13. Dugout Dinner

DUGOUT DINNER 13 The gigantic, monstrous kickball slowly rolled to a stop. It towered over Sam and his friends. They took a step back. "The— the ball!" Antonio stammered. "It's— its— it's a giant head with a face!" A chill ran down Sam's spine. "It's the face of Orson Eerie!"

"Help!" a voice called from the dust cloud. It was Ollie! He was caught in the spinning winds. "We have to save him!" Lucy shouted. "How?" Antonio asked. Sam knew the answer. "We need to defeat Orson Eerie!" KRUNCH! KRUNCH! The monstrous ball began rolling forward again. "Run!" Sam cried. The ground shook as the enormous ball picked up speed and chased after them. "We might be safe in the dugout!" Lucy shouted, and ran that way. Sam and Antonio raced after her.

Sam nearly tripped on something. Looking back, he saw the air pump he had left behind the previous morning. The ball rolled over the pump and it was gone. The pump! Sam thought. The ball ate it! Sam could feel the ball nipping at his heels. Any second, Orson Eerie would swallow him and his friends. Lucy slid into the dugout. Sam and Antonio jumped in after her. KRASH! The ball slammed into the dugout's roof. The space between the roof and the dugout wall was too narrow for the ball to pass through.

The monstrous kickball was just inches from their faces. They felt Orson Eerie's hot breath. The monster was huge and horrible. It chomped and gnawed at the wooden roof. Sam peered into the darkness of its mouth. He saw the air pump— it was broken in two. "Orson ate the air pump— and chomped it in two!" Sam cried. "It looks like we're next!"