Free The Ooze by R.L. Stine Page B

sets.”
    The alien creature slid forward. “So we slipped those instructions into chemistry sets all over Earth. And you did the rest. A clever plan—wasn’t it?”
    The creature didn’t wait for an answer. “Enough explaining,” it declared. “Now it is time for me to take the rest of your brain.”
    â€œNoooo!” I cried out. “No way!”
    What should I do? What should I do? Think! Think! I told myself.
    And then it came to me. RUN!
    I dodged around the oozing alien and ran into the hall.
    Squish. Squish .
    The ooze creature chased after me. Sliding down the hall. Moving fast now. Incredibly fast.
    I reached the living room and headed for the front door. Pull it open. Pull it open, I reminded myself, reaching out for the doorknob.
    I twisted the doorknob—and pulled.
    The door swung open—yes!
    But it was too late.
    The ooze shot out a hot, sticky hand and grabbed me.
    â€œLet go of me!” I yelled. The creature lifted me right off my feet. “Let go of me!”
    I twisted and turned in the ooze’s strong grip.
    Tubby charged out of the kitchen—racing in to rescue me!
    He ran at the creature. He ran right into him! Right into the sticky ooze.
    The creature dropped me as its slimy body wrapped itself around Tubby. “Oh, no! Oh, no!” I cried out. Poor Tubby! He was trapped inside those hideous quivering walls.
    I stared in horror as Tubby tried to claw his way out. But it was no use. There was no escape.
    And then, suddenly, the creature stiffened. It arched its body, and Tubby came flying out!
    He hit the floor with a dull thud.
    â€œTubby! Tubby!” I scrambled over to my dog. “Are you okay?”
    Tubby stared back at me with vacant eyes. The same look Chester had after the ooze sucked out his brain.
    â€œOh, Tubby,” I moaned. “He took your brain. He took your brain.”
    Squish. Squish .
    I jerked my head up. The ooze creature loomed over me.
    It was enormous now.
    And so was its brain.
    I could see it pounding, pounding, pounding against its quivering skull.
    â€œI want the rest of your brain now!” it declared. “I want your brain.”
    â€œNo!” I shouted. “No! You can’t have it. It’s mine! It’s mine!” I kicked and punched the creature’s slimy ooze body. But it was too strong for me.
    It lifted me off the floor.
    It pulled me up to its awful mouth.
    And then, with a horrible slurping sound, it shoved my head down its hot throat.

18

    â€œL et me go! Let me go!”
    I kicked my legs.
    I beat against the creature’s slimy body with my fists.
    â€œI’m coming, Al!” I heard Colin shout. “I’m coming!”
    I struggled in the creature’s hold, and suddenly I felt its grasp weaken. Weaken until it dropped me to the floor.
    I watched as it rocked back and forth, moaning in agony.
    And then it began to shrivel.
    â€œIt’s shrinking!” Colin yelled. “It’s shrinking! What did you do to it? What did you do?”
    â€œI-I didn’t do anything,” I stammered.
    â€œYou must have,” Colin insisted. “You must have done something!”
    We stared at the creature as it withered away—growing smaller and smaller. Turning into a formless glob of ooze.
    I could still see its brain. But it was the size of a pea.
    I could still see its empty eyes.
    And there was its mouth. “Look, Colin! Look!” I pointed to the creature. “It’s opening its mouth!”
    The ooze creature stared up at us.
    It opened its mouth.
    â€œ Arrf .” It barked.
    â€œWhoa! I don’t believe it! I don’t believe it!” I shouted.
    â€œWhat? What?” Colin asked.
    â€œTubby’s brain! Tubby’s brain took over the ooze. It neutralized it!” I said. “I bet it could live on only smart brains. Tubby’s dumb brain must have put him in shock or something. It couldn’t handle