Free The Slime That Would Not Die by Laura Dower

“Look!”
    In the back, way in the back, was a row of test-tube vials in a small stand. Inside the vials was something green. It appeared to be glowing.
    Slimo!
    â€œGet one of those out.”
    Lindsey reached in and got it.
    â€œCool,” Damon said. “This doesn’t jiggle like the slime I saw in my bathroom.”
    â€œLet me see,” I said, reaching for one of the vials. Damon was right. It didn’t seem gooey at all. “But it has to be the same stuff,” I said.
    â€œSo Mr. Bunsen can see Slimo, too . . .” Lindsey said.
    â€œJust like we can,” Damon added.
    â€œWhat if one of these broke or fell and the slime poured out?” I suggested.
    â€œMassive slimage!” Damon said.
    Sluuuuurp.
    We all turned our heads. It was coming from the classroom!
    â€œHelp!” Stella screamed.
    We rushed out. Stella was standing on top of Mr. Bunsen’s desk. On the floor, all around her was a green slime pool, quivering.
    â€œHeeeelllp!” she cried again. She had assumed her best karate pose, but we already knew even the strongest kung-fu chop could not defeat this goo.
    I panicked.
    Without thinking, I started hurling things at the slime. First, I threw a vial from the fridge (because it happened to be in my hand). Then I reached for a binder from the classroom bookshelf. Damon started throwing, too. He pelted the slime with a few books. Lindsey joined in.
    â€œWhat are you guys doing ?” Stella screeched. “The slime is getting ready to eat me—not read to me!”
    â€œIf we feed it other stuff, maybe it’ll be less hungry for you,” Damon said.
    Stella howled. The slime stretched up all the way to the ceiling, arching over her like a tidal wave of goo. It looked ready to swallow her in one hungry gulp! I could see hollow holes where its eyes belonged. It had teeth and arms!

    Stella was in big trouble.
    If she had been the main character in one of Oswald Leery’s movies, this would have been the part where I yelled out, “Oh, nooooo! She’s a goner!”
    But I didn’t yell that. This was Stella Min and she wasn’t a goner. She was tougher than any of us! I had to help her.
    I leaped onto another lab table and waved my arms around, trying to distract the slime. At first I wasn’t sure the enormous blob could even see me. But slowly, it began to slime in a different direction, toward me.
    â€œDamon! Lindsey! Help me! We can convince the slime to go in an opposite direction, like out the window,” I said.
    â€œOut the window?” Stella yelled at me. “So Slimo can destroy the rest of Riddle? That’s exactly what Dr. Leery wants us to stop it from doing, Jesse! Bad idea!”
    â€œOoops,” I gulped. “So what am I supposed to do?”
    Damon let out a yelp. He was caught in the slime’s grip. One long Slimo arm had wrapped itself around Damon’s ankle . . .
    Sluuuuurp.
    â€œNoooo!” Damon wailed. Within five seconds, he was half-covered in the stuff. “My legs!”
    Sluuuuurp.
    â€œWhat are we supposed to do now?” I shrieked. My thoughts raced. Damon was the meanest bully in the entire school and something seemed so right about him getting swallowed by a B-Monster, but I had to stop it.
    â€œLindsey!” I cried.
    â€œWater!” she yelled, rushing back over to me. She had a pail in her hands. It was filled to the brim.
    â€œYes!” I cried as she raised it up.
    Before she let go, however, I heard a sucking noise like the world’s loudest straw slurp.
    â€œNooooo!” Stella cried.
    But I couldn’t see her.
    â€œOh, no!” Damon cried out. “Nooooo!”
    We glanced over to Mr. Bunsen’s desk, just in time to see the top of Stella’s head disappear under a blanket of slime. She was gone—except for her pair of black shoes.
    Damon looked ready to cry. His face went white. He was next.
    Lindsey lifted the pail into