Monsters Among Us!

by Mark Young

  Theremin leaned toward her. “Then you won’t mind if I use my lie-detector truth sensors on you?”

  Tootie shrugged. “Go ahead.” She held out her hands. “But what’s the big deal if I am lying?”

  “Because,” Shelly said, “the technology that Professor Leviathan uses is supposed to be for helping animals, not creating scary creatures for fun.”

  “Do you really think I would invent a terrifying monster and then release it on campus?” Tootie sniffed. She sounded hurt. Then she shrugged. “Sure, there was that one time when the Snack Shack was squished, but I took really good care of the monster I made for my Mad Science Fair project. I kept it on a leash and everything!”

  “I guess I believe you,” Shelly sighed, but she didn’t sound convinced.

  Tootie stood up and held her hands out again. “Then test me, Theremin. I’ll prove it to all of you.”

  “Goody,” Theremin said. He faced Tootie.

  Panels on each side of the robot’s head opened up, and two wiry mechanical arms sprang out. Cuffs at the end of each arm gripped Tootie’s wrists.

  Theremin’s eyes became swirling black spirals as he stared at Tootie.

  “Tootie Van der Flootin?” he asked. “Look into my eyes and hear only my voice.”

  “Sure thing, Theremin,” she said.

  A green beam of light shot from Theremin’s eyes and locked onto Tootie’s eyes.

  “Now tell me that you didn’t create this new monster,” Theremin instructed.

  “I did not create this new monster,” Tootie repeated calmly.

  Beeps and whirring sound came from inside his head. Then suddenly, the two mechanical arms released Tootie’s wrists and snapped back inside Theremin’s head.

  Shelly leaned into Theremin. “Well?”

  “No changes in alkaline levels, respiration, heart rate, or body odor,” Theremin reported. “She’s telling the truth.”

  “I told you!” Tootie pumped her fist.

  “Sorry, Tootie,” Shelly said.

  “You should know me better than that by now, Shell,” Tootie said.

  “Still friends?” Shelly asked meekly.

  Tootie nodded. “Yup. Especially if you let me finish my pancakes in peace.”

  “No problem!” Shelly said, and she, Newton, and Theremin took their places in the food line. A few minutes later they were seated at their usual table. Shelly was sipping a Super Smoothie, as Newton squeezed wiggly green glop from a large tube onto his plate, then just stared down at it.

  “Not interested in your kelp gel?” Shelly said.

  “I’m just not hungry,” Newton said as he pushed his plate away. “I’m still bummed out about my glitchy portal pass.”

  “I feel you,” Theremin said. “I’m bummed out all the time because, one: I won’t ever be able to see snow, and two: I’m me. But for you, you don’t have any memories and are trying to find out about yourself and your family. That must be even worse than me being me.”

  “It is,” Newton said. Then he thought of something that cheered him up a little bit. “Theremin, I have a feeling that you might get to see snow someday. Don’t lose hope.”

  Theremin sighed. “I wish you were right.”

  “EMERGENCY!” someone yelled.

  Suddenly, a giant hologram of Mumtaz’s head and upper body appeared near the cafeteria’s serving section.

  “Students, I’m declaring an emergency!” she boomed. “There are reports that a dangerous monster is somewhere loose in Franken-Sci High. These reports must be taken very seriously. If you see this creature, do not try to engage it. Back away slowly, exit the area, and report it to me immediately. Fortunately, Stubbins Crouch has been working on a new Monster Neutralizer device, and this is the perfect time to test it.”

  Mumtaz’s hologram flickered and was replaced by the image of what resembled a sinister-looking golf cart outfitted with a laser cannon, several mechanical claws, and multiple buttons and levers.

  “With quick action this threat to Franken-Sci High will be captured before the fourth period bell.”

  Then Mumtaz’s face reappeared. She smiled. “Have a great day!”

  The hologram collapsed into itself as Shelly gasped.

  “That wasn’t a monster-catching machine!” she cried. “That was a monster-destroying machine!”

  “It did look pretty serious,” Newton agreed.

