Kell and the Giants

by DarcyPattison

  I had to do something. Fast. We needed a doctor, and I only knew one who could help. Quick, I dialed Roman’s number.

  “Hello.”

  “Roman, this is Kell. I need to talk to your Dad. My mom is sick.”

  A moment later, Dr. East said, “Kell. What’s wrong?”

  “Please, come right now. Mom can’t breathe.”

  “I’ll call 911. An ambulance will be there soon.”

  “NO! You can’t do that.”

  Yes, Kell, if she needs help that fast, you need an ambulance.”

  I took a deep, shaky breath. “No. The hospital won’t know what to do.” I didn’t want to say it, but I needed help. “We are aliens.”

  There was silence.

  “Please. This isn’t a game. We are from space, and Mom will die if you can’t help her.” Tears filled my eyes.

  “I’ll be there as fast as I can.” The phone went dead.

  I ran back to Mom, and she looked really bad. Pale, almost white. Her dark hair looked darker and her face whiter than I had ever seen it.

  I picked up Mom’s hand, and she squeezed it. Her eyes were closed and she concentrated on each breath. But she squeezed my hand tight.

  Suddenly, a flash of light splashed across the windows. Lightning! A deep rumble ran across the sky. Thunder!

  Where was Dad?

  Where was Dr. East?

  Why were we stuck on Earth with all these bugs? I just wanted to be home on Bix where we could go to a doctor and get help.

  At last, the doorbell rang and Dr. East ducked to fit through the doorway. He took one look at Mom and jerked open his black bag. He pulled out a needle and a bottle of medicine.

  While he pulled medicine into the needle, he said, “You know that this might not work.”

  Mom blinked twice and tried to nod that she understood.

  But I didn’t understand. “What do you mean?”

  “This medicine will work on most Earthlings,” he said. “But I know nothing about your alien bodies. It might work, or it might make it worse.”

  Mom gasped, “Do it.”

  She could barely breathe now. Dr. East was our only hope.

  He pushed up her shirt sleeve and rubbed her shoulder with something that smelled funny. Then he jabbed the needle in and gave her the shot.

  Mom took a deep breath and leaned back against the chair. Dr. East knelt beside her and watched.

  I watched her chest go up and down. Up and—it wasn’t moving.

  She wasn’t breathing.

  “Dr. East!”

  And then, she drew a shaky breath.

  And her breaths came regular. Slowly, she opened her eyes and blinked at me and at Dr. East.

  “What will you do?” she whispered.

  “I know how to keep secrets,” Dr. East said. “But I would like to study your family. It is the chance of a lifetime.”

  She nodded. “Thank you. But can I talk with John first?”

  Dr. East said, “Yes.”

  And then, my Dad walked in. It took a couple minutes to explain what happened. All he could do was hug my Mom like he would never turn loose.

  But Dr. East said, “I think the Giant party starts in an hour.”

  He was right. And Earthling parties always start on time. We had to hurry.

  The Giant party started late. Mom was tired, but she wanted to come and sit and watch the party. We drove through sheets of heavy rain to reach the school.

  Dad covered Mom with his jacket to carry her into the cafeteria. I ran after them. Inside, he set Mom down and shook rain from his hair. I shook off rain, took off my jacket and turned around.

  The cafeteria was transformed into a Giant Land.

  The only lights were floodlights on the floor that pointed upward, which made everything look taller. Dad had set up a kindergarten table for the cake table. Kindergarten chairs were scattered around for seating. The small tables and chairs made the third grade kids seem like giants. And there were true giants walking around. Dr. East’s basketball friends were dressed up in giant costumes. There was a hairy Big Foot, a one-eyed Cyclops, and a Paul Bunyan in a red flannel shirt.

  The giants were all doing yo-yo tricks. When you are that tall, the yo-yo can have a long string!

  Everyone was already there. Roman saw Dad and waved.

  Dad didn’t want to talk to Roman or Mrs. East, though. They were probably mad that we were so late. Instead, Dad got to work. He handed me top-hats to pass out.

  I gave one to Bree and she said, “Let me help you.”

  Grateful, I nodded.

  We worked together passing out top hats. Bree is my best friend, and right now, I needed a friend. I whispered and told her about Mom and the bee allergy.

