No Grown-ups Allowed (4 page)

Jason's heart did a giant flip.

NINE

“Anybody home?” It was Dunkum. He stomped his feet on the mat. “It's freezing out there.”

“Don't you ever knock?” Jason asked.

“I did,” Dunkum insisted.

“I didn't hear you,” Jason replied. He pointed to the TV screen. “Check this out.”

Dunkum sat on the sofa for a minute, then he frowned. “I don't watch scary stuff.”

Jason wasn't listening now. He was watching the snow giant bend the boys' shovels in half.

During the commercial, Jason stretched. “What are you doing here?” he asked Dunkum.

Dunkum grinned. “I'm checking up on you.”

“I'm fine,” Jason said.

Dunkum got up and looked in the kitchen. “It's a mess in there. Where's your grandma?”

“What do you care?”

Dunkum frowned. “You can't fool me, Jason Birchall.” He pulled something out of his pocket. “Look what I found in the snow.”

Jason stared at it. It was his afternoon medicine. The pill he should have taken. “Hey, where did you get that?”

“From the pill fairy,” Dunkum teased.

Jason held his hands up like a boxer.

Dunkum dodged Jason's swing.
“Whatcha doin' Sunday morning?” Dunkum asked.

“Me?”

“You and your grandma,” Dunkum said.

“Not much,” Jason said.

“Why don't you come to church? There's room in Abby's van.” Dunkum turned to leave.

Jason remembered the Christmas service at Dunkum's and Abby's church. The ushers had given out candy. Maybe they'd have valentine candy
this
Sunday!

“Sure, I'll come,” Jason replied.

“Good.” Dunkum's eyes sparkled. “It's a special day. We're having a kids' choir.”

Jason liked music. It made him want to dance. Slow or fast, it didn't matter. “That's good,” he said, but the commercial was over now. And the snow giant was back.

Jason hardly heard his friend say goodbye.

At the next commercial, Jason tiptoed to his room. He pulled the chocolates out from under his bed. Time for a little snack.

By the end of the movie, Jason wished Dunkum had stayed. They could have shivered together with fear. But Dunkum was smart. He didn't watch this stuff.

It was late and Jason was wiped out. He jumped into bed without washing his face or brushing his teeth. He held his stomach. It was hurting again. But not as bad as the pain in his head.

He shook all over and scooted under his covers. Jason glanced at his clock. The time glowed back at him. It was past midnight!

The room was darker than usual. It made Jason nervous. If he stared into the blackness long enough, little snow creatures began to appear.

E-eek!
Jason hid under the covers. But he couldn't hide from the snow giant's
roar. It was stuck in his brain. It made him quiver and quake.

Suddenly, Jason heard another sound. Low at first. Then it grew louder. He reached for the light. Dashing to the window, Jason cupped his hands on the frosty glass.

The two-headed snow creature shimmered under the streetlight. One set of eyes stared back at him—the chocolate ones.

Jason bumped his head on the window. He blinked. “What's going on?” he whispered.

Snow Creature moved his twig arms.

Jason rubbed his eyes.

Then it happened again!

Thump! Thump!
Jason's heart pounded in his ears.
Had Snow Creature come to life?

TEN

Whoosh!
Jason closed the curtains. “Grandma!” he hollered.

She rushed into the room. “What is it, dear?”

Jason danced around, trying to tell her what he'd seen. “It started with a low roar. I looked out the window. That's when I saw him move!”

“Please slow down, Jason. What are you saying?”

“It's Snow Creature. He's alive! Look outside!”

A sleepy smile spread across her face. “You must be dreaming.”

Jason tugged on her nightgown. “Come see for yourself.”

“You can't see anything outside with this light on.” She flipped the switch off.

Jason stood at the window. “Just watch,” he whispered.

The two of them waited. And waited. The snow creature stood very still.

At last, Grandma tucked Jason in bed again. “It must be all those chocolates you ate,” she said. And she blew a kiss.

