Read Online R. L. Stine_Mostly Ghostly 06 by Let's Get This Party Haunted! - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Let's Get This Party Haunted!
Tags: Fiction, Juvenile Fiction, Horror Tales, Ghost Stories, Horror & Ghost Stories, Ghosts, Birthdays, Horror stories, parties, Children's Parties
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protect myself. I struggled to breathe. My throat and chest burned with each breath.
Sputtering, coughing, I felt myself rising from the floor.
“Help! Put me down!” I gasped.
They were carrying me, lifting me off the floor and sweeping me away.
“Nicky! Tara!”
I tried to call to my friends. But my words were swallowed by the thick, steaming smoke.
I was moving fast now. Being swept away.
I couldn't see.
I couldn't breathe.
Where were they taking me?
What did they want with me?
24
L IKE FLOATING IN A dream, I thought.
Floating blindly, not asleep.
But not awake, either.
I had the terrifying thought that I was going to float like this forever, inside a heavy black cloud.
Float without seeing, without breathing, without
being anywhere.
Was I still alive? Or had the bats smothered me to death?
The burning pain in my throat, my nostrils, my chest told me I was still alive. My hacking coughs and loud, wheezing breaths told me I was still alive.
But how long would these two shades hold me in their smoky grip?
How long would I float, helpless, like this?
The question was answered quickly.
I landed hard on both feet. My body was jarred as pain shot up my legs and back, to my shoulders.
“Owww. Oh, help.”
I stumbled forward into the smoke.
And the haze started to lift