Attack of the Alien Mole Invaders! by Tony Abbott

Potadio. “We’ll never win.”
    Suddenly, tiny sparks began to shoot off the wires connecting the vegetable to the radio.
    Zzzz! Sput! Sput! The sparks flashed white, blue, and red and rippled along the wires.
    The potato began to twitch on the table.
    â€œHey!” Mike leaned over. “What’s going on?”
    The radio’s speaker began to crackle and hiss. Then it made a sound. “Pssssst!”
    â€œHuh?” Mike put his ear to the speaker.
    â€œPssst!” the thing hissed again. Then the potato twitched a little. Then it spoke. “Hey, Mike!”
    Mike’s eyes went wide. His mouth fell open.
    â€œYeah, kid, I’m talking to you!” the potato hissed. “Your name’s Mike, right?”
    â€œYeah … but … you’re … you’re … a …”
    â€œWell, I’m not a grapefruit!” chuckled the potato. “Listen, thanks for zapping me with all these wires and stuff. And that camera flash gave me a jolt of juice, too. Boy, I feel like a million bucks!”
    â€œUh-huh,” said Mike, wondering if he was really hearing what he thought he was hearing.
    â€œHold on to your hat, Mikey boy,” the potato said. “And watch this!”
    Mike saw the vegetable’s rough, brown skin wrinkle all over then stretch out, as if the potato were taking a deep breath!
    All of a sudden— Krrippp! —the gash on the top of the potato split open! Underneath the rough skin was a ripply pink blob. It pushed itself up and began to throb. It bulged. It stretched.
    â€œIs that a …?” gasped Mike. “What is it?”
    â€œWell, it’s not my flavorful cheesy topping!” snorted the Potadio. “Now watch what happens when I do this!” The pink bulge began to turn purple as the potato groaned and twitched.
    Suddenly, Rock Storm screamed out. “The winner is—is—is—ungh!— the Potadio!”
    â€œWhoa!” shrieked Mike, jumping up and down. “I can’t believe it! This is so cool!”
    At that moment, Principal Bell, Miss Lieberman, Rock Storm, and all the other teachers rushed down from the stage and crowded around Mike and his Potadio.
    They slapped their ears and began to sing.
    Oh, wondrous Potadio,
    Not just a radio,
    But so much more!
    â€œWhat? What?” Liz stammered, squeezing through the crowd. “Everyone’s gone Zoner!”
    And the Zoners sang a second verse!
    Oh, don’t you nibble
    This veg-a-tibble!
    He’s so much more!
    The potato’s pink bulge went purple again.
    Suddenly, Rock Storm’s head jerked back. He raised the microphone to his lips. “Yes, master!” he murmured. “At once, master!”
    The announcer grabbed Liz’s skateboard, jumped on, started the motor, and roared off through the tables.
    â€œHey!” cried Liz. “He’s stealing my project!”
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All rights reserved, including without limitation the right to reproduce this ebook or any portion thereof in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of the publisher.
    This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, events, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
    Copyright © 1996 by Robert Abbott
    Cover design by Connie Gabbert
    ISBN: 978-1-4804-8654-6
    This edition published in 2014 by Open Road Integrated Media, Inc.
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New York, NY 10014
www.openroadmedia.com