“Yeah. We do,” Evan agreed.

Evan called Andy back later that night. “I changed my mind,” he said. “I don’t want to use the Monster Blood.”

“What’s your problem?” Andy demanded. “Kermit deserves it. You know he does.”

“Monster Blood is too dangerous,” Evan told her. “It turned Cuddles the hamster into a giant, roaring monster. I don’t want to turn Kermit into a giant, roaring monster.”

“Neither do I!” Andy exclaimed. “I don’t want to feed it to him, Evan. I just want to slip a tiny bit into one of his mixtures. He thinks he’s so smart and can do anything. I want to see Kermit’s face when his mixture goes berserk!”

She laughed gleefully.

What an evil laugh, Evan thought.

“It’ll be awesome!” Andy exclaimed.

“Forget about it,” Evan insisted. “I have nightmares about Monster Blood almost every night. I don’t want to see that stuff again, Andy. I really don’t. Leave it locked up—please!”

“But you said we could do it!” Andy pleaded.

“I made a mistake,” Evan told her. “Don’t take it out of the closet, Andy. Leave it safe and sound in its can—okay?”

Andy didn’t reply.

“Okay?” Evan demanded. “Okay?”

“Okay,” Andy finally agreed.

*  *  *

“We’re going to play outside today, Kermit,” Evan said firmly. “It’s a beautiful day, and we’re going to go out and not stay in the stupid basement. Get it?”

It was a sunny, warm Thursday afternoon. Golden sunlight filtered down through the dust-covered basement windows up near the ceiling.

Standing behind his lab table, arranging his jars and bottles of chemicals, Kermit muttered something to himself.

“No argument,” Andy added. “We’re going outside even if Evan and I have to drag you out.”

“But I have a mixture I want to try,” Kermit whined.

“You need some sunshine,” Evan told him. “Look how pale you are. You look just like a white mouse.”

Kermit was wearing a huge olive-colored T-shirt over baggy brown shorts. With his white-blond hair, beady eyes, and buck teeth, he looked more like a rat in human clothes.

He frowned, hurt by Evan’s description.

“Okay. I’ll go outside with you,” he murmured unhappily.

“Yaay!” Andy whooped. It was the first time Kermit had ever agreed to leave his basement lab.

“But first I have to have a drink,” Kermit said. He stepped out from behind the lab table and made his way toward the basement stairs. “You want an orange soda?”

“Yeah. Sure,” Evan replied. He and Andy followed Kermit up the stairs to the kitchen.

“I can’t believe he agreed to go out and play,” Andy whispered. “Do you think he’s sick or something?”

“Maybe he feels bad about the mean tricks he’s pulled,” Evan whispered.

The kitchen phone rang. Evan answered it. It was the wrong number.

He hung up the phone. He and Andy stepped up to the counter. Andy was wearing pink jeans, a yellow sleeveless T-shirt, and bright orange high-tops.

Kermit had already poured out three glasses of orange soda. The soda was the same color as Andy’s high-tops, Evan noticed. They all drank the soda down quickly.

“I was really thirsty,” Kermit said. Evan didn’t pay any attention to the strange smile on Kermit’s face. After all, Kermit always had a strange smile on his face.

“This orange soda is very sweet,” Andy commented. She made a face. “Too sweet! It makes my teeth itch!”

Kermit laughed. “I think it’s good,” he said.

They set their glasses down in the sink and stepped out the back door. Evan found a red Frisbee on the back stoop. He flipped it to Andy.

Andy trotted across the backyard and flipped it back to Evan. “Let’s play keep-away from Kermit!” she cried.

“Hey—no way!” Kermit protested. “Toss it to me!”

Andy sent the Frisbee flying over Kermit’s head to Evan. Kermit made a wild grab for it, but it sailed out of his reach. It hit Evan’s hands, but Evan dropped it.

Andy started to laugh.

“What’s so funny?” Evan demanded.

Andy shrugged. “I don’t know.” She let out another giggle.

Evan flipped the Frisbee to Kermit. It bounced off Kermit’s chest.

This kid is a real klutz, Evan thought. It’s because he never plays sports. He never comes up out of his basement.

Andy uttered a high-pitched laugh.

Evan started to laugh, too.

Kermit picked up the Frisbee. He tried to toss it to Andy, but the Frisbee sailed way over her head. It hit the side of the garage and bounced off.

Evan and Andy both laughed harder.

Evan trotted over to the garage. He sent a sidearm toss toward Andy. She missed, and the Frisbee flew into the low hedges at the side of the yard.