You Are A Monster Read online

  The hunter gets out some cans from a cupboard and starts opening them. "Okay," he says as he works. "Maybe we can reach an understanding, then we'll have some soup."

  Turn to page 84.

  Out of the corner of your eye you see shadowy figures lurking in the bushes, but no glint of any weapons. When you reach the limo, you squeeze into the back, moving Meyerstraub around to shield yourself as much as possible.

  "Tell the driver to go," you say.

  "To the airstrip," he squeaks.

  The limo roars off—still no shots are fired.

  Ten minutes later, as the car drives through the valley far below Meyerstraub's hideaway, you're relieved to see the airstrip up ahead. The same plane that brought you here is sitting outside the corrugated tin shack that serves as the airport building.

  "Pull up real close," you tell the driver.

  You see the pilot looking out from the cockpit. You scan the airport shack but see no sign of any of Meyerstraub's men. It seems almost too easy. You get out with the human luggage under your arm and start up the three-step portable staircase next to the door of the plane.

  Suddenly there's a thap-thap-thap-thap-thap in the sky—a helicopter swoops toward you!

  Turn to page 6.

  You plan to get up in the night and do a little hunting. Otherwise, you'd have to finish off all of your host's supplies by breakfast time.

  "I've been thinking about you," Watkins says. "It ain't good hiding out from the law all the time. I know. Enough time has gone by so I think I can go back without being caught, and I think you better go back too."

  "I'd like to, but what could I do?" you ask. "People hate me. They fear me and treat me as if 1 were—"

  "—a monster?" Watkins completes your sentence for you. "Yeah, well, that's what you are, of course."

  "If only I could track down Dr. Nair—he's the evil scientist that did this to me," you say. "He's the only one who can reverse my condition."

  "If you're ever going to get back to the way you were, you're going to need money," Watkins says gravely.

  "I agree, but—"

  "I've got a couple of ideas. My brother-in-law works for the Apalachicola Circus—they're the second biggest one in America now. They'd pay you plenty."

  "I've always liked the circus," you say. "It might be fun to be in the show."

  "My other idea," Watkins says, "is to get a movie contract. You could make a million in half a year if you're lucky."

  "Yeah—if I'm lucky."

  "Well, what do you think? Whatever you decide, I'll be your agent. Just give me twenty percent of what is paid to you for landing you the job." Watkins is all smiles now. He looks like a little kid who's excited by a new toy.

  You finish your soup and lay into the stale carrot cake Watkins set out on the table. You're tired of living alone in the wilderness, and you sure could use a million dollars to help you get cured.

  If you decide to join the circus, turn to page 61.

  If you decide to try to land a movie contract, turn to page 50.

  Early one day you leave the bears and set out on your own, heading southwest, toward the coast. Your shaggy coat has grown so thick that you hardly notice the blustery winds blowing out of the north, even though they sometimes bring sleet and rain, sometimes snow.

  One morning you poke your snout out of a den you've dug out under some rocks and find the ground covered with a foot and a half of snow.

  Though winter has arrived, you soon find yourself liking it, because it's easier to track game when there's snow on the ground. Roaming across the country in search of food, you revel at the sight of the majestic mountains, the great stands of spruce and fir, the ice-clad streams, and the white, puffy clouds scooting across the sky. You breathe great gulps of pure, cold, pine-scented air. You're so glad to be alive and free that you let out a roar of delight.

  Turn to page 59.

  You work your way quietly to the French doors leading out onto the balcony. They're open to let in the breeze off the ocean. You step out on the balcony and look down. It's quite a drop, but you'll be landing on grass, not concrete, and once on the ground you should have no trouble. The dogs are tranquilized, and Vargas's two guards at the gate have already been paid their bribes and are out of the picture. Meyerstraub's thugs are still waiting for you at the bottom of the stairs. All you have to do is run out the gate and slip into the dense brush around the corner. The thugs won't dare follow you.

