Aliens for Breakfast Read Online Free

stronger now than before.
    “If he were eating just pepper flakes, he would indeed die soon,” said Aric. “But he is eating pizza also. And that is giving him strength.”
    “What can we do?” asked Richard.
    “We must feed him pepper flakes. And only pepper flakes,” said Aric. “Enough to destroy him. And we must work quickly.”
    “Okay, I’ll give it to him,” said Richard. “Tomorrow. At school.”
    “Very good,” said Aric.
    By the time Henry came back, Dorf was on his last pizza. His face was bright red. Henry was staring into his empty cup. He looked sick.
    “I don’t feel so good,” he said.
    “Have another slice,” said Dorf.
    “Could we go home now? I think I’d better lie down.”
    “I’m almost finished. I feel really great. There’s nothing like a pizza to get your blood flowing!” shouted Dorf. “How about running around the mall a few times?”
    “Maybe later,” mumbled Henry. Then he jumped up and ran off to the bathroom.
    “We had better go,” said Aric. “We are going to become visible again in about a minute.”
    Richard got up. Very carefully he made his way around the chairs and tables. He opened the front door and slid out of Pizza World. Then he headed back to Mutant Splendor. No one would notice if a kid and a tiny alien materialized there. They’d think it was some new game or promotion or something. And that was exactly what happened.

7 .
    The next morning Richard was up early. “Well, I guess today we save the universe,” he said nervously. Aric was curled up in an orange Frisbee. He yawned and stretched.
    “It is not the universe. Just your little home planet,” he answered.
    “I resent that,” said Richard. He pulled his socks on over his bandaged feet. “If it’s so small and unimportant, why are you here?” Richard’s head was pounding. Was that part of melting too? In any case he was sick of Aric acting like such a know-it-all.
    “All right. All right. Your planet
is
important. If the Dranes take over Earth, who knows what they will do next? But it is bad luck to brag, and worse manners. Your mother should have taught you that.”
    “She tried,” said Richard. He went into his closet and pulled out a five-pound box of pepper flakes. He felt so weak that it was hard to lift the box. And he had spent $17.52 on it—his life savings.

    “I sure hope this works,” he said. “Do you think five pounds is enough?”
    “It better be. Dorf will divide in exactly three hours and fourteen minutes. Then it is bye-bye, biosphere.”
    Richard shuddered. “I guess we’d better hurry,” he said. “There’s no place else to go if we mess up, is there?”
    “Negatory, my friend,” said Aric.
    “Richard!” called Mrs. Bickerstaff. “Time to get up!”
    Richard put Aric into his shirt pocket. He zipped the box of pepper flakes into his backpack. Then he walked into the kitchen. His mother, in her bathrobe, was opening and closing all the cabinets. “Where did the tea bags go?” she said. “I could swear they were in here yesterday.”
    “Gee, Mom, I sure don’t know,” said Richard. He and Aric had cleaned up the kitchen the afternoon before in a big hurry. They probably should have been more careful.
    “You’re up early this morning,” said his mother. “How come? Something special going on at school?”
    “No. Just felt like getting an early start,” said Richard.
    “Good for you! What would you like for breakfast? Some more of that nice new cereal?”
    “No!” Richard croaked. He never wanted to see another box of Alien Crisp in his life.
    Richard’s mother peered at him. “Are you all right, honey?” she asked. “You look pale.”
    For a second Richard felt like a little kid again. He wished he could tell his mother everything. “I’m fine, Mom,” he said. He sat down at the table. “Really.”
    “Well, at least have a good breakfast,” said his mother. She smoothed back his hair. “How about an egg?”
    “Sure,” said