Chapter 7

7 The room went dark. As the light returned, three holograms appeared. "Whoa!" said Aria. She couldn't believe what she was seeing. She adjusted her glasses. "Is that…me?" she asked. "They're holograms!" Violet replied. The holograms seemed to be at a summer camp. Hologram Violet was sitting at a picnic table eating a big slice of pickle pizza. Across from Violet, Hologram Pablo and Hologram Aria were playing a board game.

"Hey!" said Pablo. "How come only Violet gets to eat pickle pizza?" "I wouldn't get jealous yet, space cadet!" replied Dr. Crisp. "When I say three, I want you to throw your viruses as high as you can into the air." The Makers exchanged confused looks. "And then I want you to press that button." Dr. Crisp pointed to their Magnificent Maker Watches. "Ready?" Dr. Crisp skipped one and two and simply shouted, "THREE!"

Violet, Pablo, and Aria launched the model viruses into the air and activated their watches. BIZZAP! Three lasers shot out from the Makers' wrists and zapped the viruses, which disappeared. "Awesome!" cheered Aria. "Where did they go?" asked Pablo. Dr. Crisp put her hand over her eyes as if she was searching for them. "They're still here." She paused. "Somewhere…" Aria's eyes darted around the room. She crossed her arms and hugged her shoulders. Then Dr. Crisp smiled. "Don't worry. They can't harm us." She walked toward the holograms. "But they might start feeling under the weather soon. By now, one of those viruses has made their way to each of your holograms." She spun around. Her lab coat twirled behind her. "You Makers will have to figure out which virus infected which hologram."

Just then, Violet let out three loud sneezes in a row. "Achooooo! Achooooo! Achooooo!" "Bless you!" said Dr. Crisp. "You feeling okay, Violet?" "Yes, I'm fine." Violet cleared her throat. "Same thing happens to me every fall. It's so annoying."

"What could you be allergic to here in the Maker Maze?" asked Aria with her hands out at her sides. "I'm fine! We need to focus on finishing this level." Violet turned to the holograms. "I suppose you're right," said Pablo. "This one is going to be hard." Dr. Crisp whipped a construction hat out of her backpack. It had a lightbulb sticking out of the top. "You'll definitely need your thinking caps!" The Makers giggled. Then Dr. Crisp said, "Ready, set, OBSERVE!" Violet, Pablo, and Aria watched the holograms closely. "Nothing's happening," said Aria. Suddenly, Hologram Violet stopped eating her pizza. She set it down and grabbed her stomach.

"Uh-oh," said Pablo. "Hologram Violet looks like she's going to barf!" "Gross. You're going to make me barf," said Aria, holding her own stomach. Then Hologram Aria started coughing. And then sneezing! She rubbed her throat. And kept coughing! "Looks like your hologram is coming down with the flu!" said Violet. She put her hand to her ear and waited to hear the Maker Maze jingle. But the room was still silent. "Humph," Violet said with a frown. "Nothing's happening to my hologram," said Pablo.