Night of the Giant Everything Read Online Free PDF Page A

bedspread for a minute or two, struggling to catch my breath. I waited for my arms and legs to stop aching from the climb.
    Pushing myself up to my knees, I let out a sad sigh. I suddenly pictured myself jumping out of bed in the morning. Or, sitting on the side of the bed, my feet resting on the floor.
    Would I ever be able to do those things again? Would getting into bed at night always be likeclimbing a tall mountain? Would Mom and Dad have to buy me some kind of baby bed or maybe a dog bed to sleep in?
    Crazy thoughts. But do you blame me?
    I shook myself, trying to force those thoughts away. And I crawled over to the phone.
    Up close, it appeared bigger than a suitcase. It’s a flip phone. So the first thing I had to do was flip it open.
    I gripped the lid with both hands and pushed. To my surprise, it swung up easily.
Yaaay!
    The screen lit up with my screen saver—a magician’s top hat with a rabbit poking out of it.
    I sighed again. My magic act at school killed. It was awesome. But then Ava and Courtney pulled the best trick of all—making me smaller than a rabbit.
    “You’ll be back, Steven,” I said out loud. “This can be fixed. You’ll be back, dude.”
    I was trying to cheer myself up. But it didn’t work.
    I had to call Ava. I had to know what chemicals she and Courtney put in that cup.
    I bent over the phone and lowered my hands to the keyboard. The keys were gigantic—as big as my mom’s pancakes.
    I leaned forward and started to push Ava’s number.
    “Unnnh.”
I groaned as I tried to push the speed-dial button down. It didn’t budge.
    I leaned closer and spread both hands over it. Then I shoved my hands down with all my strength.
    No.
    Not happening.
    My little hands weren’t strong enough to push the key down.
    Now what?
    Now what?
    I pounded both fists on the button. Pounded furiously. But it wouldn’t click.
    I could feel my panic start to choke my throat. I froze staring down at the giant phone keys. Suddenly, I had an idea.

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    I climbed to my feet and stepped onto the phone.
    My plastic shoes squeaked as I walked onto the keyboard. I stood on Ava’s speed-dial key. Leaped up—and stomped down on it with all my strength.
    Beep.
The number clicked.
    Then, breathing hard, I jumped on the send key.
    A few seconds later, I could hear the ring. It was so loud, I nearly fell off the phone.
    It rang once … twice …
    I heard a
click.
And then Ava’s voice. A roar in my tiny ears.
    “Steven? Hello?”
    “Ava—you’ve got to help me!” I cried.
    A pause. Then Ava’s booming voice again: “Hello? Steven? Is that you?”
    “Ava—listen to me!” My voice came outsqueaky like a mouse. I tried to shout louder. “I need help! I need you to help me!”
    “Steven — I can’t hear you,” Ava said. “Are you there? I know it’s you, Steven. Your name came up. Is this a joke?”
    “No, Ava—please —” I begged. “Listen harder. It’s not a joke. It’s me.”
    “It’s a bad connection,” she said. “I can’t hear a thing. Call me back.”
    “NO!” I screamed. “I can’t call you back! It’s too hard. I need your help!”
    “Steven? Are you there?
Say
something!” she shouted. “You’re not funny.”
    And then, a deafening
click.
Like a clap of thunder.
    Ava hung up on me.
    I dropped to my knees on top of the phone. My head still rang from Ava’s loud voice.
    Now what? Wait for Mom and Dad to help me?
    I suddenly remembered they were going to be out late tonight. I was supposed to walk to my cousin Mindy’s house and have dinner there.
    Mindy could help me. But wait. Her house was at least eight or nine blocks away. At my new size, that could take me
days!
    Ava lived across the street. A much shorter walk.
    Could I make it to Ava’s house? I had no choice. I had to risk it.
    My first problem—getting down from the bed. I gazed at the floor again. A mistake. A wave of dizziness made me sit down.
    Too far to jump. Even with the shag rug beneath me, I could break