Chapter 14

chapter fourteen Moments later, the BoomKart is sliding to a stop and June and I are leaping to the canal bed. We quickly begin hooking the BoomKart to the rear of Big Mama. My Zombie Squad shuffles back into their trailer. "What happened?" Dirk shouts, poking his head out of Big Mama's cabin. The engine is running, ready to go. "Where did you go?" Quint exclaims. "I saw... something.... It's hard to..." Quint's eyes go wide. He's looking past me, to the ridge. Dirk sees it, too. June spins. It takes them a moment to understand. "That skeleton..." Quint says. "It looks familiar..." Dirk says. "Oh no," June gasps, realizing. "It can't be..." "It is," I say. "Blarg. Actually, Blargus now. Y'know, like Blarg and carcass..."

"Just finish hooking the Kart up!" Dirk barks. "We gotta boogie." Quint rushes to Big Mama's cabin. June throws a chain around Big Mama. And I look back just in time to see Blargus sliding down the canal wall. Jagged chunks of rock and soil rush downward, kicking up a storm of dirt.

"You guys done or what?" Dirk shouts. "Not yet!" I call as I push the BoomKart forward. "Wait until I say, Punch it, Chewie!" But Dirk must have only heard that last part because next thing I know, Quint is roaring like a Wookiee in the passenger seat, and Big Mama is pulling away before June and I have secured the BoomKart! "Just jump in!" I cry. June hops in and I scramble onto the back just as Big Mama peels away. The only thing connecting our BoomKart to Big Mama is a six-foot chain. Big Mama speeds down the path carved by the Mega Mallusk, towing us like an inner tube behind a speedboat. And Blargus is right on our heels....

Blargus swipes at the BoomKart, but his bony paw slashes over our heads, taking off the zombie trailer's door. Metal slices through the air. Inside, I see Alfred blink twice, confused. Quint suddenly appears in the trailer's open doorway. He cups his hands over his mouth and shouts, "More bad news! We're catching up to the Mallusk!" On cue, the air turns thick with dirt. Stone zips through the air. The Mallusk is mincing the earth and throwing up debris in its wake.

"TELL DIRK TO GO AROUND IT!" I shout. "NOT POSSIBLE!" Quint shouts back. Just then, the BoomKart swings around, allowing us to see past Big Mama. The Mega Mallusk's legs are daggering into the ground. It's a mall monster meat grinder—too wide to pass. "The side walls are too steep," June says, confirming my worst fear. "We can't drive up." And behind us. The big guy: BLARGUS. It's official. We're trapped.

Big Mama swerves and a splatter of goo- slime splashes us. June points to the roof. "More bad news! The goo-slime tanks! They're leaking!" As I wipe the foul liquid from my face, I have an idea.... With no time to lose, I swing the Slicer. Lefty, Glurm, and Alfred appear at the trailer door. "Squad! Get 'im!" I cry, and I swipe the Slicer sideways. All three zombies leap from the trailer, onto Blargus!