The yellow cloud was getting bigger.

Much bigger.

It floated above Giggleton like a giant bowl of yellow soup.

Nobody knew where it had come from.

Nobody knew how to stop it.

And nobody…

Absolutely nobody…

Wanted to sneeze anymore.

Unfortunately, the cloud had other plans.

ACHOOOOOOOO!

The entire town shook.

A bakery window exploded.

Three pigeons fell out of the sky.

A chicken flew backward.

And the mayor’s trousers disappeared.

The mayor looked down.

He screamed.

“WHO TOOK MY TROUSERS?”

Mr. Wobble, his assistant, pointed at the sky.

“The sneeze!”

The mayor looked confused.

“THE SNEEZE TOOK MY TROUSERS?”

“I think so.”

The mayor stared at him.

“How?”

Mr. Wobble thought carefully.

“I don’t know.”

The mayor sighed.

“That’s becoming your favorite answer.”

ACHOO!

The mayor’s hat flew away.

“MY HAT!”

Mr. Wobble looked at the hat.

“At least your trousers are still…”

The mayor stared at him.

Mr. Wobble stopped.

“Never mind.”

---

Meanwhile…

Felix Fumble was running.

Very fast.

He was not running because he was brave.

He was running because the yellow cloud was chasing him.

Behind him ran Dotty Doodle.

Behind Dotty ran the mysterious cloaked man.

Behind the cloaked man ran the yellow bird.

And behind the yellow bird…

Nobody knew.

Felix glanced backward.

“How long until we reach safety?”

Dotty shouted:

“There’s no safety!”

Felix looked horrified.

“Why didn’t you tell me earlier?”

“I just did!”

“Then why are you shouting?”

“BECAUSE WE’RE RUNNING!”

“Oh.”

Felix continued running.

Suddenly…

ACHOOOOOOOO!

The sneeze hit them.

Felix flew through the air.

He landed inside a barrel.

Dotty crashed into a vegetable cart.

The cloaked man landed on top of a cabbage.

The yellow bird landed perfectly on a streetlight.

Everyone stood up.

Except Felix.

He was still inside the barrel.

Dotty looked at him.

“Are you okay?”

Felix’s voice came from inside.

“I think so.”

She pulled him out.

His hair was full of carrots.

Felix looked around.

“Where are we?”

Dotty pointed.

“Main Street.”

Felix looked at the sign.

It read:

WELCOME TO GIGGLETON

Underneath someone had written:

PLEASE DON’T SNEEZE.

Felix stared.

“That’s not going to work.”

ACHOO!

The sign fell down.

“Definitely not.”

---

The cloaked man finally stood up.

Felix pointed at him.

“Stop!”

The man froze.

Felix walked toward him.

“You’re going to explain everything.”

The man looked nervous.

“Everything?”

“Everything.”

“That’s a lot.”

“I have a notebook.”

Felix pulled out his notebook.

It was completely blank.

He opened it.

Then closed it.

“Actually…”

He smiled.

“Just tell me the important parts.”

The man sighed.

“My name is Professor Noodle.”

Dotty blinked.

“Professor Noodle?”

“Yes.”

“That’s your real name?”

“Yes.”

“You’re a professor?”

“No.”

“Then why are you called Professor Noodle?”

“I don’t know.”

Felix looked at Dotty.

“I like him.”

Dotty sighed.

“Of course you do.”

Professor Noodle continued.

“I discovered the yellow powder.”

“What is it?”

“A very dangerous substance.”

“What’s it called?”

Professor Noodle lowered his voice.

“The Sneezium.”

Felix stared.

“That’s not a real word.”

“It is now.”

“What does it do?”

“It makes people sneeze.”

Felix nodded.

“Okay.”

“But that’s not all.”

Felix leaned closer.

“What else does it do?”

Professor Noodle looked around.

“It changes gravity.”

Felix froze.

“Gravity?”

“Yes.”

Dotty looked at the street.

