by R. L. Stine
You’re going to hang on to his leg until he gets the message — and turns you back into a human being!
Hang on till you get to PAGE 60.
Your mouth falls open as you stare through the lab window. To your amazement, the lab is filled with chimps! But they’re not just monkeying around. They’re doing cool things — playing checkers, painting pictures, and reading books.
“Look!” Sam says. “Those two chimps are playing video games! Wow! Can you believe their scores?”
“What kind of research are you doing in here?” you ask Professor Yzark.
“Studying the brains of chimpanzees,” he explains. “Chimps are very smart. And physically they’re a lot like people. There is much we can learn from them.”
Oscar gives the professor a nudge. A hard nudge — as if he wants something.
The professor jumps a little. Then he turns to you. “Oscar is wondering if you’d care to go inside,” Professor Yzark says. He nods toward the next room. “To see the research … up close.”
“Sure!” Sam cries. “Can we play video games?”
“Oscar would like that very much,” Professor Yzark replies with a strange smile.
What’s he smiling about? you wonder.
“Come on!” Sam urges you. “What are you waiting for?”
If you go into the room with the chimps, turn to PAGE 67.
If not, then think of an excuse on PAGE 108.
Dr. Eeek leads you down the hallway. Past a dozen closed doors. Around a corner.
Then, all at once, you see it. A hospital operating room. Dr. Eeek pushes open the two swinging doors.
“Huh?” you choke, gulping loudly. “Where are the dogs? Where’s the canine lab?”
“This is it,” Dr. Eeek replies. He hands you two hospital gowns. “Get changed.”
Get changed? Is he kidding? Don’t you need your parents’ permission for things like this?
“Uh, I’ve changed my mind,” you mumble. “I think I’d better ask my mom about this.”
“Too late for that,” Dr. Eeek declares.
Then he puts his hands on your shoulders and pushes you through the swinging doors.
Hey! you think. He can’t push you around this way!
Push back on PAGE 103.
What was that brown stuff you ate? Whatever it was, it has turned you and Sam into German shepherds.
Dr. Eeek is sneakier than you realized. That food machine was a trick — and you took the bait.
You growl at Sam. He growls back, showing his sharp canine teeth.
Okay, okay, you think. You’ll back down. Sam’s bigger than you are, anyway.
You glance away from Sam and put your tail between your legs to let him know that he’s in charge. He’s “top dog.”
Then you back out of the way, so that Sam can lick the last scraps of the brown stuff from the floor.
A minute later, the hair on the back of your neck stands up. You smell something — more dogs! You can hear them coming, too. Their sharp nails click on the tile floor.
Big trouble, you think, beginning to panic. You and Sam are trapped in a tiny opening at the end of that narrowing hall.
In a dead end.
Think quick! What are you going to do?
If you run out and attack the pack of dogs, turn to PAGE 126.
If you roll over and play dead, turn to PAGE 89.
“Hey — it’s a restroom!” you cry.
“Here,” Dr. Eeek says, handing you a bucket and a mop. “Clean up.”
“Clean up?” you exclaim.
“Correct,” Dr. Eeek says. “Floors … sinks … all of it. I want it all scrubbed and spotless before you leave.” Then he marches out of the room.
Clean sinks? He wants you to clean sinks?
Then you and Sam glance around. “Weird,” you mutter. “Look at those sinks!”
“They’re so high!” Sam exclaims. “They’re almost eight feet off the ground!”
“I wonder what kind of guy needs a sink that tall?” you ask.
An instant later, the door opens. A humongous twelve-foot-tall kid — a kid your age — stomps into the restroom.
“Hi,” he says in a booming voice. Then he notices you staring at his height. “Yeah, I know,” he groans. “I’m a freak. Dr. Eeek did this to me. But you guys are lucky. You get to clean sinks. Whatever you do, don’t do the Raster experiment.”
Clean sinks? you think again. Hey — gladly! Any day! And when you’re done, you can wash your hands of this whole creepy mess!
THE END
Don’t be silly. Of course Dr. Eeek is going to come in! This is his office, you goof. He’s got the key!
Did you really think you could lock him out of his own office?
You’re in big trouble now.
Your only chance is to worm your way out of this.
Go to PAGE 26.
The only speck of light anywhere is the glow-in-the-dark face on Dr. Eeek’s wristwatch.
In the darkness, you can feel him bend his head to look at it. He groans.
“What?” you ask.
“Nothing,” Dr. Eeek says. “It’s just that they’re right on time.”
“Who?” you ask.
“The electric company,” Dr. Eeek says. “I’m afraid I haven’t paid my electric bill for the past three months. They threatened to turn off the power at 7:00 P.M. if I didn’t come up with the cash. I guess they weren’t kidding.”
Kidding? Nope — they weren’t kidding.
And you’re not laughing, either. Why? Because it takes a big gulp of air to laugh. And you’re out of air in …
THE END.
“Off!” you yell at the dogs.
You learned that by watching a show on TV about how to train dogs.
Your mom starts laughing. “Oh, dear,” she says, chuckling harder every minute. “What on earth are you doing?”
