14. Enormous Orson

ENORMOUS ORSON 14 Orson Eerie became taller and larger until he filled the room. Sam could not believe his eyes. Orson turned and scooped up his great- great-grandson, Jasper. The substitute teacher dangled from Orson's giant monster hand. "Help!" Jasper yelled.

Orson's massive machine neck craned to look at Jasper. And that's when Sam spotted it: the red lever that turned the machine on and off! If I could reach that lever, Sam thought, maybe I could stop this monster!

"Lucy! Antonio!" Sam said as he scrambled to his feet. "Orson is going to drop Jasper! Can you guys find a way to break his fall?" Lucy took a step forward. "We'll figure something out." "Sam, what are you going to do?" Antonio asked. But Sam didn't respond he was already racing across the room. He gripped the leg of this monstrous Orson Eerie and pulled himself upward.

Just like climbing a tree, Sam told himself. Orson shook Jasper in his giant hand. Sam climbed higher and higher. His arms were sore, and sweat dripped down his face. Soon he grasped the metal tube that was now Orson's torso. He kept climbing. Down below, Antonio and Lucy grabbed a huge box labeled RUBBER ERASERS. They turned the box over, dumping out thousands of pink erasers. Then they both ran around, spreading them all over the floor. Pulling himself up, Sam came to Orson's shoulder. The lever jutted out from the back of Orson's neck.

Orson's massive face craned to the side. His eyes focused on Sam's shiny, orange hall monitor sash. Sam ignored Orson's terrifying gaze and reached for the lever. Sam's fingers grazed the cool metal. He was so close. All he had to do was pull it, but Orson plucked Sam from his shoulder! He held Sam in one hand and Jasper Eerie in the other. Then, from twenty feet high, he dropped them...