  “We’ve got to stop Crouch from using it!” Shelly said. “For all we know, this so-called ‘dangerous’ monster might be completely harmless. After all, it hasn’t hurt anybody.”

  “Not yet,” Theremin said.

  “Maybe not ever!” Shelly said, shaking her head. “Honestly, I like Headmistress Mumtaz, but she’s overreacting. If I were in charge, I wouldn’t be sending out Crouch and his . . . his monster killing machine! I’d try to find a humane way to trap the poor creature and help it find somewhere safe to live.”

  “Why don’t you, then?” Theremin challenged her.

  Shelly’s eyes brightened. “You’re right, Theremin! I’ll make my own cruelty-free monster trap! And you guys can help me!” she cried. Then she jumped up from the table and ran off.

  Newton looked at Theremin. “Think we should follow her?”

  “We’d better,” Theremin replied. “When Shelly decides to do something, she doesn’t stop until it’s done!”

  CHAPTER 9

  MONSTER TRAP!

  As the rest of the campus was on high alert, Newton and Theremin spent the weekend in the Franken-Sci High Engineering Lab with Shelly as she worked feverishly on her humane monster trap. For hours she sketched different designs, mumbling to herself, and occasionally tossing out questions.

  “Theremin, can you do some calculations for me? Newton, think these air holes are large enough?”

  She refused to leave the lab, and the boys had to bring her food from the cafeteria or else she wouldn’t eat. Newton studied her the whole time, fascinated. He knew Shelly was so passionate about her project because she cared so much about helping the monster.

  Before I lost my memory, I wonder if I ever cared about anything as much as Shelly cares about her monsters and animals, he thought.

  Newton brushed the question away and picked up his tablet. Dozens of emergency announcements filled the screen.

  “There was another monster sighting this morning,” Newton read aloud. “In the gym.”

  “And Crouch . . . ?” Shelly asked, alarmed.

  Newton shook his head. “No luck. He hasn’t found a thing.”

  Shelly sighed with relief. “Good. Then we’ve still got time!”

  The next morning, Shelly was ready to build her trap, and Newton and Theremin had a lot more to do. Theremin used his eye lasers to cut the metal pieces, and Newton helped Shelly fuse them together.

  While they were working, Mimi dropped by the lab.

  “I see what you’re doing,” she said. “Building some thingamabob to spy on me!”

  Shelly turned off her molecular welding torch and rolled her eyes. “No, Mimi. We’re building a humane trap for the monster that’s on the loose. I’m going to save it before Crouch hurts it with his Monster Neutralizer.”

  Mimi’s eyes narrowed. “Well, la-dee-da, and if it works, wouldn’t you be the hero of the school?” she asked. Newton could tell from the sound of Mimi’s voice that she was jealous. She stepped closer to Shelly’s trap. “It looks too complicated to work.”

  “Actually, it’s a fairly simple design,” Shelly said, motioning to the large metal box they were constructing. “There will be bait inside, and when the monster steps in to investigate, it will trigger a door to slam shut behind it.”

  Shelly demonstrated by pressing on the floor inside the trap and then quickly pulling away before the door came sliding down. “See? I just need to sew together a big beanbag cushion so the monster is comfortable after it gets caught, and install soft lighting to keep it calm.”

  “We also need to figure out the bait,
” Newton said.

  “Yeah,” Shelly added, “every monster I’ve ever known has a sweet tooth, so the bait could be candy or something like that.”

  Mimi nodded. “Looks okay.”

  “Thanks, I think.” Shelly smiled.

  “Even though it’s amateurish,” Mimi sniffed. “I’d better be going,” she said. “I’ve got more important things to do.”

  As she exited, Mimi looked back over her shoulder and said, “Toodle-oo, Newton.”

  “Good-bye,” Newton replied.

  As Mimi disappeared out the door, Theremin mumbled, “She didn’t say good-bye to me.”

  “She doesn’t have a crush on you, Theremin,” Shelly said as she looked at Newton.

  Newton blushed. “Mimi does not have a crush on me.”

  “Come on, Newton, she asked you out on a date,” Shelly teased. “And you’re the only one in this school who she’s even remotely nice to.

