Monster Blood IV by R. L. Stine Read Free Book Online Page A

he could come up with a
good explanation.
    “My flowers—!” Aunt Dee cried.
    “I… uh… I heard someone out here,” Evan started. “But…”
    I’m a terrible liar, he told himself. I’d better not even try to make up a
story.
    “Get in the house—this instant!” his aunt growled. “I’m going to have a
long talk with your parents when they get back. I’m very disappointed in you,
Evan. Very disappointed.”
    “Sorry,” Evan gulped. He obediently slunk into the house.
    Aunt Dee was talking angrily, scolding him, asking him what he was doing
outside.
    But he didn’t hear her. He was thinking about the two bulging, throbbing bags
of blue Monster Blood creatures in the basement.
    We’ll get rid of them in the morning, he told himself. Then everything will
be okay. Right?
    Right?
    Right. He answered his own question.
    Aunt Dee scolded Evan for a few minutes more. Kermit was already tucked into
bed when Evan finally entered the darkened bedroom.
    Evan stepped into the room and closed the door behind him. “Did you lock up
the bags somewhere?” he whispered.
    “No problem,” Kermit replied sleepily. He yawned. “All safe and sound.”
    Evan got undressed quickly, letting his clothes fall to the floor. He began
to feel sleepy too. The battle against the blue blobs had worn him out.
    He sighed.
    Tomorrow will be better, he thought. I’ll be able to think more clearly in
the morning. I’ll figure out a way to get rid of all the Monster Blood
creatures.
    He pulled the covers down a few inches and slid into the foldout bed. He
settled in. Rested his head on the pillow.
    Then he felt the cold, wet creature on his back.
    And he started to scream.

 
 
19
     
     
    The dampness spread over the back of Evan’s pajamas. The cold chilled him
until his skin prickled.
    He leaped up. Whirled around. Let out another cry as the lights flashed on.
    He stared down at a wet washcloth on his sheet.
    And heard Kermit’s high-pitched giggle.
    “Kermit—you jerk!” Evan cried.
    His cousin stood by the light switch, shaking with laughter.
    “Kermit—do you really think this was the best time to play such a mean
joke?” Evan demanded, his heart still pounding.
    Kermit shrugged. “Guess not.” Then he started giggling all over again.
    Evan angrily grabbed up the cold, wet washcloth and heaved it at his cousin.
“Let’s get some sleep,” he growled. “We have a lot to do tomorrow. And it’s no
joke.”
     
    * * *
     
    Evan dreamed about blue balloons. There were dozens of them in the dream, and
they grew bigger and bigger.
    The balloons floated above him, their long strings hanging down. Evan tried
to capture the balloons by grabbing the strings.
    But as he held on, the strings turned into wriggling snakes.
    Evan tried to let go, but the snakes wrapped around his hands. And the huge
blue balloons lifted him off the ground and carried him higher and higher—until they popped.
    And he woke up.
    Morning sunlight washed into the bedroom. Evan felt tired and shaky, as if he
hadn’t slept at all. He glanced across the room at his cousin.
    Kermit had kicked all his blankets off onto the floor. He slept at the foot
of his bed, twisted like a pretzel.
    He probably had bad dreams too, Evan thought.
    He spotted the wet washcloth on the floor.
    Good! Evan said to himself. Kermit deserves bad dreams!
    But as he pulled on jeans and a sweatshirt, a heavy feeling of dread swept
over Evan.
    The Monster Blood creatures. They were down in the basement. Waiting.
    How can we get rid of them? Evan asked himself. Should we tell Aunt Dee?
Should we call the police?
    He stared at himself in the mirror as he brushed his teeth. His eyes were
bloodshot. He had dark circles around them.
    He shook Kermit’s shoulders and woke him up. “Huh?” Kermit groaned. He
squinted hard at Evan, as if he didn’t recognize him.
    “Wake up,” Evan ordered. “We have a job to do—remember?”
    Kermit blinked several times. Without his big