Monster Blood IV

12

“No! Don’t do that!” Evan screamed.

Too late.

“Close it up!” Evan cried frantically. “Close the can — quick!”

Kermit stood staring into the open can. “It’s too dark. I can’t see anything.”

“Give me that!” Evan ordered. He leaped forward and tried to swipe the can away.

He grabbed the can — but knocked the lid from Kermit’s hand.

Kermit made a wild grab for the lid. But a gust of wind blew it out of his reach.

As Evan gaped in horror, the wind lifted the plastic lid… lifted it over their heads.

“Noooooo!” He let out a long wail as the lid spun crazily above them. He made a wild grab. Another. Missed.

The wind carried the lid up to the slanted roof of the house. It hit the shingles. Slid down a few feet. And came to a rest in the metal rain gutter.

“I don’t believe this,” Evan muttered.

“I’ll get the ladder from the garage,” Kermit offered. He took off across the dew-wet grass.

“Hurry!” Evan cried.

“The Monster Blood — it’s moving!” Andy exclaimed, pointing with a trembling finger.

Evan gazed down at the can gripped tightly in his hand. He couldn’t really see inside. Dark clouds had drifted over the moon, blocking out the light.

Evan brought the can close to his face. And gasped.

“Andy — it’s blue!”

“Huh?” She pressed close to him. Their heads banged as they both eagerly stared into the can.

Yes. The thick glop inside the can was blue — not green.

It made a sick plopping sound as it rolled from side to side, like an ocean wave.

“It — it’s trying to get out!” Andy stammered.

“Hurry, Kermit!” Evan called.

Kermit came running from the garage, an aluminum ladder tilted over one shoulder.

“Why is it blue?” Andy asked.

The thick goo lapped at the side of the can. As Evan stared in horror, it splashed up over the top.

“Kermit — please hurry! Get the lid!” he cried.

Kermit propped the ladder against the side of the house. Then he turned back to them. “Someone else has to climb up,” he called.

“Just do it!” Evan screamed frantically. “The stuff is spilling out over the top!”

“But I’m afraid of heights!” Kermit declared.

Evan rolled his eyes. “It isn’t that high. Just climb up, and—”

“I can’t!” Kermit whined. “Really!”

“I’ll do it.” Andy ran to the ladder. Kermit held it steady for her.

Evan watched her scramble up. The Monster Blood bobbed and plopped in the can. The clouds rolled away from the moon. It was definitely bright blue, Evan saw.

And definitely trying to raise itself out of the can.

Andy climbed up to the gutter. Holding the ladder with her right hand, she reached out to the lid with her free hand.

Reached… reached…

And the wind blew the lid from the gutter.

“Noooo—!” Andy screamed. She grabbed for it.

Lost her balance.

Grabbed the sides of the ladder with both hands.

The lid spun crazily in the air. Then it swooped down to the grass.

“I’ve got it!” Kermit cried. He dove for it and grabbed it in one hand.

“Yes!” Evan cried happily. “Put it on the can — quick!”

Andy carefully lowered herself rung by rung.

She reached the ground, turned, breathing hard, and hurried back to Evan.

Kermit came running over with the lid.

But before he reached Evan, a voice rang out from the yard across from his.

“Hey — what’s going on?”

Evan looked up to see Conan running across the grass.

“Oh, no!” Evan moaned, and the Monster Blood can fell out of his hand.