“No way!” Evan cried. He cupped the blue can in both hands, as if protecting it from Andy. “Conan is already big enough!” he told her, taking a step back. “I don’t want him to grow another inch. Do you know what he could do to me if he became a giant?”

Andy laughed and shrugged. “It was just an idea.”

“A bad idea,” Evan said sharply. “A really bad idea.”

“You’re no fun,” she teased. She leaped forward and tried to wrestle the can from his hands.

He spun around, turning his back to her, and hunched over, protecting the can.

“Give it to me!” she cried, laughing. She started tickling his sides. “Give it! Give it!”

“No!” he protested, breaking free. He ran to the safety of a tall evergreen shrub.

“It’s mine!” Andy declared, coming after him, hands at her waist. “If you’re not going to use it, hand it back.”

Evan stood his ground. His expression turned serious. “Andy, don’t you remember?” he demanded shrilly. “Don’t you remember how scary this stuff was? Don’t you remember how dangerous it was? All the trouble it caused?”

“So?” she replied, her eyes on the blue can.

“We have to get rid of it,” Evan told her firmly. “We can’t let it out of the can. It will grow and grow and never stop.”

“But I thought you wanted to show it to the kids to prove that it’s real.”

“No,” Evan interrupted. “I changed my mind. This stuff is too dangerous. We have to get rid of it.” He locked his eyes on hers, his features tight with fear. “Andy, I’ve had nightmares every night because of this stuff. I don’t want any new nightmares.”

“Okay, okay,” she muttered. She kicked at an upraised tree root. Then she handed him the brown paper bag.

Evan clicked the top back on the can of Monster Blood. Then he shoved the can into the bag. “Now how do we get rid of it?” he wondered out loud.

“I know. Dump it in the creek,” Andy suggested.

Evan shook his head. “No good. What if it gets out and pollutes the creek?”

“This creek is already polluted!” Andy exclaimed. “It’s just a big mud puddle!”

“It isn’t deep enough,” Evan insisted. “Someone will find the can and pull it out. We can’t take a chance.”

“Then how do we get rid of it?” Andy asked, twisting her face in concentration. “Hmmmm. We could eat it ourselves. That would get rid of it!”

“Very funny,” Evan muttered, rolling his eyes.

“Just trying to be helpful,” Andy said.

“You’re about as helpful as a toothache!” Evan shot back.

“Ha-ha. Remind me to laugh at that sometime,” she replied, sticking her tongue out at him.

“How can we get rid of it?” Evan repeated, gripping the bag in both hands. “How?”

“I know!” a boy’s voice called, startling them both.

Conan Barber stepped out from behind a tall shrub.

“You can give it to me!” he declared. He reached out a big, powerful-looking hand to grab the bag.

Evan swung the paper bag behind his back.

Conan lumbered toward them over the tall grass. His eyes were narrowed menacingly at Evan.

How long has he been hiding there? Evan wondered. Did he hear us talk about the Monster Blood? Is that why he wants the bag?

“Hi, I’m Andy,” Andy chirped brightly. She stepped in between the two boys and flashed Conan a smile.

“Andy is a boy’s name,” Conan said, making a disgusted face. He turned his hard stare on her, challenging her.

“And what kind of a name is Conan?” Andy shot back, returning his stare.

“You know me?” Conan asked, sounding surprised.

“You’re famous,” Andy replied dryly.

Conan suddenly remembered Evan. He stuck out his big paw. “I’ll take the bag now.”

“Why should I give it to you?” Evan demanded, trying to keep his voice calm and steady.

“Because it’s mine,” Conan lied. “I dropped it here.”

“You dropped an empty bag here?” Evan asked.

Conan swatted a fly from his blond hair. “It isn’t empty. I saw you put something in it. Hand it over. Now.”

“Well … okay.” Evan handed him the paper bag. Conan eagerly reached inside.

His hand came out empty.

He peered inside the bag. Empty.

He stared hard at Andy, then at Evan.

“I told you it was empty,” Evan said.

“Guess I made a mistake,” Conan muttered. “Hey, no hard feelings. Shake.” Conan reached out his big right hand to Evan.

Evan reluctantly stuck out his hand.

Conan slid his hand over Evan’s and began to tighten his grip. Harder. Harder.