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slimy!
    What would they do to me if they found out I was one of the slimy humans? Would they take me back to their planet with them—whichever one that was?
    Or would they do something even worse?
    I had to get out of there! Faster than fast!
    My palms were wet with sweat. I had trouble catching my breath. I stared at the aliens. How could I ever have thought they were humans?
    I should have known. No one really looks like people on TV.
    I couldn’t stay here! I had to get my body back!
    Then it hit me. Chad was an alien, too. There was an alien in my body!
    â€œEat just one, Chad-One,” Mom crooned. “Come on. For Mommy. You’ve got to keep up your strength!” Mom picked one of the wiggling things out of her hand and held it out to me.
    I almost spewed. Just looking at that thing made me sick.
    But I had no choice. I had to eat it. I couldn’t let them find out that I wasn’t an alien! As I gagged, Mom stuffed it in my mouth. I swallowed before I could taste it much or feel it on my tongue.
    I thought I could feel the skwigger move around inside my stomach. But not for very long.
    The weird thing was that it stayed down, and I felt slightly better. Less hungry, anyway. And I didn’t feel like throwing up anymore.
    â€œGood boy,” Mom chirped. “Now it’s time for bed!”
    I checked my watch. It was about a quarter to eight. Aside from everything else that was awful in this house, early curfew!
    What if I made a break for it? I knew I could run fast in this body. Chad-Two could probably run just as fast, though, and Dad might be able to run faster.
    â€œBed!” Dad announced. He grabbed my shoulder and pushed me toward the staircase. He was really strong!
    Maybe I could sneak out after they all went to sleep.
    I followed Chad-Two upstairs.
    We trudged up the stairs to the weird pink second floor. I planned to watch Chad-Two very carefully. I didn’t want to make any mistakes. It would be a disaster if he found out I wasn’t the real Chad-One!
    Chad-Two went to the first big touch pad on the floor and pulled on a pair of boots, then he stamped on the orange touch pad six times.
    I waited for something to whoosh or glow. Nothing happened.
    He walked over to the first green touch pad on the left wall and thumbed it. A long oval door opened, revealing another tiny room only a little bigger than a coffin. It was identical to the one I had seen before.
    The next thing Chad-Two did surprised me. He grabbed the bars on either side of the little room and swung his feet up. They stuck to the ceiling!
    He hung there upside-down like a bat, his arms crossed over his chest, and his hair hung straight down. He stared at me. “Go on,” he snapped. “Get in your own sleep chamber, will you?”
    I crossed over to the big touch pad on the floor and pulled on the boots. They fit, but kind of grabbed my feet and ankles tight, and they felt prickly inside.
    I stamped on the big orange touch pad six times, the way Chad-Two had, then went to the second green badge on the wall near his.
    My thumbprint opened the closet I had guessed was Chad’s room. Now I knew why there were bars on the wall.
    Trying to copy Chad-Two’s movements, I grabbed the bars and swung up. It took me three tries to get my feet to touch the ceiling. I hoped that didn’t make Chad-Two suspicious.
    I nervously let go of the bars. I figured I would fall on my head any minute. But the boots felt as if they were welded to the ceiling.
    I started to feel dizzy. I wondered if I would ever be able to sleep in a position like this.
    But I didn’t want to fall asleep. I needed to stay awake so I could try to escape.
    â€œWhat’s the matter with you, anyway?” Chad-Two grumbled.
    â€œI feel sick,” I said. That was no lie!
    â€œYou act sick, but it’s not any illness I’ve seen before!”
    â€œMaybe I caught something at school.”
    â€œNot a chance. Not