Jason shook all over. There was a live snow creature out there making roaring sounds. Just like in the movie. And Grandma was going back to bed!

Not Jason. He reached for a book from his shelf. It was a Christmas gift from Abby Hunter. It had a Bible verse and a story for each day of the year.

Jason pulled his knees up to his chin and read:
Children, obey your parents in
the Lord, for this is right. Honor your father and mother . . . that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.

Jason stopped reading. He thought about things going well if he obeyed his parents. He wanted to live a long time on the earth. And he thought about obeying.
That
was hard.

Next, he read the story. It was so good, he forgot about being scared. The book from Abby had done the trick. Nothing could scare him now. He turned the light out and fell asleep.

Hours later, Jason heard a noise at his window. He sat up in bed. There it was again.

Someone was knocking on his bedroom window!

Jason was too tired to care. Maybe he was dreaming. He hoped so. Then he could snuggle down into his blankets again.

SCR-I-I-TCH! SCR-A-A-TCH!

Jason leaped out of bed. He peeked between the curtains. His heart jumped.

Snow Creature was staring into his window. He had walked all the way across the yard!

Jason dashed away from the window, yelling for Grandma. She
had
to believe him now. Jason raced across the hall. Running up to the bed, he pulled the covers down. The bed was empty!

Jason ran out of the room and down the hall. “Grandma!” he called.

He opened the front door and ran out into the night. He looked around. Snow Creature was still standing beside his window.

Jason darted back inside and slammed the door. His heart thumped wildly.

Suddenly, he had an idea. He would go outside and tell off that Snow Creature! Who did he think he was, scaring him like that?

Jason pulled his coat on over his pajamas. He shook with fright. What if Snow Creature had gotten to Grandma's room first? What if he had taken her away?

Jason ran through the house shouting, “Grandma! Where are you?”

Grandma was nowhere to be found!

ELEVEN

At that moment, Jason missed the grown-ups in his life. His dad, his mom, and his grandma . . . all of them. He was on his own now. Alone with scary Snow Creature!

He took a deep breath and opened the front door. He stared at Snow Creature. A mean look shot out of the icy monster's eyes. Jason shivered.

And then it happened. A low roar bellowed out of Snow Creature's mouth.

Yikes!
Jason wanted to run inside. But
no! He was determined to be brave. Marching up to Snow Creature, Jason punched his snowy stomach.

“You're not alive,” Jason shouted. “This must be a bad dream.”

Snow Creature took a giant leap toward him.

But Jason stood still. “All I have to do is pinch myself and you'll be back where you belong,” he shouted. He pointed to the spot where he and the Cul-de-sac Kids had made the creature.

“That's what
you
think,” Snow Creature thundered, reaching out to grab Jason. “Your grandmother is mine now. And you are next!”

“No! No!” screamed Jason. He twisted away from Snow Creature's reach. “No!”

“Jason, dear! Wake up! It's Grandma.”

He twisted and rolled around in his sheets.

“You're dreaming,” Grandma said.

Jason opened his eyes. The sweetest wrinkled face in the world smiled down at him. He rubbed his eyes. “Nobody should watch scary shows,” Jason whispered. “Not ever.”

His grandma nodded slowly. “It's almost time for breakfast,” she said. “And your pill.”

Jason started to groan but stopped.

“Maybe you won't have to take pills when you're a grown-up,” she said.

Grown-up. A nice word,
thought Jason.

Grandma went to fix scrambled eggs and toast. Jason could almost taste it. A good breakfast beat chocolate candy any day!

At the table, Jason took his pill. And after breakfast, he brushed his teeth and washed his face.

Jason went to his room and wrote on his marker board.

Always remember—

1. Take pills
   
2. Watch good TV shows
   
3. Go to bed early
   
4. Obey grown-ups (like parents and grandparents)
   

Jason spotted the book from Abby. He remembered the verse about obeying your parents. Then, kneeling beside his bed, Jason talked to God. He was sorry about watching the scary movie. And about eating his mother's chocolates. He was sorry about not wanting any grown-ups around.