8. Lucy!

LUCY! 8 Sam and Antonio charged toward the Heating and Cooling Room. Sam ripped the door open, then quickly shut it behind them. CRASH! A hundred mad chewed-up things slammed into the closed door.

Sam caught his breath and looked around the room. One wall was covered with a maze of rusty old pipes. The pipes were alive! They moved like an army of snakes. As they twisted, they scraped together, making a screeching noise. "Lucy!" Sam yelled, pointing. His friend was suspended in midair, hanging upside down. One of the pipes was wrapped around her ankle.

"Guys! You found me! Please get me down from here!" Lucy shrieked. Lucy calling for help made the school angrier. The pipe around Lucy's ankle began flinging her through the air. "That pipe is throwing Lucy around like a doll!" said Antonio. "Hang on, Lucy!" Sam yelled.

Sam and Antonio began climbing the giant wall of pipes. Unlike the basement, this room was not covered in goo. The metal pipes were dry, and the boys were able to grip them. Sam could feel water rushing through the pipes. These pipes must pump water throughout the school, thought Sam. Antonio leapt off one pipe and grabbed the pipe around Lucy's right ankle. He tugged, trying to pull her free. "I'm coming!" said Sam. "The pipe is wrapped so tight!" Antonio yelled, as he tugged.

"HELP!" Lucy cried. Antonio pulled harder, but then KLANK! The pipe jumped in his hand, throwing him to the ground. "Argh!" Antonio said, getting to his feet. "It's no use!" Sam jumped down. There has to be a way to make that pipe let go of her, he thought. He looked around the room. The school's water heater stood in the corner. Sam's dad was a plumber, so Sam knew all about this stuff. This water heater warmed the water. Then it pumped the warm water throughout the school. A wheel on the front controlled how fast the water moved through the pipes. If I turn that wheel, I can slow down the water! Maybe that will weaken the pipes and make them let go of Lucy, Sam thought.

Sam grabbed the wheel. It was rusty and stiff. Finally, it started turning. But it wasn't helping. Lucy was flung around faster! "What are you doing, Sam?!" yelled Antonio. "STOP! You're making it worse!" Lucy screamed. She was being whipped through the air at lightning speed. Faster and faster! Sam had to free his friend before it was too late!