Chameleon Chaos Read Online Free PDF Page A

camouflaged against the rope.
    SO! Petty’s chameleon S.W.I.T.C.H. spray did work!
Josh thought to himself. He looked at the pincer-like hand in front of him as it clenched the twisted cord of the rope and pulled him up. It was scaly and brilliantly efficient at grasping handholds. His arms were very strong and had no difficulty in hoisting his body weight higher, supported by equally strong and agile legs and a fabulous tail which wrapped around the rope and steadied him as he climbed. He was currently pale brown in color, but he knew this was only because he had S.W.I.T.C.H.ed while on the rope. With his amazing 360-degree eyeballs he could watch the rope above him and see the boys over on the bar, racing up and down it as Miss Mellor timed them. Two of the boys were looking a bit confused, though—and worried. Billy and Jasonkept glancing up and then around the room—then looking at each other with expressions which clearly said, “Where has the bug freak gone?”

    Josh smiled and chuckled to himself. He wasn’t sure why, but this was the most relaxing S.W.I.T.C.H. he’d ever had. He was really enjoying the feeling of strength that flowed through his reptilian muscles.
I’m a Meller’s chameleon!
he realized, recognizing the horn on his nose and the crest along his spine.
I can grow up to two feet and I can change color and I can catch prey with my tongue! Woo-hoo! And … I can climb! I can REALLY climb. Chameleons are tree dwellers—theyhardly ever come down to the ground!
He just wished Danny were here to share all this information with him—even though he would almost certainly call him a nature nerd.
    Hmmm—Danny. Josh paused in his climbing, and his eyeballs rolled in all directions, taking in the whole school hall. No sign of his twin. He guessed that Danny might also have S.W.I.T.C.H.ed by now. He could be anywhere. Maybe the receptionist was screaming or phoning for the RSPCA to come and collect his brother right now.
    Josh carried on climbing. It seemed like the best thing to do. He was so high now he could see the ceiling tiles in great detail.
I’ve never climbed this high up before!
he marveled to himself. I
always tried to … but I always ended up sliding down
. He remembered the last time he’d really tried to get up the ropes. He’d made it as far as halfway, thanks to a boost from Danny when Miss Mellor wasn’t looking—and then he’d just slid down and ended up with nasty rope burns on his arms and palms and the soles of his bare feet. Mom had put antiseptic cream on them when he got home.

    Josh suddenly froze on the rope, just as it connected to the long metal rung. Wait a minute! Bare feet … burning … why was that familiar? In a flash, the clue from the Mystery Marble Sender was in his head.
    CLUE 2: GO WHERE MANY FEET ARE BARE. RISE TO THE LIGHT. SLIP AND YOU WILL BURN.
    Many bare feet! There were at least twenty-six pairs of bare feet running around this hall now! And if you slipped on the rope (if you weren’t a chameleon, of course) you would get rope burns! And … rise to the light? He tilted back his horned nose and rolled his eyeballs towards the ceiling. He was rising all right.
And
there were lights up here. Six of them!
    He felt a surge of excitement in his scales as much as in his heart. They seemed to ripple and go a little pink. The hall light shades were square and flat, like shallow boxes made of white glass, hanging from metal struts. Once a year the caretaker got up on a special ladder to empty out all the dead moths and flies which collected in them. You could easily hide a marble in one.
    Josh climbed onto the thick metal bar and made his way along to the far end of the frame. The nearest light was quite close by. He could almost reach across … Below him, the PE lesson went on. The thuds and shouts and Miss Mellor’s shrill whistle made his head vibrate a little, but he