by R. L. Stine
“What is it? What’s in that room?” Sam demands.
A slow grin spreads across your face.
“Is it a way out?” Sam asks eagerly.
“Nope.” You shake your head. “But it’s something almost as good.”
“What?” Sam asks, sounding almost grouchy.
“Vending machines!” you shout. You whirl around to give Sam a high five.
“Yes!” he says, squeezing through the narrow hall and into the opening with you.
You didn’t notice it before, but you’re starving. Your stomach has been growling for half an hour.
You check out the machines. They’re the kind with a glass globe full of candy or bubble gum. But instead of candy, they have some kind of brown crumbly stuff in them. Maybe it’s nuts, or something like granola.
“Oh, no,” you say. “Health food.”
“Who cares?” Sam cries. “I’m starving.”
True. You are starving. And besides, the machines don’t have coin slots. Could all this stuff be free?
Find out on PAGE 83.
“You slime!” you shout at Dr. Eeek.
His eyes are still closed, so he doesn’t see you coming. You leap at him with your goo-covered hands. You smear the goo on his chin, mouth, and eyebrows.
“Ha-ha-ha!” Dr. Eeek shouts, tossing his head back and roaring with laughter.
What’s so funny? you wonder.
And then it hits you — haven’t you been through all of this before?
That’s when you see him reach behind his ear — and peel off another mask!
Oh, no, you realize. He may be crazy — but he’s also very smart.
Smarter than you.
Now what are you going to do, hotshot?
Never mind — it doesn’t matter what you do because Dr. Eeek will always have another mask underneath the first. You can’t slime him. You can’t escape him. And guess what else?
Your twenty seconds are up!
Say “Gooo-bye.” Because this is …
THE END.
Are you kidding? You’re going to hide under the operating table?
Think again. The sheet that’s draped over the half-boy, half-dog will only half cover you.
Which means that this was only a half-baked plan.
Dr. Eeek hurries in and spots you immediately.
“Ah-ha!” he exclaims. He leers at you and rubs his hands. “I see you’ve decided to stay a little longer — and cooperate.”
Before you can scramble away, Dr. Eeek grabs you. He forces you to drink a foaming purple liquid. Then he hooks you up to some machines … and in half an hour, he’s turned you into half-kid, half-dog, half-basketball!
Hey — that’s too many halves!
But try telling that to Dr. Eeek. He doesn’t care.
You look in the mirror and shriek. The basketball half is attached where you used to have a head!
If you have half a brain, you’ll make better choices next time.
But then, you probably don’t have half a brain anymore — do you?
THE END
You freeze. You hold perfectly, completely still. You don’t even breathe. You don’t want to attract too much attention.
How nice of you! The Komodo dragon really appreciates your cooperation.
CHOMP!
He doesn’t even have to use his tail to knock you to the ground. He just digs his razor-sharp teeth into your side and … Let’s just say you make a tasty snack.
What’s wrong? You didn’t expect it to end this way? You thought this was just virtual reality? You thought it was just a game?
Sorry. It might be virtual reality — but it’s the only reality you’ve got right now!
And if it’s just a game, YOU LOSE!
GAME OVER
“You’ll never get out of the lab … unless you can find your way out of the Canine Maze!” Dr. Eeek warns.
He pulls at his lab coat to adjust it. It’s practically choking him, since he’s wearing it backward. But he doesn’t seem to think there is anything wrong.
He strokes his chin, thinking. You are pretty sure from the look on Dr. Eeek’s face that he’s cooking up a hideous plot. Then he nods.
“Yes — I’d say that’s your best chance,” Dr. Eeek declares. “The Canine Maze. Unless …”
“Unless what?” you cry.
“Unless you know the answer to this special GOOSEBUMPS question,” Dr. Eeek replies.
“Excellent!” you shout. “I’m a GOOSEBUMPS expert.” You slap Sam a high five.
“Okay,” Dr. Eeek begins, “in the book My Hairiest Adventure, when Larry first notices the thick black hair growing on his hands, what is he holding? A toothbrush or a hairbrush?”
If you think it’s a toothbrush, turn to PAGE 49.
If you choose a hairbrush, turn to PAGE 116.
“No way!” you shout at Dr. Eeek. “I’m not going to be your guinea pig!”
Then, with the goo growing all over your face, you turn and bolt for the door.
“Come on, Sam! Let’s run!” you try to say.
The two of you sprint like world-class athletes, down the hall to the waiting room. And luckily, that big vault door in front is standing slightly ajar. So you zoom into the hall and catch a down elevator.
“Ewwww — yuk!” a teenage girl in the elevator cries when she sees you.
Uh-oh. The green stuff. It’s grossing her out.
“I don’t know what she’s complaining about,” Sam says. “I mean, look at her. Her skin is green!”
Yeah, you think to yourself. And so is her hair … and her clothes … and …
Hey, hold on. Everything looks green to you!
Then you catch a glimpse of yourself in a highly polished chrome elevator panel. That’s when you realize — the goo has completely covered your head!
Take another look at yourself on PAGE 33.
