Read Online Billy Angel by Sam Hay - Free Book Online

and I didn’t like to think what Thelma might do to me if Stan Spooner fell apart.)
    The girls started chanting again. And the skeleton started shaking some more. And then the weirdest thing happened: flesh started to appear along his bones.
    Honestly. It was truly ghastly. Bubbling blood and flesh pulsated along Stan’s bones. I didn’t want to look. But just like at the anatomy museum, I couldn’t stop myself.
    The chanting got louder as the storm grew stronger outside. The window frames were rattling. And Stan was growing more and more human-looking. Hair sprouted on the top of his bony head. Eyes popped into his empty sockets. Then his jaw fell open and I noticed teeth were growing inside.
    It was too much. I shut my eyes tight. Then, all of a sudden, there was an almighty crash of thunder, and a streak of lightening lit up the room. I peeked through my fingers, and there, sitting in the deck chair, was the complete Stan Spooner, competitive pie-eating champion. Though he didn’t look much like his picture.
    â€˜Pies!’ he gurgled. ‘I want pies!’
    Thelma was ecstatic. ‘We’ve done it!’ she squealed. ‘We’ve really done it!’
    Gaby smiled smugly. ‘Of course we have.’
    I was speechless.
    Thelma put the pie in his hand. And he immediately stuffed it into his mouth. I watched as pie grease ran down his chin.

    Thelma clapped her hands in delight.
    â€˜He doesn’t say much,’ I muttered.
    â€˜Well, he
is
a zombie,’ said Gaby sarcastically. ‘They’re not known for their powers of conversation.’
    â€˜Enough talking,’ said Thelma sharply. ‘We’ve got to get him down to the pie shop – the competition starts in less than an hour.’
    And that’s where the problems began. For some reason, Stan wasn’t very steady on his feet.
    â€˜He’s probably forgotten how to use them,’ I said, desperately hoping no one would blame my wiring job.
    But every time he tried to stand, his knees gave way and he collapsed again.
    â€˜Pies,’ he gurgled. ‘Pies!’ It was all he could say.
    â€˜Haul him up!’ boomed Thelma. ‘I won’t let a pair of lousy legs let me down.’
    I draped one of his long, bony arms around my shoulders, and Gaby took the other side. I shivered. There’s something about touching a zombie. They don’t feel very nice. A bit cold and clammy, and slightly soggy, but I was too polite to say anything.
    â€˜The wheelbarrow,’ said Thelma. ‘We’ll stick him in there and wheel him to the competition. There’s nothing in the rules that say a competitor can’t be carried in.’
    And that’s what we did. We poured him into the wheelbarrow and set off for the shop.
    It wasn’t easy. Not only did I have to take a turn at pushing Stan, I was also lugging my tool bag. But finally we made it.
    We went in the back door, through the kitchen. I was wondering how we’d explain ourselves, but everything was in such chaos that no one noticed. A handful of bakers were running hither and thither, as though they didn’t quite know what they were supposed to be doing. There were pies everywhere, stacked up in big, metal serving plates. Stan’s eyes were out on stalks, and there was saliva running down his chops. ‘Where’s Grant?’ roared Thelma.
    â€˜He hasn’t turned up,’ squeaked one of the bakers, obviously as terrified of Thelma as the rest of us.
    â€˜Where’s my dad?’ she thundered.
    â€˜In the shop – they’re introducing the competitors…’
    â€˜Quick!’ Thelma bellowed to us. ‘Grab Stan’s arms, and let’s get him inside.’
    â€˜Pies!’ growled Stan.
    I shook my head. There was no way we were going to get away with this.

Chapter 15
    The competitors were lined up at the front of the pie shop, like athletes on a racetrack. I’d