Part 10 (1/2)

”What do you want?” he pleaded.

I didn't dare stop playing. I knew my piccolo was keeping him at bay. But Mike stepped in. ”Take off your mask!” he shouted.

”Your mask!” cried the others. ”Take off your mask!”

”Anything!” said Broxholm. ”Just stop that noise.”

”First your mask!” cried the band.

Even Dr. Bleekman could see that there was something weird about his favorite teacher now.

He waited in silence.

I played my trill again.

Broxholm reached behind his head, and began to peel off his face. Behind us people started to scream. Someone cried ”What is it? What's happening?”

”Oh, my G.o.d!” yelled someone else. ”It's Mr. Smith-he's-he's-an alien!”

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE.

Out of This World I thought it was over. But I was wrong. Broxholm was still crouched against the wall, about two feet from the doors to the outside. The rest of us were about ten feet away from him, staring in horror at his strange alien features.

Suddenly the door to the left of Broxholm opened. It was Peter. He must have run out the front doors and circled around.

”Broxholm,” he shouted. ”This way. Run!”

The alien jumped to his feet and took off as if he had rocket-powered roller skates. As soon as he was through the door, Peter slammed it shut.

The rest of us started to run, too. Then Broxholm pulled something that looked like a thick pencil out of his pocket. He pointed it at the doors and fried them shut.

I started to tremble. He could have pointed that thing at me if he had really wanted to! He probably could have melted my piccolo to my lips.

Maybe old Broxholm wasn't so bad after all, I thought as I stood with my face pressed against the window, watching the alien and my best friend disappear into the night.

My best friend? I thought in surprise. But I knew was true. Peter was my best friend.

And now he was gone.

Someone had called the police. Pretty soon their cruisers came screeching into the school yard. My mother was flapping her hands and worrying that I might have some alien disease.