Mad Scientist Chapter 2

Chapter 21

"Fred, wake up."2

"Huhhhh?"3

"Fred. Fred!"4

"Huuuhhhhh? Wha--Whozair?"5

Fred snapped awake. Someone was shaking him. He blinked a few times before he realized who it was: his dad; he was still shaking him.6

Wait a minute....his dad wasn't even touching him. Then who....?7

Suddenly he realized that everything was moving--not just him! It was an earthquake!8

He heard a distant crash.He rolled over, curled into a ball, and used a pillow to cover his head; he waited fearfully.9

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the shaking ceased.10

He waited a few seconds before nervously taking the pillow off his head.11

He glanced at the clock on his bedside table; it was 4 in the morning. 12

He looked around warily; his dad crawled out from under Fred's desk and marched out, avoiding the sea of books that had fallen off the shelves. Pencils had rolled onto the floor, where his backpack lay as well.13

"Freddy?" someone whispered. His mom was standing right outside the door clutching the doorway and looking worried."Are you okay?" she looked petrified.14

"Yeah--yeah,I'm fine I just feel a bit--"15

"Vivian."16

Fred's mom turned around, where her husband stood. Fred got out of bed to get a closer look. His dad was unharmed; Fred gave a sigh of relief.17

"Let's check out the news." he sounded serious.18

They all scrambled into the living room, turned on the TV, and listened to a neatly dressed news reporter.19

"...and while the earthquake was going, we received a message that no major damage was caused and nobody's lives were lost.20

"Scientists predict aftershocks for days after today, maybe even weeks.21

"Other scientists are puzzled by this earthquake, because the earth's plates seem not to have moved an inch.22

"Policemen have noticed that there had been a heavily guarded prisoner in jail who has escaped. While the earthquake was occurring, all the security cameras fell down and smashed upon the rocky floor. We suspect it was then that Greg Holber made his escape."23

The newscaster continued talking, warning how dangerous this man was, but Fred hardly listened.24

He was too busy staring at the picture of the man that had just appeared on the screen. He wore glasses, one lens cracked, a white lab coat was draped over him, and his two arms stuck out on the left and right like sticks; his hands had on rubber gloves, and his feet were in rubber boots.25

Fred was worried. Mad scientists? Here? He regarded mad scientists as characters of fairy tales or myths, but this one seemed pretty real to him.26

He looked at his dad expectantly and was utterly astonished by whom he saw. His eyes were wide with shock and his hands trembled an the arms of the chair. Fred wondered why his father was taking this so seriously; this couldn't possibly concern them.