Goosebumps Most Wanted #5: Dr. Maniac Will See You Now (10 page)

“OWWWWW.”

A cry burst from my throat as I fell flat on my face.

I hit the floor hard, knocking my breath out. Pain shot through my whole body.

I don’t have any superpowers.

Gasping for breath, I shut my eyes and listened to the two supervillains laugh.

Oh, wow. They thought it was a riot. They tossed their heads back and hee-hawed at the top of their lungs. They slapped each other on the back and laughed some more.

And I realized this was our chance.

I pulled myself to my feet. Then I gave Bree and Ernie a shove toward the door.

Maniac and the Rage were still laughing and high-fiving each other. I tore across the room and pulled open the office door.

The three of us darted past the Scarlet Starlet. She looked up, surprised. “Leaving so soon?” she said.

“We’re out of here!” I cried breathlessly. My heart pounding, I led the way toward the front door.

But another huge figure in a white lab coat stepped in front of us. “Not so fast,” he growled.

I gasped in shock. I recognized him at once.

“Dr. Root!” I cried. “The allergy doctor! What are
you
doing here?”

The huge man lumbered toward us. His round pink face glowed in the bright office lights. He kept his arms outstretched, ready to stop us if we tried to run around him.

“Stay calm, Richard,” he said. “Everyone stay calm. You’re perfectly okay.”

“But — but —” I sputtered. I couldn’t believe he was here. He didn’t belong in this world.

“Who
is
he?” Ernie whispered.

“My new allergy doctor,” I whispered. “He gave me a shot that didn’t work and —”

“Yes, I gave you a shot,” Dr. Root said. “And you fainted. Do you remember that part, Richard?”

I pictured that two-foot-long needle, and my whole body shuddered.

“Yes, I remember that,” I said.

“Well, let me explain things to you,” Root said. “This is all a dream.”

“Huh? Excuse me? A dream?”

“Don’t you see?” he said. “You fainted from the shot, and you’re having a nightmare. That’s all it is.”

Bree gave me a hard shove in the side. “A nightmare? Why do I have to be in your nightmare?”

“I … don’t get this at all,” I said.

When I turned back to Dr. Root, he had another hypodermic needle in his hand. Another
two-foot-long needle
!

“Wh-what are you going to do?” I stammered, taking a step back.

His tiny black eyes narrowed at me. “I’m going to give you another shot to wake you up. After this shot, you’ll be just fine. Trust me.”

Trust him? Why should I trust him?

He raised his blubbery arm and thundered toward me.

In a total panic, I turned to Bree. “Quick — pinch me!” I cried.

Bree squinted at me. “Did you say
pinch
you?”

“Yes. Hurry. Pinch me hard.”

“I’d
love
to!” she said. She grabbed my arm and dug her fingers and thumb in as hard as she could.

“Owwwwww!” I opened my mouth in a shrill scream of pain.

I took an angry step toward Dr. Root. “You’re a LIAR!” I shouted. “This is definitely not a dream.”

“Okay, okay,” he said. He lowered the needle to the side of his fat stomach. “I lied.” He rubbed his flabby chins. “Want to know the truth?”

“Sure. The truth,” I said, still angry. “How about it? How about telling us the truth.”

“I’m the one who opened the passage between the two worlds,” Root said. “I was the first one out. Didn’t you wonder why my office was right across the street from the Comic Book Museum?”

“No,” I said. “No. I didn’t think …”

“Why did you do it?” Bree demanded. “Why did you open the door between the two worlds?”

His smile made the flab on his face quiver. “I knew if I could open the door,” he said, “I could cause panic everywhere.”

“But —
why
?” I cried. “Why did you want to create panic?”

He stuck out his chest proudly. “Because … I’m the
Root of All Evil
!” He tossed back his head and opened his mouth in an evil comic-book laugh. “Maniac and I — we’re maniac partners! Maniacs forever!”

Then he raised the mile-long needle again. “Now stand still, Richard. This will only hurt for a second.”

I tried to back up. Behind me, I saw Dr. Maniac and the Purple Rage watching from the door to the back office. They both moved forward to keep me from escaping Dr. Root.

“Leave him alone!” Bree screamed at the huge doctor. “Leave Richard alone!”

But his tiny black eyes locked onto me, and he raised the needle higher.

Panic made my legs buckle. I couldn’t move. Couldn’t breathe.

And then I
sneezed
.

I gasped in surprise as the sneeze blew the needle right out of Root’s chubby hand.

The needle flew into the air, then fell and bounced on the carpet.

The big man bent down to grab it — and I sneezed again. A powerful jet blast of a sneeze.

It sent Dr. Root slamming backward into the wall. He hit so hard, the whole office shook. He sank to the floor like a dead whale and didn’t move.

My sneezes are like explosions here
, I realized.
Have I found my superpower?

“This KICKS my KIELBASA!” the Purple Rage screamed. Roaring angrily, he lowered his head and came running at me.

I let out a super-sneeze and sent him flying backward across the room. He landed on his back on the desk. The Scarlet Starlet screamed and jumped to her feet.

Dr. Maniac opened his mouth in a crazy, high-pitched giggle. His eyes rolled in his head. He tossed back his cape and flew across the room, hands outstretched to grab me.

I sneezed so hard, I nearly knocked
myself
over. Maniac gasped as my sneeze blew his hair straight up in the air. I sneezed again and sent him crashing against the wall.

“Run!” I cried to Ernie and Bree. “Go! Go! I’ll hold them here with my super-sneezes.”

They both took off.

