Temporary Monsters

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Book: Read Temporary Monsters for Free Online
Authors: Craig Shaw Gardner
her before she fell to the ground.
    Lenny felt a buzzing against his thigh. He had set his phone on vibrate. He couldn’t look away from the scene before him. Lenore and Karnowski both hovered over the unconscious Ms. Siggenbottom, while a dozen other employees rushed to and fro on errands Lenny couldn’t possibly imagine.
    It was not the best time to get a call.

Chapter Five
    Lenny stared as a pair of overly muscled men hustled their employer out of the conference room. With Ms. Siggenbottom gone, most of the noise left the room as well.
    Lenny finally pulled his phone from his pocket. He had missed a call—from Sheila! Apparently she was determined to see him again. But when could he actually get away from here? Despite all the corn dogs and mucous membranes, the now unconscious Ms. Siggenbottom had been right. Things always happened to Lenny. But even he couldn’t remember them happening this fast.
    The tall man pulled a watch from the pocket of his vest. “Karnowski cannot delay! We must go to our—other location.”
    â€œThere are other parts of Terrifitemps?” Lenny asked.
    Lenore nodded. “More than any one of us knows.” She glanced at her own phone. “But look at the time. It’s well past lunch, closer to dinner really. We need to get some supplies before we travel.”
    â€œKarnowski says eat on the run!” the ghost finder agreed.
    Lenore led them to the back of the room, opening the door to a much smaller room beyond—a room that held a few small tables and a pair of vending machines.
    â€œKarnowski says they need to stock these more often!”
    Lenny could see exactly what the other man meant. The soda machine had half a dozen choices, all but one of which had a red “out” light above the name. Lenny put in some quarters and pushed the last remaining choice. He studied the can. He hadn’t even known they still made grape Nehi soda.
    The other machine displayed shelf after shelf of prepared food, except all but two of the display rows were empty as well. One row showed three pale-white sandwiches. The other showed something blue and green and lumpy, as though whatever had once been there had long ago surrendered to mold and mildew.
    â€œWhat’s that?” Lenny asked.
    â€œNothing for humans,” Karnowski grumbled.
    â€œNothing for what?” Lenny asked.
    â€œThese machines have to provide sustenance to everyone,” Lenore began. She looked at the green moldy thing. “We’ll have to explain that later.”
    â€œIs sandwiches for Karnowski.” He inserted a bill into the machine’s cash slot and pressed a row of buttons. Three of the pale sandwiches slid to the bottom of the chute.
    â€œCream cheese and olive. No crust. Very refined.”
    Lenny unwrapped the cellophane and took a taste. He supposed they were edible. But not much more.
    â€œWhen Ms. Siggenbottom not hungry, they stay in machine forever,” Karnowski added.
    Lenny had never been so grateful for the taste of grape Nehi.
    â€œBut we must go,” the ghost finder said after finishing his sandwich in three bites. He took a step back into the larger room. Lenny finished the last of the soda and left the rest behind as he and Lenore followed Karnowski.
    Karnowski pushed the stem on his watch and a row of bookcases moved aside, revealing the battered green door of an ancient elevator. Lenny wondered if there were any walls in this office that didn’t hide something.
    â€œMuch is always hidden from view,” Lenore intoned.
    Karnowski stepped forward. “Going down!” The aged metal doors opened with a groan, revealing a metal grate. Karnowski pulled the grate aside and the three of them walked in. Lenny saw that the controls consisted of six mahogany-brown buttons. Even though they, too, were worn with age, he could faintly discern the labels B1 through B6.
    â€œWe’re going all the way down, aren’t

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