5. Chewed Out!

CHEWED OUT! 5 The monstrous wad of bubble gum was about to swallow Sam whole! He couldn't wrestle free from the sticky mess. Lucy's eyes bulged. "Sam's being gobbled up by a bubble gum monster!" Wet strands of bubble gum slithered across Sam's face. The stink of sticky sweetness filled his nostrils.

Soon, only bits of Sam were visible. One sneaker jutted out from the huge, colorful ball. Two hands poked through the mess. "We're supposed to chew gum!" Antonio said. "Gum isn't supposed to chew us!" "We have to pull him out!" Lucy cried. They dashed toward their friend. Antonio grabbed Sam's hand. Lucy took Sam's foot. They pulled and tugged and SCHLURP-BA-BURPP! Sam tumbled out of the bubble gum monster. The three friends crashed into Ms. Grinker's desk. GLOOOG-OOOOO-WHOO! A wet, monstrous howl filled the room.

"It's not over yet!" Sam yelled. Lucy's eyes went wide. "It looks like the monster is turning into one giant bubble gum BUBBLE!" The swelling pink globe was filling the classroom! Desks tumbled over. A bookshelf crashed to the floor. Sam could see the doorway through the bubble, but escape was impossible!

"Get behind Ms. Grinker's desk!" Sam called out. The friends scrambled over the desk. But the moment their feet hit the ground, the bubble pushed the desk. It pinned them against the board! Ms. Grinker's red pen started rolling away. Antonio and Lucy quickly reached for it and banged heads. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Lucy asked. "Yep!" Antonio said. "Pop that bubble!"

Lucy scooped up the pen and held it like a tiny sword. The bubble grew bigger and came closer. Lucy thrust the pen into the bubble. POP! It burst! It was the biggest blast of bubble gum in the history of bubble gum blasts! Sticky, gooey mess splattered everywhere. "Yuck!" Lucy exclaimed, as she pulled gum from her hair. SLAM! The door flew open. Ms. Grinker's eyes bulged as she stared at the strange mess. Gum dripped from the walls. Strings of pink and orange goo hung from the ceiling. Ms. Grinker was furious. Sam wouldn't have been surprised if steam started coming out of her ears!

"That's it!" Ms. Grinker roared. "You are DONE being hall monitors!"