Chapter 12: Stop That Alien!

Tommy stood in the main floor hallway of the school near Miss Limburger’s English literature classroom watching the costumed students on their way to class. Flora and Fauna, two cheerleaders dressed in their cheerleading outfits and carrying pompoms, walked down the hall toward Tommy. He pressed the button on the detectacles that covered a great deal of his face and the lenses began to glow eerily. Tommy gazed down the hallway to see if he could spot the shapeshifter but the only thing different was that through the detectacles none of the students were wearing clothes. Tommy whipped off the glasses and everything appeared normal. He replaced them as Flora and Fauna walked up to him, unknowingly holding their pompoms strategically in front of them.
“Hi, Tommy,” Flora said cheerfully.
“Hi,” echoed Fauna¬¬.
“Hi, Flora. Hi, Fauna,” Tommy replied, checking out the pompoms. “You girls sure look good naked.”
The girls’ demeanor instantly changed. “You creep,” said Flora. “Have you been sneaking in the girls locker room again?”
They marched indignantly past Tommy and into a classroom. Tommy admired them through his glasses as they retreated. Then he turned and scanned the hallway again. This time the figure of the seven foot tall shapeshifter towered over the students. “It’s the shapeshifter,” Tommy announced out loud, startling two nearby students. He began to sprint as fast as he could down the hallway after the creature. “Stop that alien!” he yelled to the students as he streaked along in his bare feet. The students came to a shocked standstill and stared at Tommy in amazement as he pulled his blaster from his holster and raced past them toward the shapeshifter, which was visible only to him. Tommy collided with several students as the grotesque, alien creature threw open the door to the teacher’s lounge and disappeared inside. As Tommy, running at top speed, approached the lounge, his way was blocked by Stretch, who stood in the hallway surrounded by admiring girls. He was spinning a basketball on one finger. As Tommy brushed by him, Stretch stuck out a foot, tripping the aspiring DORK. Tommy flew through the air and landed face-first on the hallway floor.
“It takes amazing powers of concentration as well as good looks to be able to simultaneously trip an idiot and spin a basketball,” Stretch said with a satisfied smile on his face. The girls giggled. Tommy looked up. The lenses of the detectacles were cracked and useless. The apparatus had stopped glowing. Tommy got quickly to his feet and, arriving at the teacher’s lounge, stopped directly in front of the door that read FACULTY ONLY.
Inside the lounge, Captain McBust, stood in the center of the room. Mr. Beaker and Luscious Frappé were seated together on a nearby couch, chatting quietly. Next to the couch was a small table upon which sat a telephone. Miss Limburger was seated in an armchair. “I suppose you already know that last night one of Tootville’s finest officers was savagely murdered up on the ridge,” stated Captain McBust soberly.
“How shocking,” Miss Limburger said, putting her hands to her cheeks.
“Sheila Sniffit announced it on the news this morning. It‘s absolutely tragic,” said Mr. Beaker. “Is there anything we can do to help, Captain McBust?”
“There’s a possibility that one of the students here at the high school may have been involved in the incident. If you should happen to see anything out of the ordinary, don’t hesitate to let me know immediately,” replied the captain.
“Of course, Captain McBust,” said Luscious Frappé. “We’ll be on the lookout for any suspicious behavior.”
The door to the teacher’s lounge was suddenly thrown open and Tommy, wearing the now broken and useless glasses, burst in with his laser gun in hand. “Gotcha!” he yelled.
Miss Limburger stood up from her armchair. “Just what is the meaning of this?”
Tommy stared straight into the scowling face of Captain McBust. “Oh, excuse me,” he said, quickly holstering his weapon. “Pardon me very much.”
Looking down at the strangely dressed student, Captain McBust noticed something missing. “Where are your shoes?” demanded the captain.
“That’s right, chimed in Luscious Frappé. “School rules state that all students must be properly attired.”
“Um…I’m getting my feet in shape…for my new part time job,” Tommy said, thinking quickly.
“What kind of a job requires bare feet?” Mr. Beaker asked, puzzled.
“I just started…I’m a…um…a grape squisher at a winery,” Tommy blurted out and then backed out of the room and closed the door. Tommy stood in the hall with his back pressed against the lounge door. “Way to go, Dinkle,” he said to himself in a low voice.
Miss Limburger, Captain McBust, Luscious Frappé and Mr. Beaker stood staring at the door Tommy had just closed. “I didn’t know there was a winery in this area,” said Luscious Frappé.
“There’s not. And his feet aren’t purple.” Captain McBust replied.