“All right, we’ll go,” I said.
“That’s better,” replied the alien. “It’s about time you started using that brain to think as well as feel. Now come along.”
We followed her to the stairs. When we got there, she made us walk up ahead of her so we wouldn’t try to escape.
“Don’t look so frightened,” said Kreeblim once we were back in the attic. “It won’t do anything to help your case.”
“What case?” asked Susan.
Kreeblim sighed. “The case you have to make before the Interplanetary Council. I’m not entirely pleased at the role I have been assigned in this matter, but as the only emissary to your world who is currently in direct contact with the natives, I have no choice. Fortunately, I do have someone to assist me.”
“I still don’t get it,” said Susan.
“I think I do,” I said. “Let me see if I’ve got this right. The Interplanetary Council has decided it’s time to take action regarding the Earth. They have four options—they can take over, blow us up, blockade us, or leave us alone—and they want one more report before they make their final decision.”
Kreeblim looked at me oddly.
“Why would they want to blow us up?” asked Susan in horror.
“Because they’re afraid of us,” I said. “Not because of what we can do right now, but because of what we might be able to do in the future.”
“You earthlings are such an unstable group,” said Kreeblim wistfully. “Full of promise and poison in equal measure.”
“So what’s going to happen?” I asked.
“The council has assigned a five-member team to assemble a report. We have one of your months in which to do so. That report, when filed, will determine the fate of your planet.”
I swallowed nervously. “Just who is on this team?”
“The three of us, to start with,” said Kreeblim.
“That still leaves two spots,” said Susan.
Kreeblim flapped her nose. “Look behind you,” she said.
I turned in time to see a beam of blue light shine down into the center of the room. As I watched, two figures took shape inside it.
The light vanished. Where it had been stood Broxholm and Peter Thompson.
“Peter!” cried Susan. She ran over and threw her arms around him.
“Hi, Susan,” he said, looking a little embarrassed. “It’s nice to see you.”
“Good evening, Miss Simmons, Mr. Dougal,” said Broxholm, nodding his green head. “I can’t say it is exactly a pleasure to see you again, but since we are going to be working together, I hope that we will be able to put the past behind us.”
“Working together?” asked Susan.
“We’re the rest of the team,” said Peter. “I told Duncan there was something big going on. When I got cut off during that last transmission it was because Broxholm had come in to tell me that the Interplanetary Council had assigned us to join the team that is going to file the final report on what they call ‘The Earth Question.’ ”
“So it’s the three of us and the two of them,” I said, gesturing to Broxholm and Kreeblim.
“That’s right,” said Peter. He looked at me and smiled. “Kind of an odd choice, when you think about it.”
I knew what he meant. Peter and I had both been pretty unhappy down here. So we weren’t exactly the best choices to convince aliens how wonderful this planet was. But the two of us, along with Susan, had been given that assignment.
Talk about tough homework! We had one month to convince the rulers of the galaxy not to wipe the human race out of existence.
My brain was racing, sorting thoughts, ideas, and images. It seemed like more than I could handle.
I looked at Kreeblim. “Why did you do this to me?” I asked, tears starting at the corners of my eyes.
She closed her side eyes, so that only the middle one was looking at me—looking right into me, almost. “I didn’t do this to you, Duncan. I gave you an invitation, and you accepted it. The first treatment of the brain enhancer was my choice—the others were all yours.”
“Come along,” said Broxholm. “The council is waiting to give us their final instructions.”
“Waiting where?” asked Susan.
Peter rolled his eyes and pointed toward the ceiling. I knew what he meant. They were waiting out there, out in space. And we were about to join them. Standing where Broxholm directed, I waited for the blue beam that would lift me out beyond the planet where I had been born, out to a ship that had come from the stars.
I reached out my hands. Susan took one. Peter took the other.
The blue transporter beam began to shimmer around us. I felt myself being drawn into space.
It was going to be an interesting October.
About the Author and Illustrator
Bruce Coville has written dozens of books for young readers, including My Teacher Is an Alien, Monster of the Year, and the Camp Haunted Hills books, How I Survived My Summer Vacation, Some of My Best Friends Are Monsters and The Dinosaur That Followed Me Home. He grew up in central New York, where he’s lived most of his life. Before becoming a full-time writer, Bruce Coville worked as a magazine editor, a teacher, a toymaker, and a gravedigger.
John Pierard is best known for his illustrations for Isaac Asimov’s Science Fiction Magazine, Distant Stars, and several books in the Time Machine series. He lives in Manhattan.
Copyright @ 1991, 2000 General Licensing Co., Inc.
This text converted to eBook format for the Mobipocket Reader.
My Teacher Fried My Brains Page 9