Boogers from Beyond #3 by M. D. Payne

favorite,” Lunch Lady sighed, and then quickly snapped back to attention. “If you’re worried about thee janeetor, shut up and leesten!”
    â€œOkay, okay,” I said. “What is it!?”
    â€œThere are more aneemals running around Gallow Manor,” said Lunch Lady. “A lot more! The Director has geeven me thees letter to geeve to you.” She held it up. “You are to get your friends, give eet to thee principal, and hope she dismeesses you early for thee day.”
    â€œWhat does it say?” Ben asked and went to tear open the letter.
    â€œDon’t touch eet!” said Lunch Lady, smacking Ben’s hand. “Eet has to look official.”
    â€œPlease tell me it doesn’t have a glowing signature,” I said.
    â€œJust geet your friends, and geet the letter to thee principal,” growled Lunch Lady.

    It was 2:00 and we found ourselves lined up in the principal’s office.
    â€œFrom what I hear around school,” Nabila said, “only bad kids end up in the principal’s office. I don’t like this.”
    Principal Prouty sat at her desk, eyeing the crusty old letter, which she had taken out of the sealed envelope. The smell of mold filled the room.
    Shane sneezed. Gordon tried to stop his nose from snotting.
    â€œThose poor creatures,” Principal Prouty mumbled as she read the letter.
    She put the letter down and stared at me.
    â€œSooooo . . . ,” I said nervously.
    â€œWell,” said Principal Prouty. “You have to go help them with the outbreak. Zachary says it’s pretty bad.”
    â€œYesssss . . . ,” I said, wondering what exactly Director Z had told the principal.
    â€œSo, you know Zachary?” asked Shane. “I mean, the Director?”
    â€œWe have an ongoing business relationship, yes,” said Principal Prouty simply.
    She stared at us.
    We stared back.
    Nabila finally broke the silence.
    â€œAll right!” she chirped. “Let’s get out of here, then!”
    We all stumbled awkwardly out of Principal Prouty’s office, like we were spooked old monsters and she was an angry ghost.

    My mother reluctantly drove us to Gallow Manor. It took a bit to convince her that Director Z had arranged some of during-school-hours volunteering with the principal.
    As the sound of her car faded into the distance, we could hear strange new sounds coming from the manor.
    BRRRRAAAACK.
    SLLLLUUUUUURRROOONT.
    HAAAAAAA-CHOOOO!
    WAAAAAAAAAAA!
    â€œThey’re all sick!” said Nabila.
    The door swung in to reveal a very sick-looking Nurse. He sneezed in our faces with a spray of boogers and then passed out. His head hit the mat outside of the door with a thud.
    â€œNurse Ax?” I yelled, getting down to check on him.
    â€œNurse Ax?” Shane slapped his cheeks.
    â€œAre you sure that isn’t Nurse Inx?” said Ben.
    â€œNurse? Nurse?”
    We were all bent over the Nurse when another figure appeared in the doorway. The even-gaunter, even-whiter figure of Director Z. He looked insanely sick. He stared at us with his red eyes, loosening his always-perfect tie. He swayed in the doorway, about to collapse.
    â€œChildren,” he said. “Help.”

Nothing to Sniff At
    â€œDirector Z!” I screamed.
    Shane and I rushed up to him to make sure he didn’t fall.
    â€œDon’t forget about me,” said the Nurse, but his face was smashed on the welcome mat, so it came out, “Don forgt ba me.”
    â€œYes, yes,” said Director Z, “I’m fine. I just got dizzy. Help Nurse Ax out.”
    Gordon and Shane bent to pick up Nurse Ax, and with a huge grunt from all three of them, he was back on his feet again.
    â€œWhat’s going on?” asked Nabila.
    Director Z opened the door wider, and presented the foyer with a flourish.
    Inside, dozens of puppies and kittens were running around like crazy. Up to the North Wing. From the