“That’s why the chicken flew backward.”

“Exactly.”

Felix looked at the sky.

“And the yellow cloud?”

“Full of Sneezium.”

“How did it get there?”

Professor Noodle pointed at the yellow bird.

“The bird.”

The bird looked offended.

“Quack.”

Everyone stared.

Felix frowned.

“That is not a normal bird.”

Professor Noodle nodded.

“Correct.”

Dotty looked at the bird.

“Then what is it?”

Professor Noodle whispered:

“That’s not a bird.”

Felix gasped.

“WHAT?”

“It’s a…”

Professor Noodle paused.

The bird looked at them.

“…”

Felix waited.

Dotty waited.

The bird waited.

Finally, Professor Noodle said:

“…very strange bird.”

Dotty slapped her forehead.

“That’s it?”

“What did you expect?”

“I don’t know.”

“Exactly.”

---

Suddenly…

The bird flew away.

Felix pointed.

“AFTER IT!”

Dotty grabbed his arm.

“No!”

“Why?”

“Because we need to investigate.”

“That’s what I’m doing.”

“You’re chasing a bird.”

“It’s suspicious!”

“Everything is suspicious to you.”

Felix looked at a mailbox.

“That mailbox is suspicious.”

“Why?”

“It has no mail.”

“It’s a mailbox.”

“Exactly.”

Dotty dragged him away.

“We need to find out where the Sneezium came from.”

Professor Noodle nodded.

“I know where.”

Felix stopped.

“Where?”

“The clock tower.”

Felix’s eyes widened.

“The clock tower?”

“Yes.”

“The place where we found the powder?”

“Yes.”

“The place where the clock stopped?”

“Yes.”

“The place where the yellow bird appeared?”

“Yes.”

“Then why are we standing here?”

Professor Noodle shrugged.

“I don’t know.”

Felix shouted:

“LET’S GO!”

---

They ran toward the clock tower.

But the town was now in complete chaos.

People were floating.

Cars were rolling backward.

Dogs were barking in reverse.

A man was walking upside down.

Felix stopped.

“What’s happening?”

Professor Noodle explained:

“The Sneezium is affecting gravity.”

Felix looked at the upside-down man.

“Can we fix it?”

“Yes.”

“How?”

Professor Noodle pointed toward the clock tower.

“By reversing the clock.”

Felix frowned.

“Why?”

“Because the clock is controlling the Sneezium.”

Dotty looked at him.

“How?”

Professor Noodle smiled.

“That’s a very good question.”

Felix waited.

Professor Noodle continued walking.

Felix shouted:

“ARE YOU GOING TO ANSWER?”

“No.”

“Why?”

“Because I don’t know.”

Felix nodded.

“Fair enough.”

---

They finally reached the clock tower.

The doors were locked.

Felix pulled out his detective tools.

Dotty watched.

“What are you doing?”

“Breaking in.”

“You’re a detective.”

“Exactly.”

“Shouldn’t you have a key?”

Felix looked at her.

“Do I look like someone who has keys?”

“No.”

“Thank you.”

Felix pulled out a hammer.

Dotty stared.

“Where did you get that?”

“Detective equipment.”

“That’s a hammer.”

“Exactly.”

He hit the door.

BANG!

Nothing happened.

He hit it again.

BANG!

Still nothing.

He hit it a third time.

BANG!

The hammer broke.

Felix stared at it.

Then at the door.

Then at Dotty.

“Strong door.”

Dotty pointed.

“There is a doorbell.”

Felix looked.

A tiny bell was attached to the wall.

He pressed it.

DING DONG.

The door opened.

Everyone stared.

Felix slowly put the broken hammer away.

“I knew that would work.”

Dotty walked inside.

“Sure.”

---

The inside of the clock tower was enormous.

Hundreds of gears turned.

The giant clock mechanism filled the entire room.

But something was wrong.

The gears were moving backward.

Felix looked up.

“That’s not good.”

