Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven The ice-cold air stings my lungs. The snowflakes are thick and heavy, but not thick and heavy enough to hide us from the monster.... "We're not out of this yet!" I cry. Meathook is lumbering toward us. A hateful roar comes from the bottom of his belly. "We can escape down the hill!" June says. Just beyond the monster, the yard slopes down, leading to the steeper, hillier street beyond.

ENGAGE INSTANT-INFLATE INNER TUBES. "Wait—what?" I exclaim. My buddies are already reaching down and pulling their rip cords.... POOF! POOF! POOF! The inner tubes inflate. "Guys! No inner tube here, remember? I'm a no-inner-tube guy! I'm a gum guy!" But they don't hear me. One second, June, Dirk, and Quint are sprinting ahead—next, they're on their tubes, flying down

the hill. The ground quakes. A rumble shakes the earth and makes my soul squeak in terror. I turn just in time to see Meathook's big fist flashing in the air. "Whoa!" I cry out as I try to avoid the blow. But I'm too slow. I'm half-turned, trying to duck, when the massive hammerfist connects with my back. There's a deafening— BOING! For a second, I think I'm done for. But then I realize—no! This was actually perfect! Meathook's fist struck the shield! I cushioned the blow! My terrible dodge caused him to hit me at such an angle that I'm now sailing through the air!

When I land, the shield acts exactly like a sled! Unfortunately, I'm upside down on that sled. The hill is rushing up, rocket-fast. Snow in my eyes. Wind snaps and howls in my ears. I have zero control over this thing. I bang into a mailbox, and magazines dump on my head. I spin out into the street. I'd better not barf—I've got a superhero's shield, and superheroes don't barf.

I'm quickly catching up with my buddies ahead. Houses whir by. I catch a glimpse of Meathook's one huge hand. He's right behind us. I bang into a car, and the spinning stops, but I'm still zipping backward. I have a perfect view of Meathook, stomping fast, closing in! Is it close within arm's reach? And it's quite the arm SNOWBANK "Where?" I cry. "I'm backward! Give me a heads-up so that I don't plow right—!"

SLAM! There's the snowbank. I'm tossed into flight, and Meathook stumbles. MEATHOOK DOWN. The shield lands hard on the street. It's all black ice. I'm about to flip, but then— "GOTCHA, DUDE!" June shouts. I look down—June has me by my wrist. I lunge and grab Quint's hand. Quint swings then clings to