by R. L. Stine
It’s happening. It’s starting to work.
My arms and legs ached. I could feel them growing!
The bell rang. I tried to jump up. But I was stuck in my desk! I squeezed myself free and grabbed my backpack from under my chair. The chairs suddenly looked a lot smaller.
My sneakers pinched my feet. It was hard to move. But I forced myself to run. I heard Bradley call me. I didn’t turn around.
I ran through the hall, my big feet pounding the floor. I wanted to get to the locker room and change before anyone saw me. Before anyone saw that I was growing taller by the minute.
My heart hammering in my chest, I burst into the locker room and ran up to the wall mirror. Oh, wow. I was at least a foot taller. How fast was I growing?
I flexed my muscles. I looked good! But, of course, I couldn’t enjoy it. No way I wanted to become a giant freak in front of everyone.
Maybe, I told myself, if I can get into the pool fast enough, I can hide my big body under the water. And no one will notice.
I pulled on my swimsuit. So tight. I could barely get my legs through it. I tossed a towel over my shoulders. I ducked down low. Walked stooping over.
Get to the pool, Matt. Get to the pool before anyone sees.
Almost to the pool door.
“Oh.” I let out a gasp as Coach Widdoes stepped in front of me. “Hey, Matt — stop right there,” he said. “You can’t go in the pool!”
I froze. I stared at the coach. I heard my shoulders pop. They were growing. Did he hear it, too?
A smile spread over Coach Widdoes’ face. “You can’t go in the pool without me wishing you good luck!” he said. He slapped me a high five. “We’re all counting on you, fella.”
I breathed a sigh of relief. I started past him.
But he put out a hand to stop me. “Hey, have you grown?” he asked.
I had to think fast. “Uh … yeah,” I said. “I’ve been trying to bulk up. Guess it’s working.”
I hurried out to the pool. The hot, steamy air greeted me along with loud voices and shouts. The team from Upper Fairmont was already taking practice laps in the water. Their coach was blowing his whistle, shouting encouragement to his swimmers.
I saw about twenty or thirty people in the bleachers at the far end. A few students. Mostly parents. I didn’t spot my mom. Maybe she got hung up, I thought.
I waved to a few of my teammates coming out of the locker room. Then I dove into the water. So far, no one had noticed how much I had changed.
I swam underwater for a lap, getting my body used to the temperature. Then I did the butterfly stroke, loosening up my arm muscles.
Halfway across the pool, I stopped. I started to tread water. I suddenly felt very strange.
I gazed at my hands. They were huge and growing bigger. Almost the size of a baseball glove!
I could feel my arms and legs stretching — like someone was tugging them out. My swimsuit felt stretched to the limit, about to pop off!
I was growing FAST now — so fast I could see it happening.
I lowered my feet to the pool bottom. I was standing at the six-foot level. And my head was still above water!
Oh, no!
I realized why this was happening. It came to me in a flash. My ivy plant. Monster Blood had dripped onto it. And then I watered it.
The plant grew huge after I’d watered it.
And now here I was in the water. And as soon as I hit the water, I started to grow really fast!
I raised my eyes to the bleachers. No sign of Mom.
Good! I thought. No way I want her to see me like this.
The teams were lining up for the first event, the 500-meter freestyle. My first event. I saw the official in his black-and-white-striped shirt fiddling with his starting gun.
Can I still swim?
That was my frightening thought. Am I too big to swim? Can I still do my normal strokes?
I lowered my head and began to practice my breaststroke. WOW! I couldn’t believe it! My speed was amazing. I felt so strong. I shot through the water like an attacking shark!
No human can swim this fast! I told myself. The pool suddenly appeared so tiny. I realized I could swim the length of the pool in four or five strokes!
No way I could lose. I was about to break every middle school swim record in history!
As long as no one sees this….
As long no one sees that I’m suddenly eight feet tall!
No time to worry about that. I floated into place between my teammates, Jake and Kenny. I bent my knees and hunched real low.
We flashed each other thumbs-up. Then we lowered our heads and got into position.
The starting gun roared, echoing off the tile walls.
The race began.
I kicked off from the pool wall and began to pull myself through the water. I reached the other wall in a few seconds and made my turn. The other swimmers were still only halfway across the pool.
I decided to take it easy on them. I swam in slow motion for a lap. But my arms were so powerful and my kicks had so much thrust, I burst forward like a rocket!
“This is AMAZING!” I couldn’t hold it in. I shouted the words out loud.
I never felt so fast — so POWERFUL — in my whole life! It was awesome! I was a rocket! A swimming MACHINE! The fastest swimmer in the world!
With three laps to go, I went into full speed. I sent up a tidal wave of water as I passed the other swimmers. How far behind were they? Two whole laps!
I could hear cheers and shrieks and cries of surprise from the bleachers. I glanced up and saw Coach Widdoes at the edge of the pool. He was bent with his hands on his knees, staring at me wide-eyed, his jaw hanging to the floor!
I made my turn and went into the final lap. World record, here I come!
“Ow! Hey!” I could feel myself slow down. My arm muscles began to ache.
