Read Online Boogers from Beyond #3 by M. D. Payne - Free Book Online

Stratford.”
    â€œThat’s Lieutenant Commander Stratford to you,” he grumbled.
    â€œYou’ll have to pardon my grandfather,” said another ghost as he joined Quincy and George. “He talks so much about these old monsters that sometimes I think
he’s
the old monster.”
    Another ghost appeared out of nowhere. A woman. And then a little girl came into view.
    â€œThat’s my mother, Mary Stratford, but she likes to be called Lady Stratford,” said Quincy. “And my three-year-old sister, Leila.”
    Five ghosts in total.
    â€œWe’re so sorry we frightened you,” Lady Stratford said. “But we were at our wits’ end. When those werewolves destroyed the vase and left such a mess, why, we couldn’t help but lash out.”
    â€œThey can’t stand messes,” added Quincy.
    â€œBut we never would have hurt you,” Quincy’s father said. “We were just trying to convince you to leave this house.”
    â€œIt was you in those masks?” I asked.
    â€œYes,” said Quincy’s father.
    â€œI collected those terrifying masks from the island of Bali during a tour with the Royal Navy,” said George. “They are said to channel the spirit of Rangda—an evil witch who eats small children. I thought they’d spook you out of the house good, but here you are now, standing right in front of me.”
    â€œWhy are you still in the house?” Shane asked.
    â€œWe were trapped in the South Wing when the fire started,” said Quincy’s father. “We think it was the servants.”
    â€œBut there is no South Wing,” Gordon said.
    â€œExactly,” said Quincy.
    â€œWe’re sorry,” I said. “But I think the old monsters are here to stay. All we can do is ask them to behave. And now that we know you’re here, I’ll ask them to do that.”
    â€œYou might want to cover your mouth when you sneeze,” said George, pointing at Ben. “It was such a powerful load of snot that it flew through my eyehole and directly into my eye.”
    All the ghosts shuddered.
    â€œThey hate bogies, too,” said Quincy. “I once dug one out with my finger, and—”
    â€œQuincy!” Lady Stratford scolded.
    â€œGot it,” said Ben.
    Quincy waved as the mysterious figures faded away in front of us.
    â€œUm . . . bye?” said Shane.

Mysterious Gifts
    Somehow, Director Z convinced us to help out the next night. I think it was punishment for breaking the vase. After we shuffled around school like zombies for the day, we found ourselves standing at the snowy entrance to Gallow Manor once again.
    But something was different.
    â€œWhat’s that noise?” asked Ben.
    We all put our ears to the massive wooden door.
    â€œAre the monsters . . . laughing?” Gordon said, flabbergasted.
    â€œThere’s something else,” said Nabila. “Scratching and whimpering. It sounds like a puppy.”
    She concentrated for a moment.
    â€œAnd a kitten.”
    We rang the bell, and soon heard the sound of claws scraping down the hall and toward the door.
    The door swung open, and a cute little brown puppy waddled out onto the welcome mat and started nibbling on Shane’s shoes.
    â€œHey,” Shane said, leaning down and patting the dog, “what’s up, dude?”
    â€œI thought your hearing was flawless,” Gordon scolded Nabila. “Where’s the kitten?”
    From the feet of the Nurse who had answered the door, a small black-and-white kitten hissed at the dog.
    â€œFriendly little thing,” said Nabila. “I’m still trying to figure out why my ancestors were so in love with cats.”
    Shane shuffled the dog (and us) inside, and the Nurse closed the door.
    â€œWhere did these guys come from?” I asked the Nurse.
    â€œGrigore,” said the Nurse.
    â€œWhy are you back in your old uniform?” Ben