خون هیولا فصل بیست و سوم

Monster Blood Chapter 23

“Noooooo!”

Evan uttered an animal cry, a sound he had never made before—and rolled away as the quivering green ball bounced toward him.

“Run, Evan!” Andy screamed. She grabbed his hand and pulled him to his feet. “It’s alive!” she cried. “Run!”

The Monster Blood heaved itself against the garage wall. It seemed to stick there for a brief second. Then it peeled off, and came bouncing toward them with surprising speed.

“Help! Help!”

“Somebody—please— help !”

Screaming at the top of their lungs, Evan and Andy took off. Scrambling as fast as he could, his legs weak and rubbery from fear, Evan followed Andy down the driveway toward the front yard.

“Help! Oh, please! Help us!”

Evan’s voice was hoarse from screaming. His heart thudded in his chest. His temples throbbed.

He turned and saw that the Monster Blood was right behind them, picking up speed as it bounced across the yard, making disgusting squishing noises with each bounce.

Plop. Plop. Plop.

A robin, pulling at a worm in the grass, didn’t look up in time. The trembling green mass rolled over it.

“Oh!” Evan moaned, turning back to see the bird sucked into the green ball. Its wings flapping frantically, the bird uttered a final cry, then disappeared inside.

Plop. Plop. Plop.

The Monster Blood changed direction, still bouncing and quivering, and leaving white stains on the grass like enormous, round footsteps.

“It’s alive!” Andy screamed, her hands pressed against her cheeks. “Oh, my God—it’s alive !”

“What can we do? What can we do?” Evan didn’t recognize his own terrified voice.

“It’s catching up!” Andy screamed, pulling him by the hand. “Run!”

Gasping loudly, they made their way to the front of the house.

“Hey—what’s happening?” a voice called.

“Huh?”

Startled by the voice, Evan stopped short. He looked to the sidewalk to see the Beymer twins, matching grins on their beefy faces.

“My favorite punching bag,” one of them said to Evan. He raised his fist menacingly.

They took a few steps toward Evan and Andy. Then their grins faded and their mouths dropped open in horror as the gigantic green mass appeared, heading down the drive, rolling as fast as a bicycle.

“Look out!” Evan screamed.

“Run!” Andy cried.

But the two brothers were too startled to move.

Their eyes bulging with fear, they threw their hands up as if trying to shield themselves.

Plop. Plop. Plop.

The enormous ball of Monster Blood picked up speed as it bounced forward. Evan shut his eyes as it hit the twins with a deafening smack.

“Ow!”

“No!”

Both brothers cried out, flailing their arms, struggling to pull themselves free.

“Help us! Please—help us!”

Their bodies twisted and writhed as they struggled.

But they were stuck tight. The green gunk oozed over them, covering them completely.

Then it pulled them inside with a loud sucking pop.

Andy shielded her eyes. “Sick,” she muttered. “Oooh. Sick.”

Evan gasped in helpless horror as the Beymer brothers finally stopped struggling.

Their arms went limp. Their faces disappeared into the quivering gunk.

The sucking sounds grew louder as the two boys were pulled deeper and deeper inside. Then the Monster Blood bounced high, turned, and started back up the drive.

Andy and Evan froze, unsure of which way to head.

“Split up!” Evan cried. “It can’t go after us both!”

Andy returned his frightened stare. She opened her mouth, but no sound came out.

“Split up! Split up!” Evan repeated shrilly.

“But—” Andy started.

Before she could say anything, the front door of the house burst open, and Kathryn stepped out onto the stoop.

“Hey—what are you kids doing? What’s that ?” she cried, gripping the screen door, her eyes filling with horror.

Picking up speed, the giant ball bounded toward the stoop.

Kathryn tossed up her hands in fright. She stood frozen for a long moment, as if trying to make sense of what she was seeing. Then, leaving the front door wide open, she spun around and fled into the house.

Plop. Plop.

The Monster Blood hesitated at the front stoop.

It bounced in place once, twice, three times, as if considering what to do next.

Evan and Andy gaped in horror from across the lawn, trying to catch their breath.

A wave of nausea swept over Evan as he saw the Beymer twins, still visible deep within the quivering glob, faceless prisoners bouncing inside it.

Then suddenly, the Monster Blood bounced high and hurtled up the stairs of the stoop.

“No!” Evan screamed as it squeezed through the open doorway and disappeared into the house.

From the middle of the yard, Andy and Evan heard Kathryn’s bloodcurdling scream.

“It’s got Aunt Kathryn,” Evan said weakly.