Revenge of the Tiki Men! Read Free Page A

television was up near the ceiling, in the grip of a giant plant. Making its way down the trunk was a long thick snake.
    Mike gulped loudly. “I don’t like snakes.” He stepped back to the front door. “I really don’t.”
    Liz glared at him. “You don’t like snakes? You think I like snakes? I hate snakes. Especially snakes in my own house!”
    â€œOkay, okay, everybody,” said Holly. “How about we move to another room?” She stepped into the kitchen. Something green unfurled from the sink and looked at her. “Nope, not that way. I think up is the way to go.”
    â€œDefinitely,” Jeff said, tearing his feet away from a snarly clump of grass and heading for the stairs. “While we can still move.”
    â€œThose things really seem to like you, Jeff,” said Sean.
    Liz gulped, rubbing her arms where the vine had clutched her. “Let’s just hurry. I don’t want to shake hands with any more green slimy things.”
    BRNNNNG!
    â€œThe phone!” Liz cried. “Yes! It might be my dad!”
    They rushed up the stairs and scrambled into Liz’s bedroom only to find the walls covered with flowers. But it wasn’t Liz’s wallpaper.
    â€œThe house is alive!” Mike said, watching tiny green tendrils stretch out from an electrical socket in the wall.
    BRNNNNG!
    â€œQuick,” yelled Liz. “Before they hang up!”
    Sean searched the bushes growing around Liz’s night table. “I don’t see the phone! There’s a clock, and a book, and a box of tissues, and—”
    BRNNNNG!
    â€œWe’ve got to find it!”
    Liz leaped over to the top drawer of her desk and pulled out a purple plastic ruler. She dived at the thick bushes. She sliced at the vines. She chopped at the weeds. Chop! Chop!
    BRRR —“Got it!” Liz yanked the phone up.
    â€œLiz,” said the voice. “This is your father. I—”
    â€œDad!” Liz screamed into the phone. “The jungle is all over our house, and—”
    RRRRR! Rumbling and quaking shook the house suddenly, throwing the kids to the floor! Terrible crunching noises echoed up from the basement.
    â€œOh, no! Not again! Another Tiki man!” Liz screamed into the phone. “Dad! Another Tiki man is coming up from our basement!”
    â€œLet’s get out of here!” called Holly.
    KRRAKK! The living room floor shattered as the giant head crashed up from the basement.
    â€œBefore it’s too late!” Mike pushed open Liz’s window and kicked out the screen. A big, shaggy tree was growing right outside. Long vines curled around on it, reaching for the house.
    â€œEverybody out!” Sean yelled. He climbed out the window to the nearest limb. Holly followed him, then Jeff.
    RRRR! The stone head pushed into the living room below, throwing couches and end tables out of the way.
    â€œDad!” cried Liz. “We’ve got to get out!”
    â€œGet to the museum right away!” her father yelled into the phone. “We’ve found the answer to the—”
    Nnnnnn!
    â€œThe phone’s dead!” said Liz.
    â€œLet’s not be next!” said Mike, half out the window and holding his hand out to Liz. “Will you come on!”
    Liz took one more look around her room and jumped to the window just in time.
    KA—KROOOOM! The fifth giant Tiki head exploded up through the floor.

5
    Where Science Rules!
    L iz and Mike swung out to the tree and followed their friends to the ground just as—
    KRUNCH! The giant stone Tiki man burst from the roof and rose up over the house, sending splinters flying in all directions.
    The kids scrambled across the yard and back out to the road. Liz felt angry when she saw the damage to her house. She gritted her teeth. “Somebody’s going to pay for this.”
    Boom! Ba-boom-boom! Mango Men emerged from the thickening jungle and circled the new stone