Free 03 - Monster Blood by R.L. Stine - (ebook by Undead) Page B

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.

 
 
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    “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