  Bree’s face was straight and serious. “She will be OK?”

  I nodded.

  “You did the right thing,” Bree said. “I know it was dangerous to tell Dr. East, but you had to get help.”

  I nodded again. That’s the nice thing about Bree. I don’t have to talk much.

  She said one more thing, “I’m sorry.” And she put her finger over her lips.

  And the Earth’s sun shone through all that rain, and my heart was glad that I had an Earthling friend. I smiled.

  Bree’s face lit up with a huge smile, too.

  I said, “Let’s do a stilts race. Bet I can beat you.”

  Bree hit my shoulder and said, “Bet you can’t.”

  I didn’t even mind that she hit my shoulder. We just ran toward the other side of the cafeteria where Big Foot was helping kids decorate stilts and learn to walk on them.

  But on the way there, I saw Mrs. Lynx talking to my mom. Dad was busy with the cake and punch, so I told Bree, “I need to talk to Mom. I will come to the stilts in a minute.”

  Mom was sitting in a chair, still tired from the bee allergy.

  Mrs. Lynx stood over her and said, “Nice party. Aliens, Inc. does a great job.”

  Mom nodded, but said, “Where is your dog tonight?”

  “My brother will bring her soon,” Mrs. Lynx said. Her voice got softer. “We think we will catch aliens tonight. I finally figured it out. The basketball players look like Earthlings, but Earthlings don’t really get that big. It is a good disguise for a giant alien.”

  “Oh,” I said. And I was suddenly glad that Mom, Dad and I were short.

  Looking up, I saw the cafeteria door open. Coming in was a white-haired man who was holding Gloria’s leash. He looked just like Mrs. Lynx, except shorter and more cheerful. The man and dog both shook off rain. The man looked around and waved.

  “There’s my brother now. I will introduce you,” Mrs. Lynx said.

  Mr. Lynx came straight for us.

  We should move so Gloria couldn’t smell us. But Mom was too weak to jump up and walk around. Mrs. Lynx might think the basketball players were aliens, but Gloria wouldn’t be fooled. And I didn’t have any doggie treats with me.

  The Earthling Society of Alien Chasers was about to win.

  No! I couldn’t let the S.A.C win. I pushed through the crowd to the cake table and grabbed Dad. I explained about Mr. Lynx and Gloria.

  Quickly, Dad turned around and yelled, “Time for cake!”

  The crowd rushed toward the refreshments. Mrs. Lynx tried to push through the crowd to Mr. Lynx, but it was hard to move. Finally, they met in the middle and Mrs. Lynx took Gloria’s leash. Mr. Lynx went to sit on the edge of the stage where he was taller than the crowd. He looked all around at the crowd, studying everyone.

  I edged along the wall to Mom and helped her walk to another chair by the girl’s bathroom. If Gloria came her way, she could duck inside the bathroom.

  With Mom safe, we just had to make sure Gloria stayed away from Dad and me.

  Dad lit ten candles, and everyone sang, “Happy Birthday to Roman.”

  Roman leaned down and blew out the candles.

  Dad started cutting the cake and passing it out on paper plates.

 
I handed Roman the first plate. He took a bite and frowned. “Yuk! Carrot cake.”

  Oh! We never had time to talk about the birthday cake. It was too bad Roman didn’t like his own cake. Would he be happy with everything else? Or would he be mad at Aliens, Inc.?

  By now, Gloria and Mrs. Lynx were close to the cake table. Soon, she would be able to smell my Dad. But Roman bent to pet Gloria. “She’s my friend,” he told Mrs. Lynx.

  Mrs. Lynx frowned. She probably thought that Gloria should be pointing at Roman, the tall alien kid. But Gloria just wagged her tail. Mrs. Lynx’s forehead wrinkled, and she shook her head at her brother. He just shrugged and waved at the basketball player dressed like Paul Bunyan. Mrs. Lynx nodded.

  Meanwhile, Roman held his plate down low, and Gloria gulped his cake. She loved it! Her tongue licked the plate. And that gave me an idea. I found my friends and told them to give Gloria their cake, too. And get more and let her eat as much as she wanted.

