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Chapter 8
Mike dedicated himself to his studies with more determination than ever. He listened intently as Professor Knight broke down the science of scaring. “Ready position,” the professor said as the students took their stances. “Common Crouch,” he instructed them. “I want to see matted fur and yellowed teeth! Show me some slobber! Drool is a tool! Use it!” Mike growled and slobbered for all he was worth.
The professor walked around the room, making adjustments in the students’ poses. When he got to Sulley, he stopped. “Now, here is a monster who looks like a Scarer!” he said. Mike glared at Sulley, who was grinning.
“If you want a hope of passing this class, you better eat, breathe, and sleep scaring,” the professor warned the students.
Mike took the teacher’s advice to heart. He read piles of books, memorizing different scare techniques. He practiced for hours, roaring in the mirror.
Sulley used his textbooks, too — but not quite the same way. He used them to steady a Ping-Pong table at the ROR fraternity house.
Days passed and Mike never quit. Fall football arrived on campus, but Mike paid no attention. Instead, he spent hours in his room while Randy quizzed him.
“Fear of spiders?” Randy asked.
“Arachnophobia,” Mike answered quickly.
“Fear of thunder?”
“Keraunophobia,” Mike replied.
“Fear of chopsticks?”
“Consecotaleophobia,” Mike said. He looked up impatiently. “What is this, kindergarten? Give me a hard one.”
The semester continued, and Mike’s efforts began to pay off . For a quiz, Professor Knight listed multiple-choice answers on the chalkboard. Mike’s hand shot up first. “The answer is C, ‘Fangs.’”
“Well done, Mr. Wazowski,” Professor Knight said.
“A clown running in the dark!” Mike conf idently answered the professor’s next question.
“Right again!” Professor Knight told him.
“Warts, boils, and moles, in that order,” Mike said, totally dominating the test.
“Outstanding!” Professor Knight said, impressed. Sulley looked over to Mike and gave him a nasty look. But Mike didn’t care. He knew he’d get the last laugh. It was October, and the semester was half over. The midterm exam was the next day.
After the exam, Sulley walked down the steps of the School of Scaring, holding his test results. He grinned and gave Johnny a thumbs-up. He’d passed. Johnny put an arm around him. Then Mike came dashing down the stairs, happily waving his A-plus score.
Sulley unfolded his exam to reveal a lowly C-minus. Johnny and the RORs exchanged a worried look. And for the first time, Sulley wasn’t feeling that warm, ROR brotherly love.
Mike, however, was f ired up. He couldn’t wait to take the final exam. Even when he was working at his student job, he studied. Every day, he punched in his work-study card and then steered a f loor polisher with one hand while holding a book on scare tactics with the other. He was so focused that he paid no attention to his surroundings. Other students had to jump out of his way as he tore past.
In the classroom, Mike showed his technique to Professor Knight. He expertly displayed all the important poses: Pirhana-Jaw, Ogre’s Slump, even the Zombie Snarl. “That’s some remarkable improvement, Michael,” Professor Knight said.
When it was his turn, Sulley stood, made a scary face, and let out an incredible roar. But Professor Knight shook his head and said, “One frightening face does not a Scarer make, Mr. Sullivan.” Sulley sat back down, his confidence fraying.
Afterward, Mike went back to his dorm room and ripped another page of f his calendar. The day for the final exams was circled in red. This was it. December had finally arrived!