Body Switchers from Outer Space Read Online Free PDF Page A

the pipe out of his mouth. “Howdy, son,” he greeted, smiling like an advertisement. He stuck the pipe back into his mouth.
    This was too weird! Nobody had parents like this.
    â€œMom,” whined the other Chad, “Chad-One is late again!”
    â€œChad-One, how many times have I told you tocome straight home after school?” Even though she was frowning and trying to sound mean, she still sounded sweet.
    Chad-One! What kind of name was Chad-One? “Uh—a lot?” I ventured.
    â€œTwenty-seven,” Mom stated. “More often lately. Young man, you will have to start behaving better!”
    â€œYes, ma’am,” I said. It seemed like the right thing to say.
    â€œNow, help Chad-Two set the table!”
    Chad-Two? I should have guessed. Boy, these were the dumbest twin names I had ever heard! Hey, maybe we were clones. With all the equipment in the shed, anything was possible. Maybe Chad-Three and Chad-Four would pop out of a closet any minute!
    Why didn’t Chad, er, Chad- One warn me? How did he expect me to keep up the act with all this weirdness around me?
    â€œHey, it’s his turn, Mom!” Chad-Two complained. That was the first normal thing I’d heard so far. Pepper and I always fight over chores.
    Mom just kept smiling. “Why don’t you both do it? Supper’s almost ready!” That kind of sounded like something my mom would say. Maybe things weren’t as strange as I thought.
    Muttering and griping, Chad-Two led the way into the other room, which turned out to be a dining room.
    He opened cupboards and drawers, taking outplace mats, silverware, and cloth napkins. I followed him, doing exactly what he did.
    The whole time we were setting the table, Chad-Two hounded me with questions. It was like the third degree. “What did you do in school today? Did any of the kids do anything interesting? What did you learn? Anything in social studies? What did Mr. Sirk make you do in gym? What about Ms. Hartman? Did you make any significant observations about students at each end of the spectrum?”
    Most of these questions I could answer, but I couldn’t figure out that last one.
    â€œSignificant observations about students at each end of the spectrum?” I repeated.
    â€œAny deviations from the norm for Will Kennedy?”
    â€œWhat?” I was so startled I dropped a spoon.
    Of course, since I was in Chad’s body, I caught the spoon before it hit the floor. Chad-Two had his back to me and didn’t notice.
    â€œHe spill anything at lunch?”
    â€œDropped his milk,” I told him. Which was true. Of course.
    â€œWhat about Lance Holloway?”
    Other than Chad, Lance is the coolest kid in school. He even wears sunglasses most of the time. My guess is he’s sneaking in some nap time during class. Who could tell behind those shades?
    â€œNothing significant,” I said, hoping that was a good enough answer.
    Just then Mom came in carrying a big brown bowl with a cover on it. She set it in the middle of the table.
    Dad, still sucking on the unlit pipe, came out of the kitchen carrying a covered pot. It must have been hot; he was using pot holders. He put it on the table, too.
    Mom smiled and went back to the kitchen. I heard the refrigerator open and close. Then she came back in carrying a big green plastic container.
    Dad went and got a pitcher of something.
    Everyone smiled at everyone else.
    It was so creepy! Definite sitcom damage, I thought.
    I waited until the others picked chairs and then took the one that was left. As soon as we were all settled, Mom reached out and snapped the cover off the brown bowl.
    â€œEveryone serve yourself,” she said cheerily.
    I stared into the bowl. I couldn’t believe my eyes.
    There in the soupy yellow liquid floated little brownish-purple creatures.
    As if that weren’t disgusting enough, the critters began waving their tentacles in the air.
    Dinner was