The Slime That Would Not Die by Laura Dower Page A

together.”
    â€œI’m a little freaked out,” Stella said. For the first time ever, she sounded unsure.
    â€œYeah? Well, I’m leaving,” Damon said. He tried to wiggle out of his seat but he couldn’t unlatch the buckle. I could understand why he wanted out of that place.
    But, deep down, I kind of hoped this whole speech was the real deal. Helping Oswald Leery hunt down B-Monsters would be one hundred times cooler than making B-Monster movies of my own. We had to stay, no matter what. We had to help.
    â€œDamon!” I said. “Remember the slime in Mr. Bunsen’s classroom?”
    â€œIt’s kind of hard to forget that ,” Damon said. “It smelled like feet .”
    â€œDon’t you think we should investigate where that slime came from—and where our teacher went?” I asked pointedly.
    â€œWe’re in the fifth grade, Jesse. We’re kids, not monster exterminators.”
    Stella narrowed her eyes. “I’m getting ready to exterminate you , Damon.”
    â€œCan’t we be both things?” I asked.
    â€œI know it seems incredible,” Walter added. “But you four really can help save the world from the B-Monsters.”
    â€œI can’t even save my allowance,” Lindsey cracked.
    â€œDr. Leery would never have enlisted your help if he didn’t think you could do it. Everything goes back to the movies, and you four know them better than anyone,” Walter said. “Now you have the resources and objects of the castle at your disposal, too.”
    I didn’t know what to say. None of us did.
    â€œThink it over,” Walter said. “Go home and sleep on it. Take your time and see if you’re ready to be the Monster Squad—or not.”
    It was very late by now. The sun had gone down. Walter offered us a ride in his limousine so we wouldn’t have to take the bus back home alone. He pulled the car in the driveway and scurried back to lock up the castle.
    The darkness gave me the creeps. The car’s motor chugged. All around us were these enormous dark puddles. It must have poured rain while we were inside the castle watching Leery.
    â€œDo you smell that?” I asked the others. There was that rotten stink again, the same one I’d smelled in our kitchen at home. I noticed a faint glow in the limousine’s tinted windows.
    â€œOh, no!” I cried. “Get away from the car! Quick!” We turned and ran behind some bushes. Before we could even count to ten, an enormous wave of slime shot straight up out of the limousine’s moon roof—like a geyser.
    â€œGet away from the car!” I wailed. “It’s bigger than before!”
    â€œThat’s sooo disgusting!” Lindsey said.
    â€œI think I see teeth!” Damon said.
    â€œWait! Are those ears ?” Stella asked aloud.
    The green goo had risen up into the air and begun to take on several human qualities—including ears and arms! It towered over the limousine and the driveway.
    â€œWe have to make a run for it,” I said.
    â€œTo the castle!” Stella said.

    We rushed out from behind the bushes, but it was no use. The slime was so much bigger than all of us and it was blocking the way back inside. Damon started running away from the driveway. We followed him.
    â€œWait! Wait!” I said, stopping after a minute or so. “Where are we going? We have to face the B-Monster, not fear it!”
    â€œAre you nuts?” Lindsey asked. “What do we face a tower of slime with, Jesse? Obviously it wants to eat us.”
    The slime gurgled loudly. It was growing even bigger in the darkness—and man , that thing was ugly. It looked hungry.
    â€œThis is bad,” Lindsey said.
    Slimo reached out for us with long, spindly, slimy fingers.
    â€œRuuuuuuun!” Damon cried. “While we still have the chance!”
    â€œNo, we can’t run,” Stella said, getting tough.