Night of the Giant Everything by R. L. Stine Read Free Book Online

shield myself as two flies buzzed around my head. The flies were as big as bats!
    I could see Ava’s house across the street. I could usually run there in less than a minute. But now, her house seemed a mile or two away. And the sloping front lawn looked like a mountain.
    A funny thought flashed into my mind. Maybe my cousin Mindy’s rock-and-roll Ken doll came with a little motorcycle. I could ride it across the street to Ava’s house.
    Of course, it was a stupid idea. There was no way I’d risk going back into my house to find out.
    But riding would definitely be better than walking.
    I turned and lowered myself off the stoop, one step at a time, the way I’d climbed down the stairs.
    The shortest way was right down the center of the lawn. But the grass was tall—up to my waist. I moved into it, brushing the high blades away with my shoulder.
    The grass bent easily. But the sharp edges of the blades scratched my face and hands as I pushed my way toward the sidewalk.
    It was slow going. The air grew cooler. The sky darkened to purple.
    I was about a third of the way down the front lawn when my foot caught on something. I stumbled. Lurched forward. Both feet kicked only air.
    And I fell into a deep darkness. A pit. Hidden by the grass.
    A deep hole.
    “Hey!” I landed on both feet. My hands shot out and touched a cool, damp wall of dirt.
    I glanced up. The hole was deep. But I could probably climb the dirt wall.
    Something poked my back.
    I let out a startled cry. I spun around. Too dark to see.
    Something poked my chest.
    I reached out both hands. And felt something sticky and wet.
    Something warm.
    And alive.

20
    I jerked my hands back. Squinting hard, I struggled to see what was sharing the hole with me.
    It rubbed my face. It was wet and slimy. My skin prickled.
    I felt it wrap itself around my neck. It smelled strong, like dirt. And its skin was wet and wrinkly and gluey.
    It slid away, leaving my skin wet. It raised itself in front of me.
    And in the dim evening light, I saw what it was—a worm.
    Just a common earthworm. Not too frightening—unless you are six inches tall!
    To me, it was as big as a python.
    It curled around my waist. I grabbed its slimy, wet middle. I struggled to pry it off. But I couldn’t budge it.
    I shot both hands out and felt something above my head. Looking up, I realized it was a root. Some kind of underground tree root.
    I gripped it with both hands.
    I swung myself up onto the root. Then I squirmed and thrashed and kicked till the worm finally loosened its grip.
    I tugged myself up the root. Grabbed the dirt wall with both hands. And scrambled up the side of the hole.
    Gasping for breath, I dove into the grass. I lay there panting for a long time. I kept glancing back to see if the giant worm would follow me. But it stayed down in the hole.
    I stood up on shaky legs. My glittery Ken jumpsuit was soaking wet from worm slime. I tried to brush dirt off the front. But it clung to the sticky fabric.
    I knew I would totally gross out Ava. But I didn’t care. It was all Ava’s fault that I was in this frightening mess.

    A short while later, I stepped out of the grass and onto the sidewalk. Across the street, the lights were on in Ava’s house.
    A car rolled past. The headlights blinded me. I shut my eyes and waited for the circles of light to fade.
    I opened my eyes. The street was dark again. Could I make it across the street before another car came by?
    I took a deep breath. I tensed my whole body. I knew I had to run faster than I’d ever run inmy life. If a car came down the block, there was no way the driver would see me.
    I looked up and down the street again. Silent and dark.
    Here goes.
    My plastic shoes scraped the pavement as I began to run across the street. It wasn’t a big street, but it looked as long as a football field to me!
    I leaped over pebbles. I swung my arms and leaned forward as I ran.
    I was halfway across, running hard, when I heard voices.
    I stopped in