Chapter 10

chapter ten It's early afternoon and I've eaten all the donuts when Quint and Dirk finally come out of the garage, ready to reveal this top-secret Home Depot supply project thing. Dirk is carrying a contraption made of

bungee cords and ropes and an old Harley-Davidson motorcycle seat we yanked off my zombified neighbor's bike. "Um... what is that?" I ask. This is your new ride. "What the huh?" I say. Quint whistles and Rover bolts over. Dirk begins placing the thing on his back. I can't believe what I'm seeing: it's a saddle. A saddle for riding Rover. If this thing works, Rover will no longer just be a goofy monster that hangs around and sort of almost does tricks. He'll be...

The Beast And just like that, Rover is off! I grab the reins and my pet monster stampedes across the yard like a runaway bronco. "Uh... dudes?!?" I shout, but it's too late... Rover barrels right through the backyard fence and out into the street.

Um, Pover, just STOP PLEASE WOULD YAPP But Rover only goes faster. He rampages down Prescott Street, crashing through fences, charging across backyards, smashing down front doors, and tearing through houses. As Rover veers toward the town forest, I spot a dangling mass of Vine-Thingies ahead of us. Snaking plants, reaching out, eager, ready to choke me the instant I get close. I manage to pull the Louisville Slicer out from its sheath just in time, and I swing—

VINE SLICE! We dash past the man-eating plant monsters, and Rover leads us up a treelined path to the top of Bear Hill, the highest point in town. Rover slows to a trot. "I just need to teach you how to stop, buddy," I say, scratching Rover's ears as I take a look around. You can see everything from Bear Hill. I see the comic book store.

I see the high school football field. I see the middle school, and I— The middle school. I squint. There's something hanging from one of the windows. I yank out my camera and zoom in. A sweatshirt. I know that sweatshirt. That's June Del Toro's sweatshirt! That means... She must still be in the school! She must not have left, after the craziness in the parking lot! She must be trapped in there—either someplace inside where she can't hear me calling or someplace she can't respond from. Holy moo cows. This is it. THIS IS IT!