Tash McAdam - The Ooze

Cover shows the face of a young man. The whites of his eyes are clearly visible and blood drips from his nose.

Orca Book Publishers is proud of the hard work our authors do and of the important stories they create. If you are reading this book and did not purchase it or did not check it out from a library provider, then the author has not received royalties for this book. The ebook you are reading is licensed for single use only and may not be copied, printed, resold or given away. If you are interested in using this book in a classroom setting, we have digital subscriptions with multi user, simultaneous access to our books, or classroom licenses available for purchase. For more information, please contact .

ivaluecanadianstories.ca

TASH M C ADAM

Copyright Tash McAdam 2022

Published in Canada and the United States in 2022 by Orca Book Publishers.

orcabook.com

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system now known or to be invented, without permission in writing from the publisher.

Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication

Title: The ooze / Tash McAdam.

Names: McAdam, Tash, author.

Description: Series statement: Orca anchor

Identifiers: Canadiana (print) 2021016669 X | Canadiana (ebook) 20210166738 | ISBN 9781459828483 (softcover) | ISBN 9781459828490 ( PDF ) | ISBN 9781459828506 ( EPUB ) Classification: LCC PS 8625. A 5582 O 69 2022 | DDC jc813/.6dc23

Library of Congress Control Number: 2021934071

Summary: In this high-interest accessible novel for teen readers, trans teen Bran tries to uncover what is causing everyone to start acting so violently.

Orca Book Publishers is committed to reducing the consumption of nonrenewable resources in the production of our books. We make every effort to use materials that support a sustainable future.

Orca Book Publishers gratefully acknowledges the support for its publishing programs provided by the following agencies: the Government of Canada, the Canada Council for the Arts and the Province of British Columbia through the BC Arts Council and the Book Publishing Tax Credit.

Design by Ella Collier

Edited by Tanya Trafford

Cover photography by Getty Images/Jasmin Merdan

Author photo by Emma Fierling

Printed and bound in Canada.

25 24 23 22 1 2 3 4

For Dylan

Bran jabs the elevator button with his elbow and waits for the doors to close. The empty recycling tubs are lighter now. Theyre still big, though, and he has to use both hands to hold them. The doors slide closed. Bran leans his head against the back wall. Its been a long day already. His mom got on him about his room as soon as he got home from school. Cleaning it up took ages. Then he still had to do his regular chores. He hasnt even started the English homework thats due tomorrow. Somehow he has to write a book report on a book he hasnt read. Bran taps his head against the wall.

Thunk.

The elevator shudders to a halt. The bright white lights go out. Its so dark Bran thinks maybe hes gone blind. The emergency lights flick on. A dull orange lights up the small space. Bran sighs and drops the plastic tubs. He digs into his pocket for his phone to call his mom. This is the third power outage this month.

He presses the unlock button on his phone. Nothing happens. Bran puffs out air to get his bangs out of his eyes and tries again. Nothing. Great. So now the power is down. His phone is dead. And he still has an English report to write. He bangs on the door a few times, without much hope. His hand starts to sting around the tenth slap. No one comes. Not even his mom. She knows he went down to the basement to take out the recycling!

Frowning, Bran sits down on the tubs and waits to be rescued.

Its about an hour before the lights come back on. The elevator makes some grumpy noises but starts to move again. Bran kicks the recycling tubs down the hallway to his apartment. An extra-hard kick dents the outside tub. Bran curses. He does not need more trouble today. He picks up the tubs, hiding the dented side against his stomach. He kicks the door to his apartment to try to open it. Its easier than turning the knob with his hands full. No one comes.

Behind Bran a strange noise makes all the hairs on his neck stand up. Crack, crack, crack, crack. The noise makes him think of the raptors in Jurassic Park. A throaty hunting sound. Brans not usually afraid of things. Hes the one who comforts his mom when they watch The Walking Dead. He never jumps in scary movies. But this soundhe doesnt want to turn around and see whats making it. Theres nothing there, he tells himself, kicking the door again, harder. He wedges the tubs against the door and fumbles for the handle. His hand is wet with sweat. Theres something behind him. Something awful. He drops the tubs.

Finally he gets the apartment door open and tumbles through. He slams the door behind him. But it wont shut! The tubs are blocking the way. Something slams into the door from the other side. The door hits Bran in the face and bounces back. Bran sees a blur of fabric and skin and smells a horrible smell. It smells like death. Crack crack crack crack crack. The thing shoves the door hard enough to push Bran backward. He falls over, yelling in fear. He flings out a leg and kicks the tubs clear of the doorway. The tubs ram into the legs of the thing thats trying to get in. It falls back, just for a moment. Its enough. Bran slams the door closed and rolls onto his back, gasping.

Mom? MOM! he yells. The thing outside thuds against the door again. Trying to get in. Trying to get to Bran. Twitching with a kind of fear hes never felt before, Bran scrambles to his feet. He looks wildly down the hallway to the main bedroom. The door is shut. His mom must just be asleep.

The apartment door shudders as the thing throws its weight against the wood. Bran tries to lock it, his fingers shaking. The sound of the metal lock clicking into place echoes through the hall. Bran almost cries with relief.

Bran tiptoes up close to the door and puts his eye to the peephole.

Theres nothing there. The hallway is empty and silent. Brans breath is coming in tiny puffs. He makes an effort to slow his breathing. Theres nothing there.

A flicker of movement, and then the thing is back. It presses up against Brans door. He can see its shouldersand its face. Its face is the worst. Its the face of his neighbor, Mr. Fernandez, but its all wrong. Mr. Fernandez always has a big smile and a hello for Bran. Hes not smiling now. Hes wearing a twisted expression. His mouth is open much too wide. And there is something black and gooey all over him. Bran thinks it might be blood. But then Mr. Fernandez pulls back and smashes his head into the door. His forehead splits and oozes red blood. The muck below his nose and streaking his chin is too black to be blood.

Bran squeaks and sprints for the bedroom. Behind him the door rattles on its hinges. What used to be Mr. Fernandez is trying hard to break it down.

Mom? Bran whispers as he opens the bedroom door. Sometimes his mom gets headaches. She often has to lie down. That must be why she didnt come to look for him. Mom?