15 ROYAL BLOCKHEAD

CHAPTER 15 ROYAL BLOCKHEAD The ice-crusher barreled down the mountain. Alexander, Rip, and Nikki waited in front of the fire pit. "Ready?" whispered Alexander. The monster pushed its fists into the ground like ski poles, picking up speed.

"I'm going to flatten you into baloney!" it roared. "NOW!" Alexander cried. The three friends dove to the side. The ice-crusher slammed on the brakes, but it was too late. The monster skidded to a stop, right in the middle of the bonfire. HISSSS!! A cloud of steam rose as flames flicked the monster's underside. "Ha!" said Rip. "Fire-safety Rule #1: Never sit on a fire!" But then: CRUNNNK!! The fire was gone. The flames had hardened into blue icicles.

"Do you think a little campfire can stop me?!" The monster laughed so hard, icicles fell from its eyes. Then it picked up the frozen bonfire and wore it like a crown. "Silly meat-creatures! I freeze out the summer sun! I make it snow! Fire can't hurt me!" The ice-crusher pounded its fists together with a thunderous CLINK! The sound echoed through the mountains. "ARISE, MY MINIONS, AND FREEZE THOSE ANNOYING KIDS!" Hundreds of snombies shot up from the snow.

"To the canoe!" Alexander yelled. They ran loops all around the snombies, and dove behind the smashed-up canoe. Heads spinning, the snowmen turned and twirled into one another like bumper cars. "Make way, snow-for-brains!" hissed the ice-crusher. "The warm-bloods are hiding behind that canoe! I can hear them skittering around!" The ice-crusher slid over to the splintered canoe, and plucked it from the salt pile.

Three white, roundish figures stood behind the canoe. They had no arms and no faces. One wore a floppy yellow hat. The ice-crusher grinned, flashing a mouthful of jagged, icy teeth. "Oh!" said the monster. "Nice work, snombies! You turned these pesky campers into kid-pops after all." The ice-crusher cracked its knuckles. It pounded the white, roundish figures into flat lumps. And then it swallowed them.