Beast from Beneath the Cafeteria! by Tony Abbott Page A

the lunch line.
    â€œWhat are you telling this lad, young lady?” a voice boomed.
    It was Principal Bell, standing in the doorway with his hands on his hips, staring down at Liz.
    He always did that. He loved to stand in doorways with his hands on his hips and stare down at kids. Actually, he was really tall, so he stared down at everybody.
    Well, not everybody. He didn’t stare down at Miss Leiberman. She was tall, too. And Mr. Bell liked her. His eyes went kind of soft and wimpy and he always stuttered when he saw her.
    â€œSorry, Principal Bell,” said Liz.
    â€œMove along then,” he said. “I’m sure your classmates would like to sample this fine … fine … fine …”
    Liz looked up at Mr. Bell. He was gazing over the steaming food to the other side of the counter. His eyes had a soft and wimpy look.
    Liz whirled around. She nudged Mike and pointed.
    Yep, it was Miss Lieberman. Standing there in a white apron, dangling a hog dog on a fork.
    She dropped it on the floor.
    Mr. Bell didn’t even notice.
    Uh-oh, thought Liz. It’s gross-out time. “Mike, let’s get out of here before—”
    KA-WHAM!
    The trapdoor suddenly burst open and an incredibly hairy arm slithered across the floor and grabbed Miss Lieberman’s foot!

2
    Careful What You Wish For
    â€œA hhhh!” screamed Miss Lieberman.
    â€œAhhhh!” screamed Mr. Bell when Miss Lieberman screamed.
    â€œYecch!” snorted a voice from the cellar.
    The incredibly hairy arm, which was attached to an incredibly hairy man, let go of Miss Lieberman’s foot. The hairy man pulled himself up into the kitchen.
    The hairy man was Mr. Sweeney, the janitor.
    â€œYecch!” he said again. “You kids! You’ve been raiding my storage cellar again, haven’t you?” He shook his finger at Liz and Mike.
    Mike looked at Liz. Liz looked at Mike. They both made faces. “Us?” they mumbled.
    â€œPah!” Mr. Sweeney snorted. “Such a mess down there! Every day it’s worse and worse. Oh, why must I have kids in my school?”
    Mr. Sweeney always called W. Reid his school.
    â€œBut, excuse me,” began Principal Bell, “everyone knows it’s my schoo—”
    Thwump! —Mr. Sweeney flung a ripped-open bag of potatoes onto the floor.
    The potatoes were very rotten. A really bad stink filled the kitchen just as Liz’s best friend Holly Vickers jumped into the lunch line.
    â€œPee-yew!” cried Holly, looking at the sack of potatoes. “Didn’t we have that yesterday? Guess I’m skipping lunch again.” She made a face and ran from the kitchen straight into the cafeteria.
    â€œGood advice!” breathed Liz. “Come on, Mike. I’ve got a couple of apples in my backpack.”
    Liz pushed open the swinging door and—
    FLASH! The air exploded in a bright white light!
    â€œAhhh!” cried Liz, staggering back and nearly knocking Mike and his tray to the floor.
    â€œYearbook photo!” screeched a voice.
    When Liz could see again, she made out the shape of a tiny woman with frizzy gray hair. There was a little black camera where the woman’s face should be.
    â€œMrs. Carbonese!” gasped Liz, blinking. “You, uh, scared me!” Mrs. Carbonese was Liz’s teacher. It was her job to take pictures for the W. Reid yearbook. It was called The Reider’s Digest.
    â€œSee you in assembly!” Mrs. Carbonese said. “And don’t forget the writing contest, dear.” Then she scuttled off to surprise some other students.
    Mike squinted into the screaming crowd. He turned to Liz. “Your mom used to work here?”
    â€œYeah,” said Liz, blinking and stumbling her way across the room, “but she escaped. She opened up a restaurant on Main Street called Duffey’s Diner. She started with regular food. Now she’s changing to health food. Cauliflower steak, broccoli soup,