Professor Noodle nodded.

“Very bad.”

Dotty pointed.

“Look!”

A large metal pipe ran from the clock mechanism into the ceiling.

Yellow smoke came through it.

Felix covered his nose.

“What is that?”

“More Sneezium.”

“Can we turn it off?”

Professor Noodle shook his head.

“Not from here.”

“Then where?”

“At the top.”

Felix looked upward.

The tower had twenty floors.

Dotty sighed.

“We have to climb?”

“Yes.”

Felix smiled.

“Great.”

“Why are you smiling?”

“I like stairs.”

Dotty stared.

“You hate stairs.”

“I was trying to sound brave.”

---

They climbed.

Floor one.

Nothing.

Floor two.

A broken chair.

Floor three.

A sleeping cat.

Floor four.

A man who had somehow become stuck upside down.

“Help me!”

Felix stopped.

“How did you get up there?”

“I don’t know!”

Felix continued climbing.

Floor five.

A room full of umbrellas.

Floor six.

A room full of potatoes.

Floor seven.

A room full of…

Felix stopped.

“What are those?”

Professor Noodle stared.

“Mustaches.”

Hundreds of fake mustaches filled the room.

Dotty looked at Felix.

“Why are there so many mustaches?”

Felix became serious.

“Don’t ask.”

“Why?”

“I have bad memories.”

“You don’t have memories.”

“Exactly.”

They continued.

Floor eight.

A room full of rubber ducks.

Floor nine.

A room full of clocks.

Floor ten.

A room full of…

Sneezing statues.

Felix stopped.

“What?”

The statues sneezed.

ACHOO!

Felix screamed.

“They’re alive!”

Dotty looked at them.

“No.”

One statue sneezed again.

ACHOO!

Felix hid behind Professor Noodle.

“That’s what a living statue would say!”

Professor Noodle pushed him forward.

“Keep moving.”

---

Finally…

They reached the top.

The room was dark.

In the center was a giant machine.

It looked like a huge metal nose.

Felix stared.

“What is that?”

Professor Noodle whispered:

“The Sneezium Generator.”

Dotty stepped closer.

“Who built it?”

Professor Noodle didn’t answer.

Felix turned.

“Professor?”

The man was gone.

Felix looked around.

“Where did he go?”

Dotty pointed.

“He ran.”

Felix sighed.

“Of course he did.”

Suddenly…

A voice came from behind the machine.

“You’re too late.”

Felix froze.

Dotty grabbed her notebook.

“Who are you?”

A figure stepped out of the shadows.

He was wearing a purple suit.

A giant pair of sunglasses.

And a ridiculous green hat.

Felix stared.

“Who are you?”

The man laughed.

“I am…”

He paused.

Felix waited.

Dotty waited.

The yellow bird waited.

The man smiled dramatically.

“I am…”

He paused again.

Felix became impatient.

“Can you hurry up?”

The man looked offended.

“You’re ruining my dramatic entrance.”

“Sorry.”

The man cleared his throat.

“I am Professor…”

He looked at the machine.

Then at Felix.

Then at Dotty.

“I forgot.”

Felix blinked.

“You forgot your own name?”

“Yes.”

Dotty sighed.

“Why?”

“Because it’s a long name.”

“What is it?”

“Professor…”

He paused.

“…something.”

Felix stared.

“You’re not very threatening.”

The man became angry.

“Silence!”

He pressed a button.

The Sneezium Generator came alive.

The entire tower shook.

The yellow cloud outside became enormous.

Felix looked through the window.

“Oh no.”

Dotty joined him.

The cloud was now covering the entire town.

Professor Something laughed.

“Once the clock strikes midnight…”

Felix turned.

“What happens?”

The man smiled.

“Everyone in Giggleton will sneeze.”

“How many times?”

“Once.”

Felix relaxed.

“That’s it?”

“Yes.”

“Then what’s the problem?”

The man pointed toward the machine.

