Amazing Stories: Pimple-Face

And his skin was glowing. It was a soft, green radiance, like something radioactive, or like one of those Glow-in-the-dark pictures.

"I know you're here," he said.

Bones and I both felt a shiver go down our backs.

"You're over by the trees," said Rod. "You've been hiding there for sixty-seven minutes."

"How did he know that?" whispered Bones.

"If you don't come out, I will go back into the house and you will never see me again."

Shakily, I stood up and walked into view.

Rod smiled.

"Good," he said. "You are my friends. I mean you no harm. Please come closer."

We came right up to the cracked steps of the house and stared at him.

"Don't be afraid," said Rod. "This is how I really am. Come in."

It wasn't easy following our glowing friend into that house. The doorway looked like a dark entrance to hell, and the heavy silence made every tiny noise sound eerie and spooky.

Rod led us down the hallway into what used to be the kitchen. He tapped on the rings of his hand and a large square of the floor began to rise. Light filled the room as the floor opened. Now we were able to see down under the floor. It was like looking into a video game parlor. There were panels in the walls with lights flashing and screens with pictures moving across them.

Rod went down the stairs into the electronic room. He stopped halfway and smiled at us. The skin on his face was completely smooth.

"Please come," he said. "I have permission to do this."

"Permission?" asked Bones.

"Yes," said Rod. "My parents have allowed me to show you."

"Show us what?"