  “If she wants to be nice to me, what’s wrong with that?” Newton asked with a shrug.

  “Nothing, but I didn’t like the look on her face when she left,” Theremin said. “I think she’s up to something.”

  “And Mimi is always up to something,” Shelly pointed out. “Okay, who wants to get me some gummy cockroaches from the vending machine upstairs? I think they’ll make great bait.”

  They worked into the night, until Shelly could barely keep her eyes open.

  “Come on,” Newton said, nudging her awake. “Let’s get some sleep. We can finish tomorrow after school.”

  Shelly nodded, yawning. “Okay. I just hope the monster is safe until then!”

  Monday morning, Newton, Shelly, and Theremin were walking to the school building when they saw an enormous crate being wheeled inside by two workers in green uniforms.

  “What is that?” Newton wondered.

  Just then, Mimi raced up. “Oh good! It’s here!” she announced.

  “What’s here?” Theremin asked.

  Mimi turned to them with a smug grin on her face. “It’s my monster-catching machine, that’s what!” she said. “The top scientists at my family’s company have been working on it since yesterday, and they shipped it here this morning through the portal.”

  Shelly’s eyes narrowed. “What? What do you want with a monster-catching machine?” she asked.

  “The same as you, of course,” Mimi said innocently. “There’s a poor, innocent monster-wonster out there wandering around the school grounds all alone. I just want to capture it safely. And if, by chance, I get all the glory and some kind of amazing award from the school and one of the buildings named after me, well, that’s just a bonus.”

  “Funny you didn’t mention this yesterday,” Shelly glared.

  “Can we see your machine?” Newton asked.

  “Absolutely!” Mimi said as she batted her eyelashes. Then she turned to the workers. “Open it up now!”

  The workers quickly pried open the crate, revealing Mimi’s monster-catching machine.

  It was a clear plastic cube that looked a lot like Shelly’s machine. Coiled springs extended from the sides, each with a shiny ball on the end.

  “The shiny balls will attract the monster’s attention,” Mimi explained. “When it gets close, it will smell the bait inside.”

  She pointed to round green pellets inside the trap. “My scientists formulated the perfect organic monster bait candy, based on all available data of monster dietary habits,” she said. “When the monster steps inside the trap, it triggers the door, trapping it inside.”

  Shelly put her hands on her hips. “You stole my design!”

  “Improved on your design, not stole,” Mimi replied, grinning. She pointed to a small metal device pinned to the side of her top. “And this will sound as soon as my monster . . . I mean, the school’s monster is trapped! Your trap can’t do that, can it, Shelly?”

  Shelly frowned. “Well no, but—”

  “Of course, you’re welcome to set up your trap if you want,” Mimi interrupted her. “Then we’ll see whose trap is better.”

  Shelly grabbed Newton by the arm.

  “Come on,” she said. “We’re getting my machine!”

  “What about class?” Newton asked.

  “Not important,” Shelly answered.

  “What about breakfast?” Theremin asked.

  “Less important,” Shelly said. “I’m not gonna let Mimi catch this monster first. No way.”

  Shelly, Newton, and Theremin raced back to the engineering lab. They put the finishing touches on Shelly’s monster trap. Then Theremin used his super robot strength to carry it up to the gym.

  “This is where the monster was last spotted,” Shelly explained as they walked. “So, it’s a good place to put the—”

  She stopped short. Mimi had already set up her machine at the gym entrance.

  “I guess you two had the same idea,” Newton said.

  “Uh-huh. Again,” Shelly said. “Come on, let’s try another spot. The monster might be hiding out in the basement. Let’s put my trap there.”

  By the time they got the machine set up, they had missed their morning classes, and it was time for lunch. When they got to the cafeteria, they saw Mimi surrounded by a crowd of frightened students as she described her monster trap.

  “The school will be safe any minute now,” Mimi was saying. “No monster will be able to resist my trap!”

  “That’s what she thinks,” Shelly muttered.

  Newton’s stomach was rumbling. “Can we get some food now?”

  “I’ll meet you at our table,” Theremin said, and he floated off.

