Floors #2: 3 Below by Patrick Carman Read Free Book Online

the tree only moments ago.
    “You’re fast,” Leo said.
    “Not as fast as the Leprechauns. They’re like lightning. Only one way now,” she said.
    Remi was actually laughing pretty hard, because the thing they later learned about Leprechaun monkeys was that they were completely harmless. They had no claws or teeth, so they could gum you to death, but that was about it. Mostly it just tickled when they clawed, scratched, or bit.
    The pint-size woman reached into the duck elevator and started grabbing orange tails. Each time she got ahold of one, she flicked her arm over her head like she was cleaning out a closet. Leprechauns are also incredibly light, Leo soon discovered, because he was asked to help. They weighed about two pounds and didn’t have any claws to hold on with, so they really flew when they were tossed.
    “Are they going to be okay?” Leo asked.
    “Oh, sure, they love being tossed around. They live for this stuff,” the woman said. She had eyes too big forher head, like the monkeys, and big teeth. They were down to the last four monkeys when she took one by the tail and spun it over her head like a lasso. When she let go, Leo was almost sure he heard the flying creature say “Wooooohooooooo!”
    “Those little guys are hungry ,” said Remi, sitting up as the last of the monkeys, who also happened to be the very smallest, burrowed down into the pocket of his red jacket. He saw the small woman and went right to work with the questions. “Who are you? And why aren’t you feeding these monkeys?”
    The woman, her button nose having turned a little red with the effort, laughed.
    “You two must have parents with a million shares of Google stock. I haven’t had a guest down here in two years.”
    “Oh, we’re not guests,” Leo said. “I own the hotel now. I’m Leo. This is Remi; he’s the bellboy.”
    “And I’m Leo’s brother,” Remi said, getting up and finally all the way out of the duck elevator. “So technically, I think I’m like an heir to the throne or something like that. What did you say your name was?”
    “I didn’t,” the woman said. She had turned more cautious and curious, like maybe Leo and Remi couldn’t be trusted. Betty quacked a couple of times and cameout from behind a glob of hanging vines as Leprechauns moved out of her way.
    “Betty!” the woman said, softening noticeably. “You’re back!”
    She turned to the boys, the ice melting off her mood. “I haven’t seen this duck in a long time.”
    She finally said her name was Ingrid and waved Leo and Remi toward the great tree in the center of the underground room. Leo had never seen a tree as big or so full of monkeys; they were everywhere, their glowing green eyes staring down at them.
    “If he sent the duck, this must be serious,” Ingrid said when they arrived at the wide trunk. “Come on up, tell old Ingrid what’s going on. We’ll get it figured out.”
    “Is this really happening?” Leo asked Remi in a half whisper. Remi nodded, and both boys remembered how Merganzer had told them they would meet a person named Ingrid. Remi, for one, was glad that Merganzer had assured them Ingrid could help, but he was not excited about climbing the tree. Its roots alone presented a challenge, swarming all over the ground like boa constrictors. He tripped twice just getting to the first rung of the rope ladder.
    “How far up are we going?” Remi asked nervously. “Couldn’t we just talk down here where it’s safe?”

    “I think you’ll like it better up there. Best view in the whole place.”
    Ingrid tapped Betty on the head and laughed, then started up the rope ladder like she was related to the monkeys hanging in the trees. She could really move.
    An orange tail wrapped around Remi’s arm affectionately as he pet the little monkey in his pocket.
    “Looks like you found another small friend,” Leo said as he put his foot on the first rung.
    Remi looked down at the face staring back up at him —