Read Online How I Got My Shrunken Head by R. L. Stine - Free Book Online Page B

grass. She cupped her hands around her mouth. “Over here, Daddy!” she shouted. “Over here! I found Benna, Daddy! Hurry!”

25
    I gasped in shock.
    No time to run.
    A beam of light flickered out from the trees. Behind it came Dr. Hawlings, trotting over the tall grass. He carried a flashlight in one hand. The light swept into my eyes, then moved over Aunt Benna.
    Was Dr. Hawlings carrying a gun? Some kind of weapon? I couldn’t see. And I didn’t want to find out.
    I grabbed Aunt Benna’s arm and tugged. I wanted to run, to escape into the jungle.
    But my aunt refused to move. She seemed frozen in surprise. Or fear.
    Kareen’s father trotted up to us, breathing hard. Even in the dim light, I could see the pleased smile on his face.
    “Good work, Kareen.” He patted her shoulder. “I knew that if you helped Mark escape, he would lead us right to his aunt.”
    Still holding on to Aunt Benna’s arm, I stared at Kareen angrily. She had tricked me. She had pretended to be my friend. But the whole time, she was working to help her father.
    Kareen stared back at me for a moment. Then she lowered her eyes to the ground.
    “Why did you trick me?” I demanded. “Why did you do it, Kareen?”
    She raised her eyes to me. “Daddy needs the Jungle Magic,” she replied softly.
    “But you
lied
to me!” I cried.
    “I didn’t have a choice,” Kareen said. “If your father needed your help, what would
you
do?”
    “You did the right thing, Kareen,” Dr. Hawlings told her.
    He raised the light to Aunt Benna’s face. He forced her to cover her eyes. “Did you really think you could hide forever, Benna?” he demanded softly.
    “I — I’m sorry,” I told my aunt. “It’s my fault. I —”
    “No.” Aunt Benna put a hand on my shoulder. “It’s not your fault, Mark. It’s my fault. You didn’t know anything about any of this. And now I’m afraid I’ve gotten you into a lot of trouble.”
    Dr. Hawlings snickered. “A lot of trouble. That’s the truth.” He stepped up to Aunt Benna. “I want the secret of Jungle Magic. Tell me the secret, Benna. Let me know how it works. And Iwill allow you and your nephew to leave the island in one piece.”
    In one piece?
    I didn’t like the sound of that.
    As Dr. Hawlings stared at my aunt, I slipped the shrunken head from my pocket.
I’ll use the Jungle Magic,
I decided.
I’ll use the magic to get us out of this jam.
    I raised the head slowly in front of me. I opened my mouth to call out the secret word.
    But I was stopped when I caught Aunt Benna’s glance.
    She was signaling me with her eyes. Telling me not to do it.
    “What’s going on?” Dr. Hawlings demanded, angrily turning to me. “What are you doing?”
    “Don’t give it away, Mark,” Aunt Benna pleaded. “Don’t let them know the secret word.”
    I lowered the shrunken head. “I won’t,” I whispered.
    “It’s okay, Daddy,” Kareen said, her eyes on me. “I know the word. Mark told it to me. I can tell you what it is. It’s —”

26
    I clamped my hand over Kareen’s mouth. “Run!” I cried to Aunt Benna. “Run — now!”
    With an angry cry of attack, Aunt Benna lowered her shoulder and barreled into Dr. Hawlings. She roared into him like a football player — and sent him sprawling against the little shack.
    He uttered a startled yelp. The flashlight flew out of his hand and rolled across the ground.
    I spun away from Kareen and followed my aunt. Our shoes thudded through the tall grass as we ran for the trees.
    We were nearly to the edge of the clearing when Carolyn stepped in front of us. “What’s your hurry?” she demanded, moving to block our way. “The party is just starting.”
    Aunt Benna and I whirled around. Dr. Hawlings had moved up behind us. We were trapped.
    Carolyn raised her flashlight. Her silvery eyes narrowed at Aunt Benna. Carolyn smiled. A cold,unpleasant smile. “How are you, Benna? We missed you.”
    “Enough chitchat,” Dr. Hawlings muttered,