"What are you doing?" she repeated.

Swinging the axe onto his shoulder, Dr. Brewer advanced on Margaret and Casey. He groaned from the effort of raising the heavy tool, his face reddening, his eyes wide, excited.

"He's not our real father!" Casey cried. "I told you we shouldn't untie him!"

But he stared back at them, his face filled with confusion -- and menace, the axe in his hands gleaming under the bright ceiling lights.

"He is our real father!" Margaret insisted. "I know he is!" She turned her eyes to her father, looking for an answer.

"Dad, please!" Margaret cried, gripping Casey's shoulder, backing up toward the jungle of plants in the center of the room.

"Dad -- answer us!" Margaret demanded. "Answer us!"

Before Dr. Brewer could reply, they heard loud, rapid footsteps clumping down the basement steps.

All four of them turned to the doorway of the plant room -- to see an alarmed-looking Dr. Brewer enter. He grabbed the bill of his Dodgers cap as he strode angrily toward the two kids.

"What are you two doing down here?" he cried. "You promised me. Here's your mother. Don't you want to --?"

Mrs. Brewer appeared at his side. She started to call out a greeting, but stopped, freezing in horror when she saw the confusing scene.

"You're the plant!" the bareheaded Dr. Brewer accused, raising the axe.

"He's dangerous!" the other Dr. Brewer exclaimed. "How could you have let him out?"

"No!" she screamed, seeing the other Dr. Brewer, the capless Dr. Brewer, holding an axe in front of him with both hands. "No!" Her face filled with horror. She turned to the Dr. Brewer that had just brought her home.

He glared accusingly at Margaret and Casey. "What have you done? You let him escape?"

"He's our dad," Margaret said, in a tiny little voice she barely recognized.

Caught in the middle, Margaret and Casey stared from one father to the other.

Who was their real father?

"I'm your dad!" the Dr. Brewer at the doorway bellowed. "Not him! He's not your dad. He's not even human! He's a plant!"

Margaret and Casey both gasped and drew back in terror.