  You heave your great bulk over the railing and jump

  You land harder than you'd expected—with a loud thud. A stabbing pain goes through one leg It's broken! You thought that you would have no trouble because of your massive bones. You didn't realize that big animals fall faster and land harder than little animals.

  You look up but can't focus at first. Gradually you notice Vargas staring down from the balcony. Then you see Meyerstraub's thugs coming out the front door. The only question is who will shoot you first.

  The End

  "A movie contract—that's for me!" you say.

  "I don't think you're making a mistake," Watkins says.

  "But how do I get there without being seen?"

  "No problem," Watkins replies. "I have a Winnebago—borrowed it from a friend of mine. I pay a farmer to let me keep it behind his barn. It's about ten miles away over the ridge."

  It's a four-day trip from British Columbia to Hollywood, and once you get there you have to stay in the Winnebago (which is not even air-conditioned) while Watkins tries to convince a movie producer he has a great monster for the screen. It's hard to get an appointment with these producers, much less get a contract from them, and Watkins is delayed even more because he has to disguise himself and get phony identification in case the cops are still looking for him.

  At last he lines up a meeting between you and the casting director of a movie being made— Swamp Creature on the Loose. You're hired on the spot. The work is easy. All you have to do is walk around the set, roaring every now and then, while the movie people set off smoke bombs that are supposed to look like mists rising up from the swamp.

  You get pretty good pay for making the film, but the movie turns out to be a bomb at the box office.

  Turn to page 72.

  Watkins stares right into Tazewell's eyes. "The monster gets ten percent of the gross plus five percent for me."

  Tazewell is on his feet, his face so red, you're afraid he'll have a heart attack. "What do you mean—this is robbery!"

  Watkins answers in a low tone, but it's very firm just the same. "It's not robbery at all—it's the best deal you ever had, and you know it. With the monster you'll double your business in no time."

  "ARRRAGH!" You let out a roar of agreement.

  Tazewell practically jumps out of his chair, then he bursts out laughing. "I still say you're a thief, Watkins, but you're on. Hold out your paw, Monster, and we'll shake on it."

  It's not easy for you to shake hands with humans without breaking a few of their hand bones, but you remember that you're basically civilized, so you're very careful.

  Tazewell and Watkins toast to their business deal, while you wolf down a few big chunks of meat that were meant for the tigers. Suddenly it occurs to you that Watkins has decided to take more of your pay for himself instead of the twenty percent he mentioned originally. You decide to let this pass, however, because he did such a good selling job with Tazewell.

  Turn to page 75.

  Once again you lie writhing and moaning while your body undergoes horrendous changes. But this time, though the experience is still frightening, you feel hope. You can feel your snout shortening, your body shrinking. Your two-inch-long fangs fall out, and new, normal teeth come in. Shaggy hair falls off your body. From time to time you brush it off your bed.

  You reach the point where you're half monster and half human. Then nothing more happens. I hope it doesn't stop here, you think. But soon you begin changing again, faster than ever.

  Only a few day
s later. Zena, all the Vandergrafts. and Dr. Nair, himself, still under guard, are once again standing around your bed. Everyone is smiling, even Dr. Nair. Amanda has brought a big mirror into the room. You look into it and grin— you're you again! You scream with delight in your regular voice. You're still a little weak and shaky, as if you were just getting over the flu, but you've never felt happier in your life!

  A nurse rolls in a cart and you all celebrate with cake and ice cream.

  "I still have the appetite of a monster," you say.

  "You look as nice now as you used to look nasty," says Amanda.

  "Now what shall we do about Dr. Nair?" asks Mrs. Vandergraft.

  "We certainly can't just let him loose," Mr. Vandergraft says.

  "I have a better idea," you say.

  Turn to page 39

  "Ahheeek!" the woman screams louder than you thought anyone could. She starts running toward her door, yelling for help every step of the way.

