Monster Blood IV

11

No.

No. The mouse was part of the dream.

I’m still half in my dream, half awake, Evan realized, blinking his eyes.

He shook himself hard. Shook himself awake.

The mouse faded slowly, then vanished. And Evan stared at the window, stared at Andy outside in the darkness. Tapping on the glass. Tapping so urgently.

Evan jumped from the small foldout bed. His legs were tangled in the blanket. He stumbled and had to grab the edge of Kermit’s dresser to catch his balance.

One foot had fallen asleep. He dragged it, limping to the window. He silently pushed open the window, careful not to wake Kermit.

Kermit snored away, glugging and whistling. He had kicked his blanket to the floor. He had fallen asleep with his glasses on.

Evan leaned out into the darkness. A gust of cold wind made him shiver.

“Andy — what are you doing here?” he cried out.

“Get dressed,” Andy ordered. “Hurry, Evan. I have to show you something.”

“Huh?” He glanced back at Kermit’s clock radio. “It’s almost midnight!”

Andy raised a finger to her lips. “Sssshhhh. Hurry. Get dressed. I think you’ll want to see this.”

She held up a can. A blue plastic can.

Evan groaned. “You really came here in the middle of the night for another joke? Give me a break, Andy. What’s going to spring out at me this time?”

But then he saw the serious expression on Andy’s face.

“It isn’t a joke — is it?” he whispered.

She shook her head.

“It’s Monster Blood — right?” Evan demanded.

Andy nodded. “I think so. The can — it looks the same.”

Evan spun away from the window. He pulled on jeans and a sweatshirt right over his pajamas. His hands trembled as he tied his shoes.

He grabbed his down jacket from the closet. And climbed out the window.

“I was dreaming about Monster Blood,” he told Andy.

She bit her bottom lip. “This isn’t a dream,” she replied quietly.

Evan shivered. It was a cold, clear night.

Andy wore her magenta windbreaker and a pair of silvery leggings. She had a red wool ski cap pulled down over her short brown hair.

She raised the plastic can to Evan. “I think it’s the real thing. I hurried over as soon as I was sure my parents were asleep.”

“Where did you get it?” he whispered.

“Behind the lab on Peachtree where my dad works. We were picking him up before dinner. I was waiting in the parking lot behind the lab. I found this in a whole pile of stuff.”

“You didn’t open it — did you?” Evan demanded.

“No way,” she replied. She tried to hand him the can. But he waved it away.

“I don’t want it,” Evan told her. “Why did you bring it over here?”

Andy shrugged. “I thought after this afternoon, you might want to pay Conan back for being such a big jerk.”

“Yes, I do want to pay Conan back,” Evan admitted.

“So use the Monster Blood,” Andy urged. “You can put a little of it in his lunch at school. You can—”

“No way!” Evan cried. “Conan is already a mountain! I don’t want to make him any BIGGER!”

The light faded from Andy’s dark eyes. “I guess you’re right. But we could put Monster Blood in his bed. Or—”

“Stop!” Evan ordered. “It’s too dangerous. I don’t want to use Monster Blood on Conan. Kermit and I have another plan for Conan. A really good plan.”

“What is it?” Andy demanded eagerly.

“I’ll tell you as soon as you get rid of the Monster Blood,” Evan told her. “I really don’t want that stuff around. Go hide it someplace where no one will ever find it.”

“But, Evan—” Andy protested.

Evan didn’t let her finish. “You know what will happen if that can gets opened,” he said firmly. “It will bubble up. And it will grow and grow, and we won’t be able to stop it.”

“Okay, okay.” Andy rolled her eyes. “I’ll take it home. I’ll find a good hiding place.”

“Promise?” Evan demanded, eyeing her sharply.

“Promise,” she repeated, raising her right hand.

“Hey — what’s that?” a voice called from behind them.

Evan spun around and saw Kermit scramble out the open window.

Kermit grabbed the blue can from Andy’s hand.

“Cool!” he cried. “Monster Blood! Is it real?”

He didn’t wait for an answer.

He gripped the can tightly — and pulled off the lid.