Shaking his head, Maniac pulled himself to his feet. He looked dazed. He turned angrily to the Scarlet Starlet. “Why aren’t you helping us?” he cried.

She raised both hands and wiggled her fingers. “I’m waiting for my nails to dry.”

“That’s CRAZY!” he shrieked. “Don’t you see we have a PROBLEM here?”

“Don’t shout at me, Maniac,” she replied coldly. “I’m a
star
!”

I turned and saw Ernie and Bree rocket out the door.

Dr. Root groaned. But he was still knocked out.

Maniac pulled the Rage to his feet. He dragged the Starlet beside him. The three of them were lining up, preparing an all-or-nothing attack.

Yes, I was outnumbered. But I had an awesome weapon.

I scratched my nose, making sure it was ready.

“Know what PIPS my PIPE?” the Rage screamed. “You actually think you can beat us.”

Dr. Maniac giggled. “No way you can win, Richard. You’re only a wimpy kid with bad allergies.”

“Wrong,” I said. “I’m a wimpy kid with super-sneeze powers!”

“He has a certain star quality,” the Scarlet Starlet said. “He really should talk to my agent.”

The Rage growled at her. “Shut up and attack him. Come on — let’s go!”

I didn’t give them a chance to move.

I sucked in a deep breath — and
sneezed
as hard as I could.

The mighty blast sent all three of them crashing into the wall. They hit hard and cracked right through the plaster, into the back office.

Wow! This is fun! Seriously!

I spun around and darted to the door. I pushed it open and ran outside. Into bright daylight.

Where are Bree and Ernie?
I wondered.
Can we get back to the real world?

Blinking in the sudden bright light, it took me a moment to see the crowd. The crazy crowd, running, flying, leaping around, fighting and shouting.

“Whoa! What is going on?” I shouted.

I stared up and down the crowded city block. My mouth dropped open in shock.

Superheroes fought on rooftops and sidewalks. Wildly-costumed men and women swung from ropes and slid along webs. Characters flew overhead, their shadows trailing under them on the street.

I heard deep frog croaks and saw Captain Croaker hopping in the park on the next block. He was followed closely by his little sidekick, Terry Tadpole.

“Look ouuuuuut!” a voice screeched.

I ducked as Ziggy and Higgy, the Battling Bat Brothers, zoomed right at my head. Whistling and screeching, they soared into the sky.

“Crime does not pay!” a voice boomed behind me.

“But it’s a good hobby!” someone else shouted.

I turned to see two yellow-costumed superheroes with their longbows raised, firing flaming arrows at each other.

I realized I was holding my breath. I let it out in a long whoosh.

I blinked. Then I rubbed my eyes.
Am I imagining all this?

“What
happened
?” I cried.

“We all came back,” said a voice beside me. I turned to see the pulsing red face of the Caped Corpuscle. “We couldn’t stand it out there.”

“Huh?” I gasped. “You all came back? Why?”

His face pulsed and throbbed. Under his red costume, I could see the blood racing through his whole body.

“The real world is too boring,” the Corpuscle said. “Too quiet. No fun at all. Why would anyone want to live in the real world? They don’t let you fly or fight or do anything up there.”

“Uh … I need to get back to the real world,” I said.

He squinted at me. “Seriously?”

“Seriously,” I said. “I think my brother and my friend have already returned. I don’t see them anywhere. And now, I have to return to the real world, too.”

“That’s a shame,” the Corpuscle said, shaking his bloodred head.

“A sh-shame?” I stammered. “Why is it a shame?”

“Because the door is closed. Closed forever.”

My heart skipped a beat. “You mean … I’m
stuck
here?”

The Caped Corpuscle nodded. “Yes. The trapdoor is closed. Sealed tight.”

“No, it isn’t, you liar!” a gruff voice shouted.

It was the Mighty Hairball. He came bouncing up to us and bumped the Corpuscle off the sidewalk with his hairy brown chest.

“Get away from me, Hairball!” the Corpuscle warned. “I’ll
bleed
on you. It won’t be pretty.”

“The trapdoor is still open a tiny bit,” Hairball said to me. “But it’s closing fast. You’d better hurry, kid.” He pointed to a concrete stairway across the street. “Take those stairs. The trap door is at the top.”

“But … but … where’s the water? Where’s the beach?” I stammered.

“This is Comic Book World,” Hairball replied. “Things change all the time. Better hurry.”

Corpuscle stepped up to Hairball. “You’ll never forget the day you called
me
a liar!” he screamed. “My blood is
boiling
now!”

Hairball bounced onto him, knocking him over. Blood puddled all over the street. The two weird superheroes started to fight, wrestling, punching each other.

I took off, running to the stairs.

“Trapdoor, please be open,” I murmured as I took the steps two at a time.

I climbed higher. And now I could see the trapdoor above me.

Yes! It was still open a bit. Open just enough for me to squeeze through.

“I’m coming!” I shouted. “I’m almost there!”

I reached a small landing. I stopped to catch my breath.

“I’m coming!” I shouted up to the trapdoor. I could see it slowly closing. I started running again.

And something big fell on me. Like a big sack of potatoes. It landed on my head and shoulders and drove me to the landing floor.

I groaned with pain and struggled to squirm out from under it.

A big, heavy, hairy body. It held me down. It sat on my chest. It wouldn’t budge.

Over its hairy shoulder, I saw the trapdoor slowly closing.

The creature on top of me raised his face.

I stared at his mask. I knew it. I
knew
that mask.

The Masked Monkey!

“Let me go!” I cried.

I could see the trapdoor creaking shut overhead.

“Let go! Let go of me!”