4 RED IN THE FACE

CHAPTER 4 RED IN THE FACE Rip! We have to talk!" said Alexander. He ran to the lunch line, where Rip was getting a tray. "Hey," said Rip. "Look! For once, I am not grossed out by lunch. Although I can't say I'm thrilled about the rest of the week."

MENU MONDAY CHICKEN FINGERS TUESDAY CHICKEN TOES WEDNESDAY CHICKEN THUMBS THURSDAY CHICKEN KNUCKLES FRIDAY THE REST OF THE CHICKEN "Forget the menu!" said Alexander. "Have you noticed anything strange... about Nikki?" Rip took a plate of chicken fingers. "Like how she ripped those pages from the notebook yesterday?" "No, not that," said Alexander. "Well, maybe that." He spoke quietly. "Nikki has fangs, Rip."

"Oh, geez!" said Rip, grinning. "There's no way Nikki's got fangs." Alexander frowned. "But I saw "Hey, guys," said Nikki, stepping in between them. "I saved us a spot." Alexander followed Rip and Nikki to a table. "So, Salamander," said Nikki. She punched a straw into a juice box. "Tell us about this monster you saw yesterday." Alexander hadn't noticed it before, but Nikki barely moved her lips when she talked. He couldn't get a good look at her teeth. "Well," he said. "I was trying on pants, when "GROSS!" Rip yelled, pointing his chicken finger at Nikki. "What are you doing?" BLOOP! BLOP! Nikki was pouring tons of ketchup all over her plate.

"What?" she asked. Rip made a face. "I was hoping to make it through lunch without gagging." Nikki drowned a tiny nugget of chicken in her lake of ketchup. Then she ate it. A drop of red rolled down her chin.

Alexander stared at Nikki. "So... anyway. Maybe it was just a shadow, but I think I saw a snake monster. Or a leech." "A leech?!" said Rip. "Bloodsucking monsters are the worst! With their fangs and "ENOUGH!" Nikki shouted. She grabbed her juice box and SPLISSHH! sprayed Rip in the face. Then she stomped out of the cafeteria. "What did I say?" asked Rip, dripping with cherry punch. Alexander handed Rip a napkin. "I'm not sure," he said. "But you should probably wash up." Rip headed to the bathroom. As Alexander nibbled a chicken finger, he noticed a strange shadow along one wall. It was shaped like a sledgehammer.

The hammer shadow rose up as Rip walked by and then it silently smashed down right onto Rip's own shadow. Rip shivered a moment, but kept walking. Alexander stopped chewing. Rip's shadow had sprouted antlers!