“Don’t even turn around,” you whisper to Sam. “Just keep on walking.”
The two of you hurry down the hall. Past the many lab doors. Heading straight toward the reception area.
“My mom will probably be waiting for us,” you assure Sam.
“Yeah,” Sam replies. “And then we can get out of this creepy place.”
“You’ve got it,” you say, trying to convince yourself.
But what if she’s not?
You pull open the door to the waiting room — and gasp!
There’s a snarling, growling German shepherd standing there — blocking the only exit!
And he has something you recognize in his mouth!
Hurry to PAGE 115.
“Help!” you scream at the top of your lungs.
But why scream? you ask yourself.
Dr. Eeek isn’t going to come help you. And Sam can’t. He’s strapped into that black chair. And that vault door is supposed to be “locked at all times.” The receptionist said so.
So who do you think is going to open it and rescue you?
The pizza delivery guy, of course!
An instant later, the front door opens — and the Dominick’s Pizza guy walks in.
“Hi,” he says, as the water gushes out into the hallway, soaking his legs. “Here’s the pizza you ordered. Half-mush, half-pep. Right?”
You stare at him, open-mouthed. He doesn’t even seem to mind that he’s getting wet.
“How did you get in here?” you ask him, dumbfounded.
He holds up a key, dangling from a long chain. “Dr. Eeek orders almost every day,” he explains. “So we’ve got a key. We just let ourselves in and leave the pizza. We send him a bill every month. This is what you wanted, right?”
You shake your head. This is unbelievable!
Believe it on PAGE 120.
You follow Dr. Eeek as he races down the hall, pulls open another lab door, and hurries in.
Inside, there is an enormous glass box with a hinged door. Dr. Eeek dashes into the chamber and tries to pull the door closed.
“Not so fast
!” you shout. You and Sam dash into the box with him.
It’s like cramming three sweaty people into a phone booth. Too close for comfort. And you can tell there is very little air inside.
But who cares? The minute Dr. Eeek closes the door, a white gas fills the box — and the goo dissolves!
You were right! It’s the antidote box! You’re saved!
Except …
“How come this door won’t open?” Sam asks. He bangs on the handle.
“Hey — how come the lights just went out?” you cry.
You stare into the total pitch-darkness of the lab.
You’re locked in an airtight box with a crazy person!
Turn to PAGE 58.
“Sam!” you call. You rush back to the room where you left him — the one with three locks.
Luckily they aren’t locked. You yank open the door.
Sam sits blindfolded at a table inside the small, empty room. He holds a spoon in his hand.
In front of him are three bowls of cereal.
Dr. Eeek stands behind Sam with a clipboard and a pencil.
“Which one tastes like sugar-coated Ping-Pong balls?” Dr. Eeek asks. “Which one tastes like cinnamon potato chips? Which one tastes like moldy hay?”
Huh? A taste test?
That’s all?
You smack your forehead. What a jerk you’ve been. And Sam’s going to get fifty dollars for this!
“Uh, Dr. Eeek,” you say. “Is it too late to change my mind? I’d like to do this experiment, too.”
Dr. Eeek laughs. “I’m sorry,” he says. “This experiment is over. But I’d be happy to use you both in my canine lab.”
Canine lab? What sort of experiments is he doing with dogs?
Turn to PAGE 111.
Quickly, you try to pull the sticky, glowing green stuff off Sam’s hands. But it’s really stuck! You can get only about half of it off.
And guess what?
Now your hands are stuck together, too!
“Have fun, people,” Dr. Eeek says. He salutes you briskly, with a quick snap of his hand over that weird eye. Then he shuffles out of the room.
For the next few minutes, you and Sam struggle with the goo. You claw at your hands and your arms, trying to pull it off. But it’s no use. The stuff is too sticky.
And it’s growing thicker all the time.
Within minutes, the goo has grown all the way up both of your arms — and it’s starting to encircle your throat!
Just as it slides toward your mouth, Dr. Eeek returns.
“Well, people, how are we doing?” he says with an evil smile. “Are we ready to cooperate now? Because I can get that stuff off you — if you’re willing to do the Raster experiment.”
If you cooperate with Dr. Eeek, turn to PAGE 9.
If you smear some of the goo on Dr. Eeek, turn to PAGE 37.
If you just RUN LIKE MAD! — turn to PAGE 77.
Sam twists a knob. A handful of the brown stuff tumbles down the chute. It is free!
“What is it?” you ask, peering closely at the food in Sam’s hand.
“Who cares?” Sam replies. He pops some of it into his mouth and starts to chew. “I think it’s granola.”
Slowly, you turn the crank on the vending machine. You put a few pieces of the stuff in your mouth. At first, it just tastes sort of salty. But then …
“Yuk!” you yell, spitting it out on the floor.
If you didn’t know better, you’d think this stuff was dog food!
“Take another bite,” Sam says. “It’s good, once you get used to it.”
Sam keeps turning the crank and eating the granola. He stuffs all his pockets with the brown crunchy food. It’s Sam’s policy never, ever to turn down anything that’s free.
