Chapter 7

chapter seven The howl grows louder—a piercing cry that penetrates the walls of the mall. A monster cries out, "Up there! Outside!" Another monster yells, but I can't make out the words. The howl is too loud now, too close. It builds and builds until— BOOM! A shock wave explodes through the mall, ripping down the long corridors. The Mallusk rocks and reels, like a pirate ship suddenly struck by enemy artillery. I whirl around—and see Evie, Ghazt, and Smud fleeing. "Kids, it's been nice catching up! But we gotta go!" Evie calls as they race to the rear of the Food Court.

GET me to safety. I am more important than all of you remember. If things go south, we eat Smud first. Some 'Grand Protector," June mutters. At the far wall, Evie yanks a lever, then— KLANG! Steel security gates drop from the ceiling! They spark and sizzle—electrified, like everything else up here. The gates have divided the Food Court into two—and we're on the side without Drooler. Evie throws us a final glance—then the lights flicker and everything on their side of the gate is hidden in darkness.

"Guess we'll have to consider that fight 'to be continued," June says. Behind us, the door to the escalator swings open. Another shrieking howl from outside—followed by another BOOM. The floor ripples beneath us. "Rippling floors are probably a cue to leave," I say. "Indeed," Quint agrees. "Drooler! I'll get you of there! Somehow!" Dirk calls. "Promise!" Drooler squeaks, still oblivious. We race up the escalator, then out onto one of the third level's wide halls. We're immediately swept up in a tangled wave of fleeing bodies—the monsters are one terrified, surging mass. I manage to grab the arm of a hunched, needle- backed monster. "What's happening?!" I ask. "I do not know!" the monster shrieks. "The Mallusk has never been attacked! That is why—" SHRREEEEEEEE! Another high-pitched, wind-torn howl slices through the mall. It pierces my ear drums. Monsters cover their ears, earholes, ear-balls, and any other ear-like body parts. The howl grows louder, louder, louder, until— SKKKRUCH!

"Watch out!" June barks, and the Mallusk reels as a giant, monstrous blade bursts through the wall! slice. I hate uninvited guests. Dazzling bright daylight pours in as the monstrous blade opens up the mall like it's performing brutal battlefield surgery. The blade smashes apart stores, shatters glass elevators, splits open ceilings. Monsters are slithering, scrambling, and springing for cover. Some slam doors to bathrooms and stores, locking themselves in. Others dive into kiosks like they're foxholes.

"Guys," I say. "I think we gotta go to the roof." "Hate to say it," June says, "but I agree." "Yep," Dirk says, glancing around. "These monsters here—they're not gonna fight." "To the escalator!" Quint says, leading the way. "Quickly!" Shouldn't this be Evi and Ghazys job? The so-called protectors are off protecting themselves Both sides of the escalator are flooded with monsters heading down, hoping to find safety on the lower levels. We're like fish trying to swim upstream—toward the danger, rather than away from it. "Up the middle!" June says, as she dodges a monster's swinging tail, then leaps onto the escalator's metal divider. We reach the mall's top level. We push through a maintenance door, speed up a cold cement stairwell, then finally burst outside. And I instantly regret my "go to the roof" suggestion.

Monstrous howls fill the dusk sky like air-raid sirens, and I swallow a meatball-sized lump in my throat. The horrible noise pierces the air every time they dive. And as one zooms overhead, I see why: the monsters' wide, leathery wings have thin tears in them. The air rushing through the tears creates the spine- chilling howl. "They're dive-bombing the mall!" Quint yells. "Using their ax-tails to cut it apart." "Won't be long until the mall's just a whole bunch of rubble," Dirk says. One passes directly overhead, and I get a clear view of the monstrous species known as—