  A maid opens the door and sees you. She screams even louder than the woman who was cutting flowers.

  You know the cops will soon be on their way to that house, so you cut back through the hedge and lope along the side of the road at a good clip, not even trying to avoid being seen by the cars and trucks passing by. You keep your eyes on where you're running, but you hear the horns honking, brakes screeching, and people yelling out their windows.

  You cut down a side street. There aren't many houses here, just woods and fields on one side and a huge rolling lawn on the other Scattered here and there around the lawn are enormous trees Beyond the lawn, perched on a knoll about a hundred yards from the road, is a huge house made of brick and fieldstone. It has six gables, four chimneys, and a red tile roof Beyond this mansion is more lawn and then thick woods. The people who live here must be really rich!

  You race across the lawn, keeping well away from the house. You figure that if you get over the rise ahead and reach the woods, you can keep clear of the cops who will be swarming the place where you were first spotted.

  Turn to page 101

  You're anxious to get home, but it seems best to call first and prepare your family for the shock. Your monstrous heart beats at a tremendous rate as you reach into a phone booth and dial your number

  "Hi, Mom, it's me," you say.

  "Oh, at last!" she cries. "It's so good to hear your voice, though it does sound a little strange—are you all right?"

  "Yes, Mom. . .sort of. I'll be home soon and tell you all about it."

  "Well good, darling I don't want to hold you up talking, I can't wait to see your face again. Can't we pick you up in the car?"

  "No, Mom, I'll get home by myself "

  "Will you be safe?" she asks

  "Don't worry, Mom. Nobody's going to jump me."

  "Well then, please hurry home—and we'll talk about it later."

  "Just one thing I want to tell you before I get there, Mom."

  "What's that, darling?"

  "I've become a monster."

  Turn to page 78.

  The next three weeks are very relaxing. The Vandergrafts couldn't be nicer The cops have given up searching in the area. You've grown stronger than ever—feasting on everything your monstrous stomach craves—and you've gotten into terrific physical shape racing the German shepherds around the grounds. Amanda has even taught you to play tennis She started out beating you every time, but lately you've been smashing the ball down the line so hard she can't even reach it, much less get it back over the net. On the other hand, she still beats you in swimming races in the pool. Your monstrous arms churn up a lot of waves and foam, but they can't move you through the water as well as human arms could.

  Mrs. Vandergraft has been giving you French lessons (your strangely shaped mouth makes it easier for you to speak French than English!) and Leonie, the cook, has taught you how to make what she calls monster pie. It's mostly chocolate.

  All in all, life couldn't be more pleasant. Still, you're restless. Great as life is, you know you can't stay with the Vandergrafts forever. The other members of the family know this too, and one evening all of you discuss it at dinner.

  Turn to page 11

  Years have passed since you left the bears and began to roam the forests and mountains alone. Only rarely have you caught sight of human beings, and even more rarely has one of them seen you. More often, hikers come upon your tracks. They measure and marvel at them. Legends about you spread far and wide—some of them fanciful, some of them true. Most people call you Bigfoot. But, of course, that's not your name. Only you know who you really are.

  The End

  One paw on the weasel-faced thug who's threatening you would be all you'd need to subdue him, but you'd take fifteen or twenty machine gun slugs in your chest before you could lay a claw on him. Powerful and monstrous as you are, there's nothing to do but back up.

  "Just what do you think you're doing?" you say.

  The thug smiles. There's a wild look in his eyes as he advances a step toward you, brandishing his gun, his finger on the trigger. "Do what I say!" he screams. "We're taking you to Buck Meyerstraub."

  "Who's he?" you ask.

  Your question brings forth a brainless cackle of laughter. "You don't know the name?"

  You shake your head.

  "Meyerstraub is the biggest crime boss in the Caribbean—maybe the world."

  Turn to page 92.

