Monster Blood IV

8

Evan’s arms waved wildly. His legs wiggled and bent.

Kermit pushed the red button again. The buzzing stopped.

Kermit stared at Evan. “Sorry. Guess you shouldn’t be standing there.”

Evan took a deep breath and held it. He waited for his skin to stop tingling.

“You looked like you were dancing!” Andy exclaimed. She threw her arms up and wiggled her body, imitating Evan.

“Am I supposed to think that’s funny?” Evan asked weakly.

“Are you okay?” she asked. “Your hair is standing straight up on end!”

Evan pushed his hair down with both hands. But it popped right back up.

He glared at Kermit. “Any other great inventions?”

“Not right now,” Kermit replied. “You have to help me.”

“Help you do what?” Evan growled.

“Round up my mice,” Kermit said. He began crawling across the grass on his hands and knees. “Hurry! They are expensive lab mice. Mom will kill me if I lose them.”

Evan and Andy saw they had no choice. They dropped to their hands and knees and began crawling like Kermit.

“I don’t see any mice,” Evan whispered to Andy. “I think Kermit is in major trouble.”

He heard a heavy thumping sound behind him. He turned and saw Dogface, the big sheepdog, bouncing across the yard.

“No, Dogface!” Kermit cried. “No! Go home! Go home!”

Furiously wagging his stubby tail, the big dog leaped onto Evan, sending him sprawling on the grass.

“Dogface — you’re scaring the mice away!” Kermit wailed.

Ignoring Kermit’s desperate pleas, the dog made a wide circle, excitedly running round and round the yard, barking and wagging his tail.

“Hey — what’s going on?” an angry voice called. “Can’t you keep that dog quiet?”

Conan came leaping over the low bushes that separated the two yards. Then he ran about three steps — and stopped.

Evan heard a crackling sound. Then a loud BUZZ.

Conan’s eyes bulged. His hands shot up. His body twisted in a wild dance.

“Oh, wow,” Kermit murmured. “Didn’t I shut that off?”

He fumbled with the control unit. The buzzing stopped.

Conan took a few seconds to catch his breath.

Then he let out a furious roar. And dove at Evan.

“Wh-what are you going to do to me?” Evan stammered.