Beast from Beneath the Cafeteria! Read Free Page B

Its big red eyes began to roll around. It jerked its head back, swatted its snout, shook all over, and—
    Twing! Twing!
    Two tiny green apples shot back out of its mouth and hurled through the air right at Liz.
    She ducked behind the podium.
    Wump! Wump! The apples were caught by two hands appearing from behind the curtain.
    Liz looked up. “Principal Bell!”
    It was Mr. Bell. He stepped out from behind the curtain, looked at the two mushy green things in his hand, and shook his head. “Elizabeth Duffey, how many times have I told you that food is strictly forbidden in the—”
    Before he could finish, he glanced down into the auditorium. He saw the big green creature with the long tongue and spiky scales.
    â€œA visitor!” Mr. Bell shrieked. “But I don’t see a visitor’s pass!”
    The principal jumped instantly into action.
    â€œStand behind me, Miss Duffey,” he cried. He whipped open his jacket, pulled out a little card, and yelled, “Beast, I am ordering you in the name of the Grover’s Mill Board of Edu—”
    That was as far as he got.
    The green scaly head instantly lunged, the long tongue flicked out, and— SLOOOORRP!— in one slurp, Mr. Bell was gone.
    Only his shoes were left.

6
    A Silver Bullet! Well, Okay, a Tin Bucket
    â€œR RROOOAAARRRRR!” The enormous green beast bellowed. It swallowed hard and whipped its neck back, gashing a hole in the ceiling.
    Then the beast bent over and swung its head slowly from side to side, sniffing at Liz and her friends.
    â€œHe’s deciding who to eat next!” Mike yelled. “I hope it’s not me!” He made a dash from the aisle through one of the rows to a side door.
    The beast’s big red eyes followed Mike as he stumbled between the seats. It lifted its powerful claws to swipe at him.
    â€œMike! Watch out!” Liz yelled. Without thinking, she dived off the stage, jumped over the first three rows of seats, grabbed Mike, and pulled him to the floor in the side aisle.
    Whoosh! The beast swiped at empty air.
    â€œOww!” Mike groaned. “Where’d you learn to tackle like that?”
    â€œI used to be on the softball team,” Liz huffed.
    Mike was quiet for a second. “But you’re not supposed to tackle in softball.”
    â€œThat’s why I used to be on the team!” Liz grinned. “Come on, everybody. Let’s beat it before we all get tackled by drool boy over there!”
    Holly, Jeff, and Sean raced for the hole where the back doors used to be.
    Mike didn’t have to be told twice, either. In a flash he was leaping up the aisle to the side door.
    Liz was right behind him.
    But the beast was right behind all of them. It stomped up the main aisle and blasted through the back wall. Not through the back door, through the wall!
    Bricks tumbled and scattered as the wall burst.
    â€œRRRRRR!” Thwump! Thwump! The beast kicked cinder blocks out of the way and chased the five kids down the hall toward the gym.
    â€œIt’s gaining on us!” yelled Sean. “It ate Mr. Bell, now it wants dessert!”
    It was true. With each huge stride the dinosaur beast got closer and closer.
    â€œHurry, or we’re history!” cried Jeff.
    â€œPrehistory, you mean!” yelled Holly.
    Suddenly— Wham! Clunkety-clunkety-clunk!
    The supply closet door on one side of the hall flew open. A gray metal bucket on wheels shot out of the shadows and stopped in the middle of the hall. There was a mop sticking out of the bucket.
    â€œYecch!” cried a voice from the closet. “Such a mess!”
    â€œMr. Sweeney!” yelled Liz, screeching past him. “The beast is right behind us. And he ate Principal Bell!”
    â€œYes!” hooted the janitor. “I’m in control now!” He pulled the dripping mop from the bucket as the kids raced past him.
    Errrrch! The beast skidded to a stop in front of Mr. Sweeney. It