14. Watery Hand

WATERY HAND 14 Sam hung by a thread from the monstrous curtain. He was about to be grabbed by the enormous hand. But wait! Sam remembered something. That morning, Ms. Grinker had said, "Today's weather will be the hottest ever." Sam tightened his grip on the curtain, and then he tugged! The curtain tore. The entire curtain fell to the ground— along with Sam.

Sunlight poured through the window. Hot rays of sunlight were shining directly on the watery hand. The hand pulled back as though it were in pain. Steam started rising off of it. The sun's heat was turning the water into steam! The school howled!

But still, the hand reached for Sam. It was hurt, weakened but not beaten. If I could just bring down the other curtains in here, the sunlight would destroy the hand, thought Sam. But I'm cornered. Watery fingers were about to grab Sam. SLAM.

Lucy and antonio burst into the lunchroom. "We're coming, Sam!" they yelled. "Pull down those curtains!" Sam shouted. "Quick!"

Antonio and Lucy didn't know what Sam's plan was, but they trusted him. Antonio tugged on one curtain! Lucy grabbed another! Soon, even more sunlight flooded the room!

The watery hand was almost beaten! Sam just needed to deliver the final blow. He spotted a metal cooking tray on the floor. Metal reflects light! thought Sam. Sam stepped on the edge of the tray, popping it up into the air like a skateboard. He snatched it and held it up to the sunlight. A white-hot beam of light bounced off the metal, toward the hand. HISSSS!!!! The hand of Eerie Elementary screamed! It shook! Steam clouded the air. And then