My hands slapped the water, making loud claps. My big feet splashed up tall waves behind me. My arms … my shoulders … ached with pain.
I struggled to move forward. But I was bobbing on top of the water like a fat walrus!
What’s happening? I wondered. What’s wrong?
“Go! Go! Go!” I urged myself on.
Water washed through my hands as they clumsily slapped the water. My arms throbbed with pain. My kicks were sloppy, not strong enough to get me moving.
The other swimmers glided past me. I struggled to heave myself forward. But I was too heavy … too heavy to pull myself any farther. It took all my strength not to sink to the bottom.
I’m TOO BIG! I realized. I’m a huge, muscle-bound blob!
Swimmers passed me in a blur. Kenny raised his head and flashed me a confused glance as he swam past.
My chest ached. My legs throbbed with pain.
I knew I couldn’t go any farther. I didn’t have the strength.
Sucking a deep breath into my aching chest, I made one last, clumsy heave …
… and hit the pool wall!
It took a few seconds to hear Coach Widdoes’ shouts.
What was he saying? I won? Huh? Did I really win the race?
I kept my body low underwater and raised my head. And heard the deafening screams and cheers. “Matt — it’s unbelievable! You broke the all-time record!” Coach Widdoes shouted, staring at his stopwatch.
Kenny and Jake and my other teammates swarmed around me. They slapped me high fives, splashed and hugged me, and acted like total nuts.
Cameras flashed. The screams and cheers went on and on.
I shot my fists high above my head and let out a victory cry. Winning a swim match never felt this good!
My happiness lasted another few seconds.
Then I felt cold dread sweep down over my huge body. The cheers faded from my ears. My teammates became a noisy blur.
The judge was blowing his whistle. He was trying to clear the pool for the next event.
That was my first big problem. How do I get out of the pool without letti
ng everyone see that I’m eight or nine feet tall? If I climb out now, I thought, everyone will see that I’m a giant freak! A monster!
“Come on, Matt!” Kenny yelled as he headed for the locker room.
“Let’s go, buddy!” Coach Widdoes smiled.
“I’ll be right there.” I waved them both on. “Just need to, uh, loosen up my muscles. I’ve got a small … cramp.”
The pool emptied out quickly. The racers in the next event started to lower themselves into the water.
I had to move. I had to get out. But how?
I had an idea. A desperate idea.
I turned away from the crowd, kept to the side of the pool — and started walking to the deep end. I knew the pool was only eight feet deep. No problem. I was taller than that!
I walked to the deep end and glanced all around. No one watching me. They all had their eyes on the new swimmers. I climbed out and dove behind the bleachers. I stood there dripping water and listened for startled shouts. No. No one saw me.
Okay. Okay. I can do this, I told myself.
I slipped out the back door and made my way along the empty hall that led to the locker room. I could see the red locker room door just ahead.
Only a few feet to go.
Zzzzzzzzzip!
My tiny swimsuit ripped — and flew off!
I backed against the wall. Totally naked.
The red locker room door seemed a mile away.
And then … I heard voices — GIRLS’ voices! — in the hall … coming my way!
I lurched forward. My wet feet slipped on the floor. I stumbled into the door. Jerked it open — and disappeared into the locker room.
The lights were off. Gray evening light filtered in from a high window on the far wall.
The locker room was empty. Everyone was at the pool.
I made my way through the long row of lockers. I found my locker at the end. I had to bend way down to reach the combination lock. Hard to see the dial in the dim gray light.
I was alert to every sound. Water dripped in the shower room. A tree branch tapped at the window above my head. Kids were cheering another victory at the pool.
I opened my locker and snatched out my clothes. I raised my boxers and —
Too small.
They wouldn’t fit around one leg.
Trembling, still dripping water, I held up my jeans and T-shirt. They looked like doll clothes.
“How can I get home?” I asked myself out loud. The words seemed to hang in the damp locker room air. “I’m totally naked. How can I get home?”
My eyes landed on a stack of towels on a bench outside the shower room. I picked up two of them, tied them together, and wrapped them around my waist.
Okay. Okay. At least I’m covered.
But I still can’t walk home like this.
My mind raced. I felt so heavy and slow, as if I were still in the water.
I stepped up to the mirror. I was too tall to see my head without bending down! And was I still growing?
The thought sent a shiver down my body.
And then … I had an idea. Sometimes my scientific brain amazes even me!
Okay. This idea was desperate, maybe crazy. But once again, I pictured my ivy plant.
I was pretty sure it was water that made the Monster Blood work. When I watered the plant, it started to grow. And when I jumped into the pool, my body started to stretch like crazy.
So, what if I dried myself out?
Maybe I’d shrink. Maybe I could dry myself back to my normal size.
My heart started to thud with excitement and hope. This could work. It really could.
Someone once told me there were hair dryers in the girls’ locker room. I fumbled with the towels around my waist. Made sure they were good and tight.
Then I poked my head out into the hall. I heard shouts and cheers from the pool. No one in the hall.
My huge bare feet slapped the floor as I darted to the girls’ locker room. Carefully, I pulled the door open a crack and peeked in.
Please be empty. Please be empty.
“Anyone in here?” I called. I tried to whisper, but my big new voice boomed.
