42 - Egg Monsters from Mars Read Online Free PDF Page A

I replied.
    “Maybe it’s some kind of mistake,” Anne suggested. “A freak of nature. You
know. Like you!” She laughed.
    Anne has a great sense of humor.
    She poked the egg creature again. The creature let out a soft wheeze of air.
“Maybe you discovered a new species,” Anne suggested. “A whole new kind of
animal that’s never been seen before.”
    “Maybe,” I replied. That was an exciting idea.
    “They’ll name it after you,” Anne teased. “They’ll call it the Dodo!” She
laughed again.
    “You’re not being very helpful,” I said sharply.
    And then I had an idea.
    “Know what I’m going to do with it?” I said, cupping it carefully between my
hands. “I’m going to take it to that little science lab.”
    She narrowed her eyes at me. “What science lab?”
    “You know that little lab,” I replied impatiently. “The one on Denver Street.
Just three blocks from here.”
    “I don’t hang out at weird little science labs,” Anne said.
    “Well, I don’t, either,” I told her. “But I’ve passed by that lab a million
times, riding my bike to school. I’m going to take this thing there. Someone
will tell me what it is.”
    “I’m not going with you,” Anne said, crossing her skinny arms in front of her
chest. “I have better things to do.”
    “I didn’t invite you,” I sneered.
    She sneered back at me.
    I think she was jealous that I found the mysterious creature and she didn’t.
    “Please get me the shoe box,” I said. “I left it in your kitchen. I’m going
to ride my bike over to that lab right now.”
    Anne went inside and came back with the shoe box. “It’s all sticky inside,”
she said, making a disgusted face. “Whatever that thing is, it sure sweats a
lot.”
    “Maybe your face scared it!” I declared. My turn to laugh. I’m usually the
serious one. I don’t get off too many jokes. But that was a pretty good one.
    Anne ignored it. She watched as I lowered the creature into the box. Then she
raised her eyes to me. “You sure that isn’t some kind of wind-up toy? This thing
is all a big joke—isn’t it, Dana?”
    I shook my head. “No way. It’s no joke. I’ll stop by later and tell you what
the scientists at the lab say about it.”
    I fit the lid on the shoe box. Then I hurried to the garage to get my bike.
    I couldn’t wait to get to the science lab.
    As it turned out, I should have stayed as far away from that place as
possible.
    But how could I know what was waiting for me there?

 
 
12
     
     
    “Look out!”
    Anne’s stupid sheepdog ran in front of my bike just as I started down the
driveway.
    I jammed on the hand brake. My bike squealed to a sharp stop—and the shoe
box nearly toppled off the handlebars.
    “Stubby—you moron!” I shrieked.
    The dog loped off across the backyard, probably laughing to himself. I think
Stubby gets a real thrill by tripping me up whenever he sees me.
    I waited for my heart to stop thudding in my chest. Then I steadied the shoe
box on the handlebars.
    I started pedaling along the street, steering with one hand, keeping the
other hand on top of the box.
    “The scientists at the lab have got to know what this thing is,” I told
myself. “They’ve got to.”
    I usually speed down my street. But this morning I pedaled slowly. I stopped at each corner to make sure no cars were
coming.
    I tried to steer away from bumps in the street. But my street has a lot of
potholes. Each time I hit a bump, I could hear the egg creature bouncing
inside the carton.
    Just don’t bounce out, I thought.
    I pictured it bouncing out of the box, dropping onto the street, and being
run over by a car.
    I stopped to balance it better on the handlebars. Then I began pedaling
slowly again.
    Some kids from school were starting up a softball game on the playground on
the next block. They called to me. I think they wanted me to join the game.
    But I pretended I didn’t hear them. I didn’t have time for softball. I was on
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