by R. L. Stine
I’d had a close call in the woods. Iris had saved me. But I knew my troubles weren’t over.
I was in terrible danger.
So were all the kids at school.
We stepped into Iris’ kitchen. Why did Iris save me? I wondered. She knows I’m not one of them. She knows I’m not a Creep.
So, why did she rescue me from the other four Creeps?
As the four of them took out flour and eggs and other ingredients, I pulled Iris aside. “You know I’m not a Creep,” I whispered. “Why did you rescue me?”
“I’m not a Creep either,” she whispered back. “But I saw you were in big trouble.”
“How did you know—?” I started. I glanced back into the kitchen to make sure the Creeps weren’t watching us.
“You were supposed to meet me on the playground—remember?” Iris whispered. “I saw them drag you into the woods. I followed you. I heard everything. And I saw everything.”
“Well, thanks for saving me,” I replied. “But now you are in danger too.”
She nodded. “I know. But I had to save you—didn’t I?”
“How are we going to save the rest of the school?” I whispered.
“Good question,” Iris replied. “We have to bake the cookies now. We don’t have a choice. When we get to the bake sale, we’ll figure out a way to keep kids from eating them.”
“Yeah. Sure.” I rolled my eyes.
How would we keep kids from grabbing up free cookies?
How?
29
On Saturday morning, Iris and I and the four Creeps carried our big trays of cookies into the gym.
What a crowd!
Every kid in school was there. They were running back and forth, carrying trays of baked goods to the tables. Talking and laughing and kidding around.
A podium with a microphone had been set up under the basket at one end of the gym. The long row of tables stretched from one wall to the other.
As Iris and I walked to the tables, the four Creeps stayed close at our sides. Protecting the cookies. Watching our every move.
The cookies with the Identity Seeds inside were piled high on the two trays. We had baked hundreds of them. More than enough for every kid in school.
We passed by a group of kids gobbling down brownies. At the near table, Ms. Williamson, our teacher, was busy cutting slices in a cheesecake. I saw dozens of plates of cookies spread over the tables.
Signs were posted, giving the prices. Just about everything cost a dollar. Nothing was free.
Our cookies were the only free items.
How could I stop kids from taking them? How could I make sure that no one ate them?
We headed to the tables. But Wart stepped in front of us. “Start giving them out now,” he urged.
“Yes. There’s no reason to wait,” Brenda agreed. “Let’s pass out the cookies. The gym is totally jammed with kids. In a few minutes, we’ll have dozens of new Creeps.”
Wart grabbed for the tray.
David and Jared pulled the plastic wrapping off the cookies.
I’ve got to act—now! I knew.
But what could I do?
As Wart lifted the cookie tray from my hands, I had an idea.
I dodged past him. Swung my way around a group of chocolate cake eaters. Leaped behind the podium where Tasha was about to make a welcoming speech. And grabbed the microphone.
“Attention! Attention, everyone!” I screamed.
A loud squeal from the speakers got everyone’s attention. My panicky voice echoed off the high gym walls.
“Don’t eat the free cookies!” I shouted. “Please—listen to me, everyone! Don’t eat the free cookies! You will all become monsters! Bumps will grow all over you, and you’ll look like purple lizard creatures! And… and… you’ll eat squirrels whole!”
Everyone laughed. The laughter drowned out my desperate words.
“You’ve got to believe me!” I shrieked into the microphone. I could see Wart and David running toward the podium. “You’ve got to! Stay away from the free cookies!”
The laughter rose up until I couldn’t hear myself.
“Get away from that mike!” Tasha screamed. She tried to grab the microphone from my hands.
Two teachers rushed up to pull me away.
“Sicky Ricky! Sicky Ricky!” Tasha started to chant. And then the rest of the huge crowd of kids joined in.
“Sicky Ricky! Sicky Ricky!” The gym rang with their chanting and wild laughter.
I could feel my heart sink to my stomach.
“Sicky Ricky! Sicky Ricky!” The chanting made me feel as if my head was about to burst.
I wanted to cover my ears. I wanted to run. I wanted to disappear.
How can I save them if they’re just going to laugh at me? I wondered. What can I do if they refuse to listen to me?
And then I had another idea. An even more desperate plan than grabbing the microphone and begging them.
“Sicky Ricky! Sicky Ricky!” Tasha led the chanting.
I tried to ignore the laughing, shouting voices. I knew I had only a few seconds to act.
Would my plan work?
Probably not. But it was the only thing my panicked brain could come up with.
I’ll gobble down all the cookies myself, I decided.
I’ll grab the trays and eat all the cookies—and save everyone in the school.
With a wild leap, I pushed past a bunch of chanting kids. I grabbed the tray of cookies from Wart’s hands. And I opened my mouth to start swallowing them down.
30
“Ow!”
I cried out when something smacked me in the forehead.
I wasn’t hurt. Just startled.
I reached a hand up and felt something wet and gooey. Someone had thrown a piece of chocolate pie.
Kids laughed. Tasha ran up and flashed my picture.
“Hey—!” I cried out angrily.
“Sicky Ricky! Sicky Ricky!” some kids chanted.
“Ricky Rat! Ricky Rat!” I heard other kids sing.
Someone threw a brownie. I ducked and it sailed over my shoulder. I nearly dropped the tray of cookies. Laughing, Tasha snapped another photo.
“What’s wrong with you?” I shouted. “I’m trying to save you!”
“Sicky Ricky! Sicky Ricky!”
“Ricky Rat! Ricky Rat!”
Don’t they realize what danger they’re in? I asked myself. Why are they making fun of me? Why do they always make fun of me? I’m only trying to save them!
“Sicky Ricky! Sicky Ricky!”
Someone hit me in the chest with a gooey slice of cheesecake.
I raised the cookie tray. I’ve got to save them, I told myself. I have to ignore all the teasing and chanting and laughing. I’ve got to save them all!
Wart and Brenda closed in on me. “Commander, what are you waiting for?” Wart asked. “Pass out the cookies.”
“Ignore their chanting,” Brenda said. “Once they eat the cookies, they will all be Creeps. You will be their leader. They will all be your slaves!”
I’ve got to save them, I repeated to myself. Got to save them. Got to save them…
I turned to Brenda. “Huh? What did you say?”
“I said they will all be your slaves!” Brenda shouted over the chanting and laughter.
My slaves?
My slaves?
My slaves???
I ducked as someone tossed another slice of cheesecake at me.
“Sicky Ricky! Sicky Ricky!” they chanted.
“Here—Tasha—have a cookie!” I cried. I held the tray out to her and watched her take it.
“Have a cookie! Free cookies!” I shouted at the top of my lungs.
Hands grabbed eagerly for the cookies. I moved quickly, happily around the gym, handing out cookies to every kid.
“Plenty for everyone!” I shouted. “That’s right—they’re free! And they’re the best! Free cookies! Free cookies! That’s it, everyone! Gobble them up! One for
everyone! Free cookies!”
I flashed my four friends a thumbs-up. And I took a cookie for myself.
Not bad. A little chewy, but very sweet.
I gazed around the gym. Watched everyone chewing up the free cookies.
From now on, I told myself, things are going to be very different around here.
And I can’t wait!
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