  Three weeks later you are in the office of J. Taylor Tazewell, owner of the Apalachicola Circus. Watkins transported you the thirty-three hundred miles from British Columbia in his Winnebago van. Where he got it is a question you may never get the answer to, but you can't help wondering if he's resumed the type of activity that got the law after him in the first place.

  Tazewell is a short, chubby-faced man in his fifties, with thinning red hair and an oversized mustache. His office is cluttered with boxes and papers, and the walls are plastered with photos of circus acts. He doesn't even get up from his spindle-backed chair or take his feet off his rolltop desk when Watkins brings you in.

  "Good morning, Mr. Tazewell," you say.

  Tazewell waves his corncob pipe in a little circle by way of acknowledgment. He looks you up and down, then smiles with satisfaction. "You are some monster," he says. "With you around, we're gonna become the most famous circus in the world."

  "That's just the way I figured it," Watkins says.

  "What's more," says Tazewell, "we'll see you get room and board and a hundred bucks a month bonus."

  Watkins stiffens. "That ain't the way it's going to be, Tazewell."

  The circus owner wheels in his chair. "What do you mean?"

  Turn to page 51.

  Mr. Vandergraft makes all the necessary arrangements for you to enter Federal Hospital and be seen confidentially by Dr. Firenze. Louis, the chauffeur, drives you in the family's Rolls Royce, Of course, you take up nearly all the backseat and extra floor space, so Amanda, who has come along to keep you company, sits in the front with Louis. The public is very curious to know where you've been since you disappeared after your escape from Dr. Nair's house.

  The genetic unit of Federal Hospital has been alerted to your impending arrival, and when the Rolls pulls up in front of the special entrance at the west wing of the hospital, security guards come out to escort you. They have cleared a couple of hallways and are able to lead you to your bedroom without your being observed by anyone other than staff doctors and nurses, who have been sworn to secrecy.

  You've just settled down in the oversized chair that's been installed in your room when Dr. Firenze, chief of the unit, enters. He hardly gives you time to get out of your chair as he steps briskly forward, his hand outstretched.

  Turn to page 69.

  The next morning brings you your chance to confront Dr. Nair: You're sitting across from him in Mr. Vandergraft's office. Two plainclothes security men stand on either side of the evil scientist.

  You want to shred him with your claws, but he looks so different—th
in-faced with brown eyes instead of blue ones—that you can't believe he's the same man. But as you watch him fidgeting in his chair, you observe the same evil expression on his face, the same gestures of his hands, and then, as he speaks, that same high-pitched, nasal voice.

  "What do you want of me?" he squeals. "Let me go. I have my rights."

  Zena waits until Dr. Nair has calmed down.

  "You're going to turn the monster back into a person," she says.

  Dr. Nair's eyes dart nervously around the room. "I'm not sure I can."

  Mr. Vandergraft, who has been standing quietly in the back of the room, steps forth. "You'll do it, Nair, and you'll succeed; otherwise, there is no future for you—none whatsoever."

  Dr. Nair winces. He looks furtively around. Two of Vandergraft's detectives are blocking the door. "All right," he says softly "I'll try."

  Turn to page 52.

  "Thank you, Amanda. I'd be grateful if I could stay at your house for a few days," you say.

  Your new friend leads you up the hill and across a beautiful, closely cropped lawn. The German shepherds fall into step behind you as you walk past marble statues, a triple-tier fountain, two clay tennis courts, a row of twelve-foot-high lilacs, and then onto a secluded grass court in which is set a large swimming pool lined with Italian marble. Tables and chairs are set out under huge umbrellas, but no one is in sight. You continue on past the cabanas and sauna and more fountains and finally reach the great brick mansion that Amanda calls home.

  "You sure have a nice place here," you say.

  Amanda smiles at you, then points to the driveway, surfaced with pink-tinted pebbles. You gaze admiringly at the sleek red Saab 9000 Turbo; the silver Rolls Royce, and the shiny, new bright green Porsche.