingly strong. He half-dragged, half-carried me to the tall stool beside all the computers.
    And I realized that Mr. Harvey was already hooked up. The chimp had headphones on. He was sitting quietly, watching the whole thing.
    Dr. Smollet took a cable and wrapped it tightly around my chest and arms. He quickly tied me to the tall stool beside the chimp.
    “Wh-what are you going to do?” I finally managed to say.
    He ran a hand through his white beard. His cold smile grew wider. “I'm going to finish the job,” he said. “I only switched
half
your brains before. Now I'm going to complete the transfer. You will be a total chimp.”
    He reached for a set of headphones.
    “But—why?” I choked out.
    “Setting my trap,” Dr. Smollet said. “Nicky and Tara's parents ruined my life. Now I'm going to trap the whole family and pay them back.”
    “What are you talking about?” I shouted.
    “I didn't work for the Rolands. I worked for Phears. I've waited a long time to pay them back for what they did to us ghosts.”
    “By making me a chimp?” I said.
    He nodded. “Nicky and Tara will do anything to save you—won't they? Even stay here with me in my lab? I'm going to make your two ghost friends a deal. I'll return your brain to normal—
if
they agree to stay here. You see, I'm going to use Nicky and Tara as bait to reel in their parents.”
    “Your plan will never work,” I said. “Give me a chance to talk with Nicky and Tara. Maybe—”
    He knew I was stalling for time. His blue eyes grew cold. He tightened the cables around me, making sure I couldn't escape. Then he moved to a computer keyboard and started typing.
    I squirmed and struggled to pull myself free. I shook my head back and forth, trying to toss off the headphones.
    The chimp chattered and hopped up and down on the stool next to me. I heard a low electronic hum.
    I shut my eyes and clamped my teeth together.
    Oh no. Oh no. This can't be happening, I thought.
    He's going to suck out the last part of my brain. And leave me with a chimp brain. Max the Chimp. Max the Chimpbrain—forever.
    The hum grew louder.
    What could I do? I had to escape—but
how?
    The hum made my head vibrate. It grew louder till it drowned out all sound—even my
thoughts!
    And then I felt a soft puff of air inside my head. Like a puff of smoke, floating over my mind, blanking it out… blanking it all out.
    I opened my eyes. I blinked several times, struggling to focus.
    Dr. Smollet stood tensely at the keyboard, rubbing his beard, watching me.
    I picked up my head. I scratched my chest.
    “Hoo hoo hoo,” I said.

I FELT LIKE HOPPING up and down. Then I thought how nice it would be to climb a tree and pick some tasty leaves.
    But I couldn't move. I was tied to the stool.
    “Hoo hoo.”
    “It worked,” I heard Dr. Smollet say. “I am a genius. I have transferred a chimp's brain into a living boy.”
    “Hoo?”
    I didn't understand.