“I’m trying to save your life!” you shriek. “I thought those dogs were —”
Your mom is laughing so hard now that she’s crying. But she manages to pull a small silver whistle out of her pocket. She blows it. Instantly the dogs stop barking and run away.
“Those dogs,” your mom explains, wiping her eyes, “are part of my research at the lab. Did you really think they’d hurt me?”
Your head is spinning. So much has happened!
“But what about your shoes? What about Dr. Eeek?” you cry.
“Oh, I let the dogs play with my shoes,” your mom says. “They like it. And as for Dr. Eeek, I’m sure he tried to scare you. He’s just a little crazy. Ignore him.”
Ignore him? Is she kidding? He’s a lunatic!
But your mom sounds so sincere. You’re about to go along with her. And then you see it. The beauty mark.
What’s going on? Find out on PAGE 124.
“Let go! Let go!” Dr. Eeek screams.
He shoves his hand into the pocket of his white lab coat and pulls out a silver whistle. He blows it hard.
AAAAAAHHHHH! The sound is killing you! It’s so loud. It pierces your ears. You want to yowl and scream. But you don’t. You just sink your teeth into his leg. And bite harder.
“Oh, dear,” Dr. Eeek moans. “You’re not a dog. You’re that kid!”
GRRRRRRR-Right! You growl. You hope he gets the point.
“I’ll turn you back into a human!” he cries. “Just let me go!”
Hey — you’re not that dumb! You don’t let go.
With you still attached to his leg, Dr. Eeek limps into a nearby lab room. He opens a white metal drawer and scoops out a red pill. It looks like an M&M — only much bigger. It’s about the size of a very large grape.
He offers it to you. “Here. Eat this,” Dr. Eeek says. “It will turn you back into a person. I think.”
He thinks? Wait a minute. Does he know what he’s doing — or not? Or is this a trick? To swallow the pill, you’ll have to let go of his leg. Should you do it?
If you swallow the pill, turn to PAGE
106.
If you won’t open your mouth, turn to PAGE 100.
Uh-oh. You’re not quite tall enough. No matter how many times you jump and leap and throw yourself into the air, you can’t quite reach that button.
Soon, you’re dog-tired. You lie down on the floor, panting from exhaustion. You cover your eyes with your paws. You don’t even want to look at the world. You know, in your little doggy heart, that you’re never going to get out of there. You’ll be a dog forever.
But hey — that isn’t all bad, is it? There are some good things about being a dog….
Like what?
Like the fact that sooner or later, Dr. Eeek will wander into the maze.
And you’ve got a big, strong jaw … full of long, pointy teeth!
Revenge?
You bet.
Sure, you’re a dog. But who said you always have to be man’s best friend?
THE END
“It’s not that much farther,” you say. “Let’s keep going.”
“Okay,” Sam agrees.
“The hall’s so narrow, we’d better walk single file,” you suggest. “You go first.”
“Nah — you first,” Sam counters.
“No, really. After you.”
How long can you keep this up?
Not long. Finally you pull a coin out of your pocket. You flip it. “Heads, I’ll go first. Tails, you go first,” you tell Sam.
Flip a coin. If it comes up heads, turn to PAGE 68.
Tails — turn to PAGE 91.
“No way,” you tell Vanessa. “We’re not here for any experiment. We’re waiting for my mom.”
Vanessa narrows her eyes at you. Her dark hair cascades over her lab coat. She looks like the witch in Snow White.
“Wait here,” Vanessa instructs. “I’ll get Dr. Eeek.”
A moment later, an older man with gray hair walks through the door. Dr. Eeek is wearing a white lab coat just like Vanessa’s. But he has his on backward. His face is soft and fleshy, and there’s something odd about his right cheek. The flesh looks as if it has been pulled up to meet his right eye — and then stapled there. It gives him a weird squint.
“Well, well,” Dr. Eeek begins, squinting at you. He sounds like a school principal who’s just caught you stealing from the snack machine. “What can I do for you two?”
“I’m just waiting for my mom,” you announce firmly.
He asks your name, and you tell him.
“Ah, yes,” Dr. Eeek says. “Follow me.”
Follow him over to PAGE 41.
Dr. Eeek is too weird, you decide. You start to back out of the room. But Sam still has dollar signs in his eyes.
“Where are you going?” Sam whispers to you.
“Out of here,” you declare.
“No way,” he insists. “I’m staying until I get the money.”
Dr. Eeek grins. He can tell you are having second thoughts.
“How bad can it be?” Sam mutters under his breath. “I mean seriously. Your mom works here. It’s got to be a safe place — right?”
You nod half-heartedly.
But where is your mom, anyway?
As if he can read your mind, Dr. Eeek speaks up. “Actually,” he says, “I’m not sure you’re right for the Raster experiment. I think you two are more suited to something …”
He lets his voice trail off.
“… else,” he finally says.
This sounds worse every minute!
If you do whatever Dr. Eeek tells you to do, turn to PAGE 25.
If you chicken out, turn to PAGE 17.