“One sneeze.”

He smiled.

“From everyone.”

Felix’s eyes widened.

“At the same time?”

“Exactly.”

Dotty understood.

“That much force…”

“Could destroy the town.”

Felix stared.

“How much?”

The villain smiled.

“Enough to blow every building into the sky.”

Felix looked horrified.

“Can we stop it?”

The man laughed.

“No.”

Felix grabbed him.

“Tell me how!”

The man pointed toward the clock.

“Someone must enter the clock mechanism…”

Felix waited.

“…and stop the final gear.”

“That’s it?”

“Yes.”

“Then let’s do it.”

The man laughed.

“But there’s one problem.”

“What?”

“The gear is inside the clock.”

Felix frowned.

“Yes.”

“And the clock is moving backward.”

“Yes.”

“And the gravity is broken.”

“Yes.”

“And the entire tower is going to collapse.”

Felix stared.

“Anything else?”

The man smiled.

“Yes.”

The yellow bird suddenly flew toward them.

It landed on the machine.

The machine began shaking.

Professor Something screamed:

“NO!”

The bird pressed a button.

A giant screen appeared.

On it was a countdown.

00:59:59

Dotty stared.

“One hour.”

Felix looked at the clock.

Then at the machine.

Then at the bird.

The bird looked at him.

Felix pointed.

“You.”

The bird tilted its head.

Felix narrowed his eyes.

“You started this.”

The bird smiled.

Felix screamed.

“STOP SMILING!”

The bird laughed.

Then…

It spoke.

“Finally.”

Everyone froze.

Felix’s mouth fell open.

Dotty dropped her notebook.

Professor Something fainted.

The bird looked at Felix.

“You finally figured it out.”

Felix whispered:

“You can talk.”

The bird nodded.

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Because I’m not a bird.”

Felix looked at Dotty.

“She said that.”

The bird flew closer.

“My name is…”

A dramatic pause.

Felix waited.

Dotty waited.

Professor Something was still unconscious.

The bird smiled.

“Captain Sneeze.”

Felix stared.

“That’s the worst name I’ve ever heard.”

The bird became angry.

“How dare you!”

Felix pointed.

“You’re a talking bird!”

“I’m not a bird!”

“Then what are you?”

Captain Sneeze stood proudly.

“I am…”

The machine exploded.

BOOOOOOM!

Everyone screamed.

The tower began shaking.

The clock started spinning.

The countdown changed.

00:59:59

00:59:58

00:59:57

Felix grabbed Dotty.

“We have one hour!”

Dotty shouted:

“To do what?”

Felix looked at the giant clock.

“To stop the biggest sneeze in history!”

Captain Sneeze flew upward.

The yellow cloud covered the entire sky.

Then…

A massive sound came from above.

ACHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Felix stared.

“Was that the town?”

Captain Sneeze laughed.

“No.”

Felix looked terrified.

“Then who sneezed?”

Captain Sneeze pointed toward the sky.

Something enormous moved inside the yellow cloud.

Two giant eyes opened.

Felix screamed.

“WHAT IS THAT?”

Captain Sneeze smiled.

“The reason Giggleton has been sneezing.”

The giant creature inside the cloud opened its mouth.

And a massive sneeze shook the heavens.

ACHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Felix grabbed Dotty.

Dotty grabbed Felix.

The tower began falling apart.

And somewhere in the chaos…

Professor Something woke up.

He looked around.

Then he screamed:

“I REMEMBER MY NAME!”

Everyone stopped.

Felix looked at him.

“What is it?”

The professor smiled.

“My name is…”

A piece of the ceiling fell.

CRASH!

Everyone screamed.

The professor forgot his name again.

“I DON’T REMEMBER!”

Felix shouted:

“WE DON’T HAVE TIME FOR THIS!”

The countdown continued.

00:45:12

00:45:11

00:45:10

And the giant creature in the sky…

Prepared to sneeze again.

TO BE CONTINUED…