  Mrs. Lynx walked around and let Gloria smell the basketball players dressed like giants. In ten minutes, kids snuck Gloria sixteen pieces of cake. It was better than doggie treats. Her tail dragged. And then, she just sat.

  Mrs. Lynx pulled up the leash, but Gloria didn’t want to move. She was so full that she just wanted to sleep.

  From the other side of the room, Big Foot yelled, “Time for the stilt races.”

  Everyone sat on the cafeteria floor and left a row down the middle for a racecourse. Dad taped a starting point and an ending point.

  Four kids on stilts raced at a time. Next the winners of four races raced. Then those winners raced, until only four stilt walkers were left: Bree, Roman, Aja and Mary Lee.

  “On your mark,” yelled Big Foot.

  The kids stepped up on the stilts.

  “Get set. Go!”

  Bree and Aja shot out first. Mary Lee was right behind. But Roman had long legs, made even longer by the stilts. Each of his steps was huge. He gained on them.

  Gloria staggered onto the racecourse and tried to point. Of course, she was pointing straight at me. But her point fell apart, and she sank to the ground. The kids laughed, and Mr. Lynx quickly moved her off the race course.

  Now, Roman was in the lead. And he won!

  Roman was smiling and smiling. Aliens, Inc. had done it again. A great party!

  And finally, it was time for kids and adults to try the tall striker. Mom sat in a chair beside the tall striker, where she could step on the secret lever.

  Kids came and went. Sometimes for small girls like Bree, Mom made it really easy. But mostly, kids had to work to make the bell ring.

  When the kids got tired, the adults tried.

  Dad picked up the hammer and swung it around a couple times. He heaved it overhead and brought it down on the red circle. Bang! The red arrow went up only halfway. He frowned and tried again. Bang!

  I held my breath. Usually the third time, Dad hit his thumb! He swung the hammer and—Bang! The bell still didn’t ring. But his thumb was OK.

  Mr. Hendricks, Bree’s Dad, swung the hammer around and—Smash! No bell.

  Bree bounced up and down. “Try again, Dad.”

  Mr. Hendricks tried again and again while Bree grinned and bounced. Finally, Mr. Hendricks shook his head and handed the hammer to Dr. East.

  Dr. East laughed and said, “You two are wimps!” He rubbed his hands together, then picked up the hammer. He swung the hammer, but he was so tall that he swung it at the bell at the top. Bong! The bell rang!

  Everyone laughed at his joke.

  Mom wanted to try it, too, but Dad said she needed to rest.

  Instead, Mrs. Lynx said, “I’ll try.”

  She handed Gloria’s leash to her brother, while she stepped up to the tall striker game. She wiggled her toes in her toes shoes. The hammer was heavy for her, but she raised it high. Bam!

  Ding!

  Hurrah! The crowd cheered for Mrs. Lynx. A smile spread across her face, and she looked almost as cheerful as her brother.

  Mr. Lynx hugged her and slapped her back.

  Dad was brave. He asked, “What will you do with Gloria?”

  Mr. Lynx said, “I don’t know what is wrong with her. I trained her, but she’s not pointing to aliens. I will take her for more training.”

  Dad nodded, “Good idea.”

  We were glad that dog was leaving town.

  Just then, Mr. and Mrs. Dalal stopped to talk to Mom and Dad.

  “This was a very nice party. Aja’s birthday is next month. Could you do a surprise party for him?”

  Mom said, “A surprise?”

  Dad said, “Of course. Aliens, Inc. can do any kind of party you want.”

  “What kind of surprise party?” Mom asked.

  “It doesn’t matter,” Mrs. Dalal said. “It just matters that he is surprised.” She turned to me. “Kell, I know you are friends with Aja. You must not tell him anything.”

  “I promise,” I said. “It will be a big surprise to him.”

  Mrs. Lynx had been listening to Mr. and Mrs. Dalal. She said, “Mrs. Smith, I have some party ideas. I’ll call you later with some suggestions.”

  “Thank you,” Mom said.

  Now, almost everyone had gone home. Bree was helping me mop the cafeteria floor. Roman’s Dad was talking to Mom, checking to see how she felt.

  Roman asked me, “Did Mrs. Lynx catch any aliens today?”

  “No,” I said. “She thought your family was alien because you are all so tall.”

