6 HANDS OFF

CHAPTER 6 HANDS OFF The walk home from school was slower than usual. "Whew!" said Nikki. "I bet we packed twenty thousand things." "What a lame last day of school," said Rip. A few minutes later, they stopped in front of Alexander's house. "All right, guys," said Alexander. "Let's meet at S.S.M.P. headquarters first thing tomorrow, We'll have all day to talk about weird boxes and missing stuff before the sleepover!" "Sounds good!" said Nikki. "Later," mumbled Rip.

Alexander headed inside— and gasped! The living room had been turned upside down. His dad popped up from behind an overturned armchair. "Hi, AI!" he said. The room was a jumble of couch cushions, comic books, umbrellas, lamps, and Captain Cuspid action figures. "I've searched every inch of this room," said Alexander's dad. "The Reflecto-900 is gone!" KRICKLE! "What was that?" asked Alexander. Alexander's dad was rooting around under an end table. "Huh? I didn't hear anything." KRICKLE-KRICKLE!

Alexander heard the noise again. It sounded like someone crinkling a bag of chips. And it was coming from upstairs! He tiptoed up the steps, listening for the sound. KRICKLE! Is someone in our bathroom!? Alexander thought. He slowly pushed open the door. CREEEEEAK! A wedge of light cut into the dark bathroom. He stepped inside. The room was silent, But then -KRICKLE! the shower curtain twitched. Alexander threw open the shower curtain, Something small and shiny was skittering around the top like a crab. A crawling hand! It was grayish-white and crinkly.

"Ack!" Alexander jumped back. The hand climbed up the shower curtain. It was holding something golden— his dad's mirror! "Hey!" said Alexander. "Give that back!" The hand jumped to the windowsill. It used the Reflecto-900 to pry open the window. Then it hopped out. Alexander rushed to the window. He could see everything in his yard: a tree, his bike, a birdbath. But no crawling hand. He gasped someone was behind the tree! A tall, grayish-white, shiny figure. Covered in strange little bumps. The figure looked up at Alexander. Then it turned and ran down the street, Alexander's mouth fell open. The Bumpy Mummy?!