After a few tries, Ben managed to slip through the walls of People Place Hospital.
Down a corridor he spotted the mayor talking with news reporters.
They all stood outside two hospital rooms that were sealed shut.
Danger signs hung on the doors.
"Mayor Hubbletree," said a reporter.
"Is it true that this disease started with the monsters?"
"Yes," said the mayor.
"But don't worry. I'm building a large wall between People Place and Monsterville."
"How is Mrs. Hubbletree?" asked another reporter.
"Dave and my wife are both in very serious condition," said the mayor gravely. "This is a very—"
Just then the door of one room flew open.
Mrs. Hubbletree stood there in a hospital gown.
She glowered at her husband. "I'm not sick!"
She held out her purple arms. "In fact, I like being purple!
It reminds me of the wonderful time I had at the Monster Mash dance."
Dave appeared in the second doorway.
"I feel fine too! I don't know why I'm in this dumb hospital."
The reporters' cameras flashed, and they all began shouting questions.
The mayor waved his arms in a panic.
"Get back in that room at once! You're—"
"They probably do feel fine!" Ben blurted out.
Everyone turned and gasped.
"A ghost!" cried a reporter.
"Nobody's sick," said Ben.
"The epidemic was caused by a talk potion my friend was making.
Somebody tampered with it and—"
"It was me!" shouted Dave.
"What?" Mayor Hubbletree spun around.
"I didn't mean to!" Dave's words rushed out.
"I was curious about monsters, so I wandered around Monster Academy.
I saw the experiment and started playing around with the test tubes.
I didn't want to get in trouble.
So I locked that ghost and a wizard in the lab and then ran back toward the gym.
But I got lost and . . ."
As Dave continued to talk, Mrs. Hubbletree started talking too.
"Monster Academy is absolutely lovely," she said.
"Everyone there is so interesting!"
Both patients chattered on. Suddenly Ben felt a strong urge to talk.
"I'm so glad you guys liked Monster Academy," he said.
"I love it there!" Ben rambled on and on.
"Huh?" Mayor Hubbletree scratched his head.
A little while later, Ben got out of a long car in front of Monster Academy.
He was still chattering away about Monster Academy.
Ben was followed by Dave, who was talking about Jen.
Mayor and Mrs. Hubbletree climbed out next.
Mrs. Hubbletree was telling the mayor about her favorite dance moves.
When they opened the school doors, they heard a roar of voices.
Everybody inside was talking too!
"The first monsters arrived in 1493," said Mr. Freaky.
"My family took a broom-flying trip across France last summer," said a witch to nobody in particular.
"Ahem!" Mayor Hubbletree cleared his throat loudly.
Mr. Freaky looked stunned for a second, and then he beamed.
"Mayor Hubbletree! I'm so glad you're here.
Do you know anything about monster history?"
Mr. Freaky and other monsters started talking again.
"Not now, Freaky," said the mayor, looking uncomfortable.
"I . . . I owe you an apology.
I learned that Dave accidentally caused the epidemic."
"And that's not all," said Mrs. Hubbletree, giving her husband a stern look.
The mayor grinned sheepishly.
"No one is really sick at all. My wife says she feels fine. So does Dave."
"We all feel fine too," said Mr. Freaky. "We're talkative but fine."
"I'm not going to put up that concrete wall," said the mayor.
"Wonderful!" said Mr. Freaky. "Now I really must tell you about . . ."
Dave ran over to Jen. "Look! I'm purple!"
Jen laughed. "We match!"
Ben found Waldo in the crowd. "Guess what, buddy—your talk potion works!"
"Better late than never," said Waldo with a grin.
Then he started talking about his next experiment.
"Ben! I'm sorry I didn't believe you."
Winnie was hurrying toward him, talking fast.
"I was just disappointed about the dance."
She lowered her voice and flashed him a sympathetic smile.
"And I read your mind about the walls.
I didn't know you couldn't float through them."
"Well, now I can do it!" boasted Ben.
"At least some of the time.
I kept trying to talk to you after the dance, Winnie, but I was too embarrassed, I guess.
Now I can talk—and talk and talk! Do you have plans for Saturday night?"
"Yes, I do," said Winnie.
"Oh," said Ben, disappointed.
Winnie laughed. "I have plans with you. Let's see a movie."
Ben beamed. "That sounds great!"
A few minutes later, Waldo's potion began to wear off. The talking stopped.
Mrs. Hubbletree, Dave, and all the monsters returned to their normal colors.
Everyone was happy.
Well, almost everyone.
Mrs. Hubbletree frowned. "I liked being purple!"