  “That’s funny. Because the only aliens around here are short.”

  I looked up and leaned on the mop handle. “Your Dad told you?”

  “No. When you helped me jump out of Texas, I guessed it. That’s why I kept playing with Gloria so much, to keep her away from you.”

  “Thanks.”

  “I just have one request,” Roman said.

  “What?”

  “Could you wear your Dad’s cologne every day? It would smell better.”

  Bree laughed. “It is true. Alien boys stink almost as much as Earthling boys.”

  The End

  FOR FUN

  THERE ARE 11 STATE MAPS HIDDEN SOMEWHERE WITHIN THE PAGES OF THIS BOOK. CAN YOU FIND ALL OF THEM? DO YOU KNOW THE CAPITAL OF EACH STATE?

  The Answers are at MimsHouse.com/aliens

  Join our mailing list.

  MimsHouse.com/newsletter/

  Other Books in

  The Aliens, Inc. Series

  Book 1: Kell, the Alien

  Book 2: Kell and the Horse Apple Parade

  Book 3: Kell and the Giants

  Book 4: Kell and the Detectives (2015)

  Other Books by Darcy Pattison

  Saucy and Bubba: A Hansel and Gretel Tale

  The Girl, the Gypsy and the Gargyole

  Vagabonds

  Abayomi, the Brazilian Puma:

  Wisdom, the Midway Albatross:

  The Scary Slopes

  Prairie Storms

  Desert Baths

  19 Girls and Me

  Searching for Oliver K. Woodman

  The Journey of Oliver K. Woodman

  The River Dragon

  Aliens, Inc. Series: Book 1

  Kell , the Alien

  Shipwrecked on earth and desperate to make money, an alien family decides to make a living by opening Aliens, Inc., an intergalactic event-planning business master-minded by 9 year old alien boy, Kell Smith.

  Kell discovers that his neighbor, Bree Hendricks, turns 9-years-old next month and she wants a party with an alien theme. That should be simple as flying from star to star. But things aren’t that easy: Earthling’s ideas about aliens are totally wrong. Even worse,

  Principal Lynx is a UFO-Chaser and suspects aliens around every corner.

  Will the Aliens totally blow the Aliens Party? Will Principal Lynx capture Kell and his family and them over to the government?

  Aliens, Inc. Series: Book 2

  Kell and the Horse Apple Parade

  Kell, B
ree, and the Alien, Inc. gang return to plan a new event, a Friends of Police parade. But Principal Lynx believes someone in third grade is an alien, and she scans each student with her new Alien Catcher App. Kell and Bree deal with City Hall, figure out fund-raising, and keep the Parade marching. When the Society of Alien Chasers (S.A.C.) attends the Parade, Kell must find a way to keep his family safe. Join the fun-loving aliens from planet Bix for another out-of-this world adventure.

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR & ILLUSTRATOR

  Translated into eight languages, children’s book author DARCY PATTISON writes picture books, middle grade novels, and children’s nonfiction. Previous titles include The Journey of Oliver K. Woodman (Harcourt), Searching for Oliver K. Woodman (Harcourt), The Wayfinder (Greenwillow), 19 Girls and Me (Philomel), Prairie Storms (Sylvan Dell), Desert Baths (Desert Baths), and Wisdom, the Midway Albatross (Mims House.) Her work has been recognized by **starred reviews** in Kirkus, BCCB, and PW. Desert Baths was named a 2013 Outstanding Science Trade Book and the Library Media Connection, Editor’s Choice. She is a member of the Society of Children’s Bookwriters and Illustrators and the Author’s Guild. For more information, see darcypattison.com.

  RICH DAVIS, illustrator for the Aliens, Inc series has wondered, "What could be better than getting to do black and white cartoon work for a sci-fi easy reader?" Working on this book has been one big fun-making experience. Rich has also illustrated 12 other children's books, including beginning reader series, Tiny the Big Dog (Penguin). His joy is to help kids develop creatively and he has invented a simple drawing game (Pick and Draw.com) and an activities book as a fun tool that now have a following around the world. He frequently does programs at schools and libraries in order to draw with thousands of kids yearly. For him, it is a dream come true and he recognizes that the source is from God alone.