You quickly roll the receptionist’s swivel chair across the room. You plant it behind the door so you’ll be in position to ambush whoever’s coming. Then you search around for a weapon.
There must be something you can use to conk the person on the head!
“How about this?” Sam asks, handing you the telephone.
“Hey — good idea!” you say. You hold the phone over your head like a club and wait. You stand on the swivel chair.
The door opens, and Vanessa walks in.
You lunge forward with the phone. You reach out, trying to smack her with it.
But suddenly the swivel chair swivels, then slides.
Whoops … the wheels are rolling … rolling … you’re losing your balance … and …
BAM!
The chair rolls out from under you.
You fly forward and hit the floor.
A moment later, everything goes black.
Go to PAGE 69.
You blow the silver whistle again. Harder this time.
But still, no sound comes out.
What’s wrong with this thing? you want to shout. But your voice is paralyzed — with fear.
You blow one more time. Still no sound. But just then you notice something. The dogs are backing down! All six of them. They stop barking. Stop lunging at you. And all six of them sit! They just sit down on their back haunches and stare up at you, as if they’re waiting for further instructions.
“Cool!” Sam exclaims. “That must be a dog whistle. You know — they make a high-pitched sound. People can’t hear it, but dogs can. Where did you get it?”
“It’s a long story. I’ll tell you later,” you say, wiping the sweat off your brow. “Come on — let’s find a way out of this place.”
Look for the exit on PAGE 97.
Why not take a quick look around the lab? you think.
After all — your mom never lets you do anything like this. She never shows you any of this cool stuff. This might be your only chance.
“Yeah — we’d love to see the chimps,” you tell Professor Yzark.
Professor Yzark smiles. Oscar jumps up and down.
“Good,” Professor Yzark says. Quickly, he ushers you and Sam through the connecting door.
As soon as you walk in, all the chimps glance up. They stare at you and Sam without making a sound.
Weird, you think.
You hold very still, not wanting to scare the chimps. That’s why you don’t notice what’s happening behind you.
Oscar the chimp is slamming the door …
And locking it with a key!
Hey! What’s going on?
Find out on PAGE 10.
The coin comes up heads.
You gulp and squeeze past Sam, so you can lead the way.
One step at a time, you creep to the end of the corridor.
The walls get narrower … narrower…. In fact, they’re only about a foot apart now. You can hardly squeeze through.
But now that you’re almost to the end, you notice something. The walls don’t come to a point. The corridor is just super-narrow for about fifteen feet. And then there’s an opening!
You turn sideways, suck in your stomach, and edge your way to the end of the hall.
To the opening. And then you see it!
Go on to PAGE 72.
You wake up in the waiting room. Vanessa is towering over you. And Sam is crouching beside you.
“Are you okay?” Sam asks.
Before you can answer, Vanessa reaches into her lab coat and pulls out a spray can. There’s a sign on it in big red letters. It reads:
SLEEPING SPRAY — THE DEADLY DUST OF NIGHTFALL
She points the can in your direction and Pssssss! — she sprays it in your face. Then in Sam’s.
Then she starts to sing. “Lullaby … and good night …”
You glance over at Sam. He has slumped to the floor. His eyes are closing. So are yours. But before you fall into a deep, deep sleep, you hear him speak his last words.
“The phone … I mean you should use it to call 911,” he says.
Oh, yeah. That would have been a good idea!
Well, maybe next time.
But this time, you’re going to lullaby land — and they don’t have any phones there. Just a great big sign, with big red letters on it saying …
THE END.
You call Dominick’s Pizza.
“
Hello, may I take your order please?” the voice on the other end of the line says.
“Help! You’ve got to help me!” you scream into the phone. “I’m trapped in Eeek Labs and —”
“Eeek Labs? Okay, so you want your usual — a large half-mushroom, half-pepperoni. It’ll be right there.”
“No, wait!” you scream. “I’m trapped here! You’ve got to come get me out!”
“Hey — is this a prank?” the guy at the pizza place says.
“No! It’s not a prank! I’m locked in with Dr. Eeek, and he’s doing something terrible to my friend, and —”
The line goes dead.
Hurry to PAGE 39.
You can’t believe it!
Your clothes are torn! Your arms and legs are scratched and bleeding from the thorns in the prickly bushes!
“How —? What happened?” you cry. “I thought that was just virtual reality.”
Dr. Eeek gives you a nasty smile. “Never mind,” he grumbles. “Your part of the experiment is over. You are free to go — if you really want to. Or …”
Or what? Is he nuts? Of course you want to leave!
Until you gaze over at Sam. He’s still strapped into his black leather chair with his headset on — and he’s clutching his throat. He starts to scream.
“Help!” Sam cries. “Please — someone! Help!”
“As I said, you may leave,” Dr. Eeek says. “Or you can return to the virtual reality — Sam’s reality — and try to save him.” Dr. Eeek snickers. “Without you, I’m afraid he’s not going to make it.”
Oh, no! You’ve got to do something to help your friend! But what?
If you’re willing to put on the headset, turn to PAGE 105.
If you run out of there and try to find someone to help Sam, turn to PAGE 84.