How about you? Do you want to take another bite — or not?
If yes, turn to PAGE 107.
If no, turn to PAGE 94.
No way are you going to let Dr. Eeek strap you in that chair again.
“I’m free to go? Then I’m outta here,” you say, waving good-bye and walking out of the room casually.
As soon as you’re out of the room, you break into a run. Feet pounding, you race down the hall toward the empty reception area. Dash to the door and …
But wait a minute. That thick steel vault door is locked — and you can’t get out!
Quickly, you pick up the phone on the receptionist’s desk. You dial your mom’s work phone number.
Wherever she is — maybe she’ll answer the phone.
Ring … ring … ring … ring … ring …
You let it ring ten times, but there’s no answer.
Oh, no. You’ve got to do something to save Sam — quick!
Your hands are sweaty. Your heart is beating in your throat. You can’t think of anything to do.
So you call the one other phone number you’ve memorized.
Turn to PAGE 70.
You bend over, lowering your arms — er, uh, front legs! — to the floor.
Front legs? Yikes! You glance down and your heart almost stops. Your arms have fur on them!
Your tongue hangs out, and you begin to pant. And sniff.
You sniff the floor. You sniff Sam’s front legs.
Sam’s front legs? Yikes, again!
Oh, no, you slowly realize. You and Sam have turned into dogs!
Be a good dog and turn to PAGE 55.
No way you’re sticking around with a Komodo dragon — you RUN! You dash into the bushes and sprint like crazy. But the bushes are filled with prickly thorns.
The Komodo dragon is on your tail — sort of. You don’t really have a tail — he does. But he’s chasing you.
You trip, and he manages to sink his big, jagged teeth into your shoe!
You stumble to your feet and run in a zigzag pattern. You read somewhere that Komodo dragons can’t make quick turns. You hope this will help you escape.
You’re right. The Komodo dragon gives up. It’s fast — but it can’t hang in there very long. It stops chasing you and turns around to go the other way. Finally, you drop to the ground, dead tired.
Dr. Eeek takes the headset off you. “The experiment is over,” he announces. But when you glance down at your arms and legs, you scream!
Find out why on PAGE 71.
“Uh, this is too weird,” you tell Sam. “I’m going back.”
You turn around and retrace your steps. Back to the place where you could have turned left.
Ahhhh — this is more like it. At least the hallway isn’t making you feel all-closed-in now. You take the left fork.
Dog smell.
Then you turn right.
More dog smell.
“This place is freaky,” you whisper to Sam. “I can smell dogs all around me. But it’s so quiet. Where are they?”
Where are they?
Before Sam can answer, you find out. All at once — as if they’ve been released from a pen somewhere — you hear dogs racing toward you, barking savagely!
Barking in front of you. Barking behind you.
“We’ve got to get out of here!” Sam shouts. “There’s another left turn up ahead.”
“We can’t get out,” you shriek. “They’re coming from every direction!”
Sam doesn’t have time to answer. Because at that instant, the dogs arrive!
Hurry to PAGE 18.
You pull your left hand back and make a fist. Then you wind up and throw the punch of a lifetime.
POW!
It decks Dr. Eeek, easy. He’s out cold.
Then you and Sam run at top speed. Out of the lab. Down the hall. To the waiting room. When you get there, the big vault door is standing open.
Your heart pounds. Sweat drips from your hair. You can hardly believe you’ve finally escaped that madman!
You dash into the hall and hammer on the elevator button. You think if you press it more times, it’ll arrive sooner.
Finally, the elevator comes, and you and Sam step in.
> You press the button for the eighteenth floor — one floor below. That’s where your mom’s office is, right?
The elevator goes down one floor. But when the door opens on eighteen, you gasp.
You are staring into nothing.
Not a room. Not a hallway. Just empty space.
Utter nothingness!
Turn to PAGE 90.
You decide to play it safe. You cower in the corner by the dog-food machine, waiting. Lying still.
Pretty soon, you hear them coming. Six blood-thirsty German shepherds. Running. Barking. Barking. Running. More barking.
The sound fills the small corridor and hurts your ears — which are more sensitive now that you’re a dog.
Finally, the dogs race into the small opening where you and Sam are hiding.
You don’t move. You just lie there, pretending to be asleep.
German shepherds aren’t going to attack one of their own kind, are they?
Unfortunately, you may think you’re a dog, but the dogs don’t. They can smell your human blood — and they’ve been trained to attack!
Remember how you decided to roll over and play dead? Well, bad news. You’re not pretending anymore.
THE END
“What is this?” Sam asks. You both peer into the emptiness in front of you.
You think quickly. It looks like the blank screen you saw before Dr. Eeek turned on the virtual reality machine.
Then you get it. “It’s nothing,” you tell Sam. “Because Dr. Eeek didn’t program it! He didn’t program the eighteenth floor — or my mom — or anything else in this building.”
“Oh, no,” Sam moans. “Then we’re stuck?”
Go to PAGE 8.
The coin comes up tails.
Okay, you think. Sam can lead the way down the narrowing hallway. That will give you a chance to look around.