Chapter 10

Chapter 10 Nina! We've got to go! There's a THRILLING national emergency! A 400-foot-tall Venus fly is attacking the city." "Big deal." "It IS a big deal, Nina! Look—there it goes now!" We looked out the window. A giant fly was swooping over the city, causing panic, riots, traffic jams, and undue delays. "That buzzing is really annoying," said Nina, putting on a pair of earmuffs. "That's why we've got to do something about it!" "What?"

"I said, 'That's why we've got to do something about it!'" "I heard your loud, grating voice through the earmuffs," said Nina, rolling her eyes. "I meant: WHAT are you going to do about it?" "Uh...," I started, but I didn't know what to say next. What could we do about a 400-foot-tall fly? I know everything about normal-size flies but nothing about giant ones. I needed information! "Nina, hand me volume F of the encyclopedia so I can look up 'Flies'!" "Ate it."

"Nina! How could you? OK, hand me volume G so I can look up 'Giant Flies'!" "Ate it." "NINA! Those were expensive! How about volume V for 'Venus Flies'?" "Ate it." "I for 'Insects'?" "Ate it." "B for 'Bugs'?" "Ate it." "Uh... M for 'Musca domestica,' the scientific name of the housefly?" "Drank it."

"Drank it? How could you drink a volume of the encyclopedia?" "Mmm... book smoothie!" "This is ridiculous! Is there ANY volume left?" "Page 57 of the P volume." "All right, let me see it." She handed me the single page. "Pig," I read. "The pig, or common swine, is one of the smartest of all animals. In fact, some scholars think pigs may have invented the—" Nina ate page 57.

"Hmm," I murmured thoughtfully. "If pigs are so smart, maybe I should ask some pigs for information about this giant fly disaster. But where am I supposed to find a bunch of pigs?"