Silence. No reply.
“Yesss!” I crept into the long, dark room. My first thought: It didn’t smell sweaty and rank like the boys’ locker room.
The lockers were all shut. The room was neat and uncluttered, except for a blue backpack resting under one bench and a pair of red-and-white sneakers next to a wire trash can.
Wow. I never thought I’d be in here. I kept glancing all around. What would I say if someone caught me?
I hurried to the dressing room in the back. It had a row of sinks and a mirror that covered the wall. I saw two hair dryers hanging above the sinks.
My hand trembled as I pulled one off its hook. I checked to make sure it was plugged in. Then I clicked it on.
The hair dryer whirred to life. I felt the air grow hotter as it shot out of the nozzle.
Would this work? Was I a genius? Or had I totally lost my mind?
I turned the hot air blast onto my chest. I held it there until my skin started to burn.
I aimed it at my arms and shoulders for a while. Then bent down and gave my legs a blast of hot air. Then back to my chest.
Come on! Dry me! Dry me!
I gazed into the mirror. No. Nothing changed.
I was still a nine-foot giant holding a tiny hair dryer in my big paw.
“It HAS to work!” I screamed into the mirror.
I bent to dry my legs some more.
That’s when I heard the locker room door squeak open.
“Oh, no!” I gasped — and clicked off the hair dryer. I froze there with the dryer in one hand, the other hand gripping the towels around my waist.
And heard girls’ voices.
I darted away from the mirror and pressed myself against the wall.
Too late.
A girl called, “Hey! What are you doing in there?”
I pressed myself against the cold tile wall. I held my breath.
“What are you doing?” the girl repeated.
“I’m just getting my backpack,” another girl answered. “I left it in here after gym class.”
“Well, hurry, Caitlin. We’ve already missed half the swim meet.”
I didn’t breathe until I heard the door close behind them. Then I let out a long whoosh of air.
A close call.
I placed the hair dryer back on its hook. My big idea was a total flop. I tightened the towels around my waist.
I had to get help. I had to get home and think.
I crept through the school quickly and hurried out the back door. The sun had fallen behind the trees. The air was cool and damp.
Maybe, I thought, if I keep low behind hedges and bushes … Maybe I can get home without being seen.
* * *
Yes. I made it home.
I crept up to the kitchen door and peered through the window. No sign of Mom. I pushed open the door and jumped inside.
The kitchen was warm and smelled of chocolate. I was never so happy to be here.
I checked out the living room and the den. No one there. I knew Livvy was at her friend Martha’s house. Was Mom at the swim meet, waiting for me to compete in my next event?
I couldn’t think about that now. I had to think about only one thing: finding an antidote to the Monster Blood. Shrinking myself back to my good old five feet two.
The house looked so small. I knew I wouldn’t even fit at the kitchen table. I lumbered up to my room. My huge legs were still aching from my mad dash home.
I shut my eyes before I stepped into my room. Please, please let the ivy plant be back to its normal size.
No. It stretched along the ceiling, its big leaves shading the ceiling light.
My bed cracked as I dropped onto it. One of the legs fell off. I sighed. I was too heavy for my own bed.
Wait. Another idea.
Maybe Bradley could help
me. I remembered what he said when he first showed me the Monster Blood. The green plastic egg came inside a box.
Did Bradley save the box? Maybe it had instructions on how to get small again.
My cell phone sat next to my iPod docking station on the night stand. I grabbed it up and flipped it open. I knew Bradley’s cell number by heart.
I jabbed at the keys. Jabbed. Poked.
Oh, no.
My finger was too big. It hit three or four keys at once.
I let out an angry shout and heaved the phone against the wall.
I have to go next door and see him, I decided. But I can’t go in these towels.
I opened my closet. My eyes frantically raced over my clothes. All too small.
Then I remembered my dad’s big, old raincoat. He found it at a thrift shop and wore it as a joke. He always said it was big enough for two people!
Did Mom keep it? Was it still in the closet in the basement?
The stairs creaked and cracked under my weight as I lumbered downstairs. I found the old raincoat in the basement closet. It stunk of mothballs. But I didn’t care. I pulled it around me and tied the belt. The huge coat fit perfectly!
I pulled my bulky body up the stairs. My feet were so big, they poked over the steps.
“Bradley, I hope you’re home,” I muttered. “And I hope you kept that Monster Blood box.”
I pulled open the front door — and let out a shriek.
The two men dressed in black! They cried out, too, when they saw me. And backed off the stoop, gaping at me.
“You — you’re ten feet tall!” one of them gasped.
At first, I was startled to see them. Frightened. But I quickly realized they could help me. They were just the help I needed.
“Look at me!” I cried. “I’m a giant freak. I admit it. I have what you’ve been looking for!”
They stared at me with their mouths open. They didn’t say a word.
“I have the Monster Blood!” I boomed. “Look what it did to me! Do you know how to help me?”
My big voice cracked. “Please help me!” I cried. “I promise — I’ll give the Monster Blood back!”
They both narrowed their eyes at me.
“Monster Blood?” one of them said. “What on earth is Monster Blood?”
