Classic Goosebumps #2: Deep Trouble by R.L. Stine

Author:R.L. Stine [Stine, R.L.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-0-545-40576-8
Publisher: Scholastic
Published: 2008-05-11T16:00:00+00:00

17

My hand trembled as I reached up to unlatch the screen at the top of the tank. The tank was taller than I was. I wasn’t quite sure how I’d get the mermaid out of there. But I had to find a way.

As I struggled to pull the screen off, the mermaid began to squeal, “Eeee! EEEEEE!”

“Sshh! Don’t make any noise!” I warned her.

Then I felt a hand grab me by the arm. I gasped, startled.

A deep voice asked, “What are you doing?”

I turned around to see Alexander standing behind me.

I stepped away from the tank, and he let go of my arm.

“Billy, what were you doing?” he asked again.

“I was going to let her go!” I cried. “Alexander, you can’t keep her in there! Look how unhappy she is!”

We both stared at the mermaid, who had slumped to the bottom of the tank again. I think she knew that I had tried to help her — and that I had been stopped.

I caught the sadness on Alexander’s face. I could tell he felt sorry for her. But he had a job to do.

He turned to me and put an arm around my shoulders. “Billy, you’ve got to understand how important this mermaid is to your uncle,” he said. “He’s worked his whole life for a discovery like this. It would break his heart if you let her go.”

He slowly led me away from the tank. I turned back to look at the mermaid again.

“But what about her heart?” I asked. “I think it’s breaking her heart to be stuck in that fish tank.”

Alexander sighed. “It’s not ideal, I know that. But it’s only temporary. Soon she’ll have plenty of room to swim and play in.”

Sure, I thought bitterly. As an exhibit at the zoo, with millions of people gawking at her every day.

Alexander removed his arm from my shoulders and rubbed his chin.

“Your uncle is a very caring man, Billy,” he said. “He’ll do his best to make sure the mermaid has everything she needs. But it’s his duty to study her. The things he can learn from her could help people understand the oceans better — and take better care of them. That’s important, right?”

“I guess so,” I said.

I knew Alexander had a good point. I loved Dr. D, and I didn’t want to spoil his big discovery.

But still, the mermaid shouldn’t have to suffer for science, I thought.

“Come on, Billy,” Alexander said, leading me below deck. “I promised you I’d show you how the sonar probes work, didn’t I? Let’s go down to the lab, and I’ll give you a demonstration.”

As we started to climb below, I took one last glance back at the mermaid. She was still slumped forlornly at the bottom of the tank. Her head was lowered, her blond hair floating limply above it like seaweed.

The sonar probes weren’t as interesting as I thought they’d be. All they did was beep whenever the Cassandra was in danger of running ashore.

I guess Alexander could tell my mind was not on the sonar probes.

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