5 JUST DESSERT

CHAPTER 5 JUST DESSERT Yes! Lunchtime!" Alexander called back to Rip and Nikki. He dashed out of the elevator and into the freezing cafeteria. Rip dabbed his eyes with his panda mitten. "What's the rush, Salamander? There'll just be something yucky on the menu." "I came prepared!" said Alexander, jiggling his lunch box. "Good thinking," added Nikki. They stepped up to the menu.

"Ooh. Sorry, guys," said Alexander. "Hope you can choke down your re-re-re-refried beans while I'm eating a de-de-de-delicious, homemade lunch!" The kitchen door swung open. A tall chef with short legs came out, carrying a wet sponge. "Who's that?" asked Alexander. "He's not one of the regular cooks." "How can you tell when he's all bundled up?" said Nikki. Alexander shrugged.

The chef wiped the menu clean. Then he wrote: SUNDAY BAR. Alexander's jaw dropped. Sure enough, there were several buckets of ice cream and dozens of toppings, beneath a sign that said SERVE YOURSELF! ROCKY ROAD LEMON FUDGE RIPPLE

"YES!" yelled Rip. He gave Nikki a high ten. "Find us a table, Salamander. Nikki and I have some lunch to scoop." Alexander shuffled over to a table and flipped open his lunch box. Behind the note was a peanut butter, carrot, and celery sandwich. It looked like a bunny.

Alexander chomped a carrot. Then he shivered, but not because of the cold. The tall chef was glaring at him. Alexander swallowed. The chef ducked behind a counter as a lunch lady stepped into view. she read the new menu, shrugged, and refilled the chocolate sprinkles. BOOM! The table shook as Rip slammed down his mountain of ice cream. Rip held his spoon high. "Never again," he said, "will lunch be this good." Then he dug in. Nikki sat down with a sundae of her own. "Something's not right," said Alexander, "I mean, the super-cold school? That oniony smell? A new chef? And now ice cream for lunch?"

"You're just mad you brought your lunch on the one day they serve ice cream," said Nikki. GROM! GROM! She scarfed down her sundae, splashing strawberry sauce everywhere. "Nice table manners, you monster!" said Rip. Rip wasn't joking. Nikki actually was a monster called a jampire. Jampires have fangs. They can see in the dark. They eat anything red and juicy. They sunburn easily. Alexander and Rip had been surprised to learn that Nikki was a monster. But really, Nikki was more or less a regular girl. She gave Alexander a big, drippy grin. "How are your veggies?" she asked. "Fine," said Alexander. He snapped his celery in half. CRUNCH.