3 PHOTO NO-NO

CHAPTER 3 PHOTO NO-NO Alexander fiddled with his tie as he hurried to the old hospital. Actually, it wasn't a hospital. It was where he went to school while the new Stermont Elementary building was being built. But today, as he stepped inside, he saw that it wasn't a hospital or a school. It was a cornfield. A fake cornfield. There was a fake wooden fence, a fake wagon wheel, and a row of fake corn with a beautiful fake sunset.

There was even a fake scarecrow behind the camera. Wait. It wasn't a scarecrow: It was Mr. Hoarsely. To most kids, he was the school secretary, but Alexander, Rip, and Nikki knew him as a member of the original S.S.M.P. "Alexander, you're late!" said Mr. Hoarsely. Alexander's classmates were lined up behind the wagon wheel. Alexander wondered how long they'd been holding their poses. "Uh, sorry," Alexander said. He took a spot between Rip and Nikki. "About time, Salamander!" said Rip. He wore a clip-on tie, and it looked like someone had even tried to comb his hair this morning. "Quiet down, please!" said Mr. Hoarsely.

"Guys," Alexander whispered, "I saw a monster yesterday!" "Really? Cool!" said Rip. "Oh," said Nikki. She hadn't dressed up for picture day. "Um, Nikki?" said Alexander. "Is something wrong?" Nikki pulled her hood down to her eyebrows. "I'm just not big on photos," she said. "I hear you," said Rip. "It must be hard to be in a picture with a good-looking guy like me." Nikki groaned.

"Smile, everyone," said Mr. Hoarsely. Everyone smiled. Actually, not quite everyone. "You, too, Nikki," said Mr. Hoarsely. Nikki didn't smile. Mr. Hoarsely sighed. "Maybe you could eep!" He tripped on his tripod as a mean-looking woman pushed her way through the corn. It was Principal Vanderpants. "Nikki," she said. "Would you be so kind as to smile for one hundredth of a second, so Mr. Hoarsely can photograph your class?" Nikki tightened her lips. She looked like she had swallowed a bug.

"No good," said Ms. Vanderpants, shaking her head. "Smile, Nikki!" Nikki bared her teeth. Her smile was wide and bright. But two of her teeth were extra long. And pointy. A second later, she snapped her mouth shut. CLICK! Alexander blinked.