Chapter 48

“What’s the opposite of me?”

The battle for Welcher Elementary School was over. As Spencer approached the transplanted school, he noticed a few Rebels sifting through items that had fallen to the mud, collecting any discarded Glopified supplies that might be useful in the uncertain days ahead. Bernard moved off to help them, always anxious to discover treasures among the trash.

There was no sign of any BEM workers. Extension cords and battery packs littered the battlefield, but the overgrown Toxites that the Pluggers had been riding were nowhere in sight.

“When did the battle end?” Spencer asked.

“Hasn’t been long,” said Marv. The big janitor had a guiding hand on Dez’s shoulder. The kid kept shrugging it off, but every time he did, he would stumble on something. Dez’s blindness was going to create a dependence that the rough kid would have a hard time adjusting to.

“About twenty minutes ago,” Penny said, leading them up the crumbling steps of the school.

“The moment the change occurred,” said Alan.

“What change?” Daisy asked, but no explanation was needed.

The hallways of Welcher were full of Extension Toxites. Abandoned in the battle, the creatures had naturally headed into the school, seeking their favored habitat. Now they sat lazily in the hallway, not bothering anyone.

But something was definitely different about the Toxites.

The Filth looked fuzzy and blue, its sharp quills replaced by the kind of fur that you wanted to pet. Its previously feral eyes were now big and watery, looking shy when it blinked. Its ears had grown long and floppy, hanging down along the side of its head. And the Filth’s clawed feet had been replaced by padded paws.

“What?” Spencer couldn’t help but exclaim. Daisy began to giggle wildly at the sight of the cuddly Filth.

“What’s so funny?” Dez demanded, wanting to make sure that no one was laughing at him while he couldn’t see.

“The Filth . . .” Spencer stammered. He didn’t have words to describe it. “It’s a . . . a . . .”

“A dust bunny!” said Daisy, still unable to control her giggles.

Down the hallway, Spencer saw a winged Rubbish glide forward and perch on the edge of an overturned table. But the Rubbish didn’t look at all like a Rubbish anymore.

It had feathers! Bright, colorful feathers! Instead of a bald vulture head, it had a beautifully craning neck. When its emerald beak opened, Spencer expected the dry croak of a Rubbish. What came out instead was a whistling birdsong.

Spencer turned to Dez in astonishment. “What did you do?”

“Who, me?” Dez asked. “What are you talking about?”

A long Grime scuttled into view. The creature was no longer slimy, but covered in shimmering silver scales. Instead of being slender and agile, the Toxite was so plump it waddled. Its eyes didn’t bulge the way they used to. Instead, it blinked slowly, staring cautiously at the humans standing in the hallway.

“And that’s not the best part,” Penny said. “Check this out.” She bent forward and whistled softly, patting her knees as though she were calling a dog.

Instantly, the transformed Toxites swarmed toward her. The Grime rubbed its head against her leg while the Filth licked her face. The feathered Rubbish tried to perch on her shoulder, cooing softly.

Penny shrugged. “They’re friendly!”

“They’re more than friendly,” Alan said. “Rho said she thinks their breathing has been reversed.”

“No way!” Daisy exclaimed. “So the Grime will actually make me focus?” She dropped close to the new Grime, her face only inches from its scaly nose.

“What’s six times eight?” Penny asked her.

“Forty-eight,” she answered without delay. “Give me something harder.”

“What’s the square root of 154?” Penny asked.

“Whoa, not that hard,” Daisy answered. She reached out and touched the Grime’s pointed nose. “But I definitely don’t feel distracted.”

“And I feel wide awake,” Spencer added. The floppy-eared Filth was sniffing at him, but the creature’s breath actually seemed to give the boy a boost of energy.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Dez said, finally catching on to what was happening. “All the freaky monsters turned into cuddly pets? That’s so lame!”

“It’s your fault,” Spencer said.

“No way,” replied Dez. “If I knew where you were standing, I’d punch you for saying that.”

“I’m serious,” Spencer continued. “The Toxites changed because of you.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” said Dez. “They only change when I crush them under my fist of doom!”

“Not this time,” Spencer said. “This time it was your brain that changed them.” He turned to the others, all the pieces finally fitting together as he explained what had taken place at the brain nests.

“The Witches had me pinned,” Spencer said. “They were charging up their wands with Refraction Dust, planning to use my brain to create a fourth Toxite. But Dez . . .” he grinned, slapping a hand on the boy’s shoulder. “Dez took the blow for me. The Refraction Dust knocked him into the brain stem.”

“And the opposite of Dez got infused into the existing brain nests,” Alan finished.

“What’s the opposite of me?” Dez asked defensively.

“Studious,” answered Daisy.

“Focused,” offered Penny.

“Interested,” said Spencer.

“Okay, okay,” Dez waved them off. “So that’s what Toxites do now?” He moaned. “Oh, man! I just made school so boring.”

“Actually,” said Alan Zumbro, “I believe you just saved school.”

“Yeah,” Dez said. “I definitely did not mean to do that.”

“But you did mean to take the blow for me,” Spencer said, recalling the moment when Dez had spread his wings and absorbed the Refraction Dust. “Thanks.”

The Dez that Spencer had met a year ago would never have done such a thing. They might not have transformed him into a scholar, but Spencer counted it a huge success that they’d transformed him into a friend.

“Don’t count on me to do it again, Doofus,” said Dez. “I’m blind forever because of you! You totally owe me one.”

“Yeah,” Spencer said. “I guess I do.” He looked at the boy’s sightless eyes. “I have an idea that might make us even. I’ll see what I can do.”

“You can’t do anything cool,” Dez grumbled. “I can’t believe I saved you.”

For a moment, Spencer was glad Dez couldn’t see them all smiling. That was as close as anyone got to getting a “thank you” from Dez Rylie.