  Shelly and Newton got on the lunch line. Newton read the menu. “Pineapple pizza,” he said. “What does that do? Boost brain power? Give you extra energy?”

  Shelly shook her head. “None of those things. It’s just the most diabolical thing you can do to pizza, adding pineapple to it. Only a mad scientist could have invented it.”

  They got their pizza and met Theremin at the lunch table. Newton settled in and took a bite.

  “Isn’t it awful?” Shelly asked.

  Newton shrugged. “No, I like it . . . maybe because I’m so hungry!”

  Shelly glared at Mimi. “No, I mean her! All those kids think she’s so great. And she stole my idea!”

  “I’ve been thinking about that,” Newton said. “She did steal your idea. But if she catches the monster safely, that’s all that matters, right?”

  Shelly frowned, then sighed. “You’re right, Newton. If it helps save the monster from Crouch, I’ll be happy.”

  As they bit into their pizza, an alarm sounded from the other side of the cafeteria. Then they heard Mimi shriek.

  “I did it! I caught the monster!” she cried. Arms waving over her head, she ran out of the cafeteria, followed by everyone at her table.

  Newton, Shelly, and Theremin looked at one another and then took off after the others.

  When they got to the gym, a crowd of kids had gathered around Mimi’s monster trap—and they were all laughing.

  “Let me through!” Mimi said, pushing her way through the crowd. “I caught the monster, it’s MINE! I want to see it!”

  The crowd parted, and Mimi gasped.

  Inside the monster trap, Professor Snollygoster was snoring loudly, sound asleep on a pile of comfy pillows. His mouth was stained green from the half-eaten green pellets in his hand.

  Mimi started banging on the cube. “Professor, wake up! Get out of there!”

  Newton looked over at Shelly, who was smiling for the first time all day.

  “Looks like you made the perfect trap, Mimi,” Shelly said. “The perfect trap for catching a tired professor with a sweet tooth!”

  Mimi glared at Shelly, turned back to the trap, and kept pounding against the plastic. “Professor! You’re trespassing!”

  “See?” Newton said as she gently jabbed Shelly. “I bet you’re going to catch the monster after all.”

  “I hope so,” Shelly said.
“Let’s go check on it.”

  Then the class bell rang.

  “I know I’m not usually the voice of reason,” Theremin piped up. “But maybe we shouldn’t miss any more classes today? No telling what Father will do if he finds out.”

  Shelly nodded. “You’re right. We can check the trap after school.”

  They all met in the basement after classes. The trap door was still open and the pile of gummy roach bait was still there.

  “We can come back and check later,” Theremin suggested.

  Shelly shook her head. “I’m gonna stay here,” she said. She pointed down the dim hallway. “I’m going to set up a secret observation post. If the monster appears from any direction, I’ll see it.”

  “Then, we’ll wait with you,” Newton offered.

  “Thanks but no. I’ll be okay.” Shelly said.

  “After everything you’ve done for me?” Newton said as he motioned to Theremin. “For us? We’re inseparable, we need each other, we’re a team.”

  “Besides,” Theremin added, “we don’t have anything better to do,”

  “Okay,” Shelly smiled. “Thanks!”

  They rigged up a hidden observation post with some big pieces of cardboard and discarded motherboards from the recycling pile. They sat on upside-down plastic buckets. Newton got snacks from the vending machine.

  Then they waited. And waited. And waited. But the mysterious monster didn’t appear. After a few hours Newton’s eyelids grew heavy, his head drooped, and he fell asleep. Shelly fell asleep too.

  “It’s a good thing that I don’t need to sleep,” Theremin boasted loudly, but his two friends didn’t stir. “Then again, I haven’t recharged my batteries lately, so—”

  Fffwaaaaaaap!

  A loud electronic sound echoed through the basement. Shelly and Newton bolted awake.

  “The trap!” Shelly cried. “Theremin, did you see anything?”

  Theremin shook his head. “I was too busy watching you guys sleep.”

  They crept out from their hiding place and slowly tiptoed toward Shelly’s trap. It shook, and a strange muffled sound came from inside the box.

  “Something’s in there!” Shelly whispered excitedly.