He bent over and picked up the sheepdog.

Seeing a giant human lift him up easily off the floor, Dogface let out a yelp of terror. All four legs thrashed the air as the frightened dog struggled to break free.

But Evan cradled the sheepdog in one arm and held on to him tightly.

When he realized he couldn’t escape from the giant, the dog’s terrified yelps turned to quiet whimpers.

“Take Dogface out of here. Lock him outside,” Evan ordered Kermit. He lowered the whimpering dog to the floor.

Kermit obediently led the dog away. Halfway to the stairs, he turned back to Evan. “Hey, you cured Dogface’s hiccups!”

I guess I scared them out of him! Evan told himself.

Kermit led Dogface up the stairs. Evan turned to Andy. “I told you to leave the Monster Blood in the closet!” he cried. “Now look at me!”

He had to duck his head. Otherwise it would brush against the ceiling.

“Who told you to eat the stuff?” Andy replied. “Why did you have to be eating that candy bar?”

“It was part of the plan—remember?” Evan snapped angrily. He uttered a bitter sigh. “Great plan we had!”

“I guess it didn’t work out too well,” Andy admitted.

“I guess it didn’t,” Evan muttered. “Now what will happen to me? What will Mom and Dad say?”

“What will you eat?” Andy added. “You’ll probably have to eat sixteen meals a day! And where will you sleep? And how can you go to school? There aren’t any desks big enough for you. And what will you wear? They’ll have to make your T-shirts out of bedsheets!”

“You’re not cheering me up,” Evan murmured glumly.

He felt his body tingle. Again, he could feel his skin stretching, feel all of his muscles throb.

“Ow!” he cried out as the top of his head banged against the ceiling.

He had to lean over to rub his head.

“Evan—you’re growing!” Andy exclaimed.

“I know. I know,” Evan grumbled. The basement ceiling was at least nine feet high. Evan had to stoop to keep from banging the ceiling. That meant he was more than nine feet tall.

A shiver of fear shook his body. He glanced around the basement. “I have to get out of here!” he cried.

Kermit returned to the room. He stopped and gawked at Evan. “You grew even more!” he cried. “I’ll bet you weigh three hundred pounds!”

“I don’t have time to weigh myself,” Evan replied, rolling his eyes. “I have to get out of here. I’m so big, I can’t stand up. I’m so big, I—”

He stopped. He felt himself grow a little more.

“I’m too big now!” he cried. “I’m trapped down here! There’s no way I can get out!”

“Stay calm,” Andy called up to him.

“Calm? How can I stay calm?” Evan shrieked. “I’m going to spend the rest of my life in this basement! I’m too big for the stairs!”

“Mom won’t like that,” Kermit said, shaking his head.

“Try the stairs!” Andy cried. “Maybe you can squeeze up if you hurry!”

Evan turned to the basement stairs. “I—I don’t think I’ll fit,” he stammered. The stairway appeared very narrow. And Evan was now very wide.

“Come on,” Andy urged. “We’ll help you.”

“You push and I’ll pull,” Kermit said, running to the stairs.

Evan lumbered toward the stairs. His sneakers thudded heavily on the tile floor. He stooped his shoulders to keep his head from crashing against the ceiling.

“Try not to grow any bigger!” Andy called, following closely behind him.

“Great advice!” Evan replied sarcastically. “Do you have any more advice like that?”

“Don’t be nasty,” Andy scolded. “I’m only trying to help you.”

“You’ve already helped me more than enough,” Evan grumbled.

He felt his body start to tingle. His muscles started to throb.

“No! Please—no!” He uttered a silent plea. I don’t want to grow any more!

He sucked in a deep breath and held it. He shut his eyes tight and tried to concentrate—concentrate on not growing.

“I think I just saw you grow another few inches,” Andy called to him. “You’d better hurry, Evan.”

“How big is Evan going to get?” Kermit asked. He had climbed halfway up the stairs. “Is he going to get bigger than an elephant?”

“That’s not helpful, Kermit,” Evan muttered unhappily. “Please stop asking questions like that—okay?”

“If you get as big as an elephant, will you give me a ride?” Kermit demanded.

Evan glared angrily at his cousin. “Do you know what elephants do to mice?” he bellowed. Evan raised one foot and brought it down with a crunching thud to demonstrate to Kermit what elephants do to mice.

Kermit swallowed hard and didn’t say anything more.

Evan walked over to the stairway. He glanced up the stairs. “I don’t think I can make it,” he told Andy. “I’m too big.”

“Give it a try,” she urged. “You’ve got to, Evan.”

Evan stepped on to the first step. Leaning low, he raised himself to the next step.