dropping the Bathroom Buddy, he leaped aside as the spray ricocheted back down at them.
“That’s the shaving cream button,” Rand said. “But I haven’t figured out how to lower the pressure yet.”
“Oh.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll get it.”
“Yeah, Dad, I’m sure you will.”
During the brief pause that followed as Rand wiped the excess foam off his invention, they both remembered something important.
“Oh, Dad—”
“Son—”
“There’s something I have to—” they both began.
“Go ahead,” Billy said.
“I just wanted to ask why you put that thing in our bed,” Rand said.
“That’s what I came down to tell you about,” Billy explained.
“Well, go ahead,” Rand urged a few seconds later, when it was obvious his son was somewhat at a loss for words.
Billy sat down in the workroom’s only chair and slowly explained what had happened the night before. His father listened, at first with an incredulous smile, then with growing horror. “You mean the Chinese boy was right?” he asked finally. “That’s what water does?—makes them multiply?”
Billy nodded.
“And now we have six?”
He nodded again.
“It’s crazy. Animals don’t multiply like that.”
“I know.”
“Where are they now?”
“In my room. I have them locked in that transporter we got for Barney.”
“Good.”
“They’re very anxious to get out,” Billy said. “If we try to keep them there all the time, the noise may drive us loony.”
“Maybe I’d better have a look.”
A minute later, Billy’s parents watched as he opened the top of the transporter. Inside sat the five new Mogwai, Stripe in the forefront, their faces innocent and liquid-eyed. Except for a subtle glint in their eyes, they seemed every bit as gentle as Gizmo, as friendly as Barney.
“They’re cute.” Lynn smiled.
“Yeah,” Billy said. “But they’re not the same as Gizmo, Mom.”
“They’re not? How are they different?”
“They’re mischievous.”
He related what they had done last night in addition to putting the oven rack in his parents’ bed. Even Billy had to admit that their actions sounded more like harmless pranks than deeds with malevolent possibilities.
“Maybe they were just nervous and excited,” Lynn offered. “After all, it was their first night on earth.”
“No, Mom,” Billy countered. “There was something about them, something scary.”
“Is it still there?”
“Not exactly,” he said. “But it is, in a way. You see, they must have decided they didn’t like being cooped up in the transporter so they’re putting on a good show for you and Dad.”
His parents laughed. “Are these dumb animals or college professors?” she asked.
“They’re not stupid, Mom. That’s why I think we’ll have a lot of trouble if they stay here.”
“What do you suggest?”
“I don’t know. Today Pete’s gonna ask Mr. Hanson if he’ll study them. Maybe he’ll take one and be able to tell us what they are.”
“Why not just drop them off at the Humane Society?” Rand asked.
“Because if they’re a rare species, they may be valuable,” Billy replied.
“Well,” Lynn said, “if they’re going to be here even a few days, I’ll not have them cooped up forever in that box.”
“But you can’t let them run loose, either,” Rand said. “There’s the shower, dishwasher, bathroom and kitchen sinks—all those things give out water. If they turn on one of those, we’ll be up to our armpits in those gizmos.”
“All right.” Lynn shrugged. “They can stay in Billy’s room for the time being, but not in the box. And just in case they get out, I’ll shut the bathroom doors and watch them, O.K.?”
Billy nodded.
Lynn went to the box, opened the lid wide, and reached in to lift Stripe high above her head. His wide mouth forming a benevolent smile, Stripe gurgled cutely, the perfect picture of domesticity.
“He’s darling,” Lynn said.
Indeed he was, Billy thought. But not
“That’s the shaving cream button,” Rand said. “But I haven’t figured out how to lower the pressure yet.”
“Oh.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll get it.”
“Yeah, Dad, I’m sure you will.”
During the brief pause that followed as Rand wiped the excess foam off his invention, they both remembered something important.
“Oh, Dad—”
“Son—”
“There’s something I have to—” they both began.
“Go ahead,” Billy said.
“I just wanted to ask why you put that thing in our bed,” Rand said.
“That’s what I came down to tell you about,” Billy explained.
“Well, go ahead,” Rand urged a few seconds later, when it was obvious his son was somewhat at a loss for words.
Billy sat down in the workroom’s only chair and slowly explained what had happened the night before. His father listened, at first with an incredulous smile, then with growing horror. “You mean the Chinese boy was right?” he asked finally. “That’s what water does?—makes them multiply?”
Billy nodded.
“And now we have six?”
He nodded again.
“It’s crazy. Animals don’t multiply like that.”
“I know.”
“Where are they now?”
“In my room. I have them locked in that transporter we got for Barney.”
“Good.”
“They’re very anxious to get out,” Billy said. “If we try to keep them there all the time, the noise may drive us loony.”
“Maybe I’d better have a look.”
A minute later, Billy’s parents watched as he opened the top of the transporter. Inside sat the five new Mogwai, Stripe in the forefront, their faces innocent and liquid-eyed. Except for a subtle glint in their eyes, they seemed every bit as gentle as Gizmo, as friendly as Barney.
“They’re cute.” Lynn smiled.
“Yeah,” Billy said. “But they’re not the same as Gizmo, Mom.”
“They’re not? How are they different?”
“They’re mischievous.”
He related what they had done last night in addition to putting the oven rack in his parents’ bed. Even Billy had to admit that their actions sounded more like harmless pranks than deeds with malevolent possibilities.
“Maybe they were just nervous and excited,” Lynn offered. “After all, it was their first night on earth.”
“No, Mom,” Billy countered. “There was something about them, something scary.”
“Is it still there?”
“Not exactly,” he said. “But it is, in a way. You see, they must have decided they didn’t like being cooped up in the transporter so they’re putting on a good show for you and Dad.”
His parents laughed. “Are these dumb animals or college professors?” she asked.
“They’re not stupid, Mom. That’s why I think we’ll have a lot of trouble if they stay here.”
“What do you suggest?”
“I don’t know. Today Pete’s gonna ask Mr. Hanson if he’ll study them. Maybe he’ll take one and be able to tell us what they are.”
“Why not just drop them off at the Humane Society?” Rand asked.
“Because if they’re a rare species, they may be valuable,” Billy replied.
“Well,” Lynn said, “if they’re going to be here even a few days, I’ll not have them cooped up forever in that box.”
“But you can’t let them run loose, either,” Rand said. “There’s the shower, dishwasher, bathroom and kitchen sinks—all those things give out water. If they turn on one of those, we’ll be up to our armpits in those gizmos.”
“All right.” Lynn shrugged. “They can stay in Billy’s room for the time being, but not in the box. And just in case they get out, I’ll shut the bathroom doors and watch them, O.K.?”
Billy nodded.
Lynn went to the box, opened the lid wide, and reached in to lift Stripe high above her head. His wide mouth forming a benevolent smile, Stripe gurgled cutely, the perfect picture of domesticity.
“He’s darling,” Lynn said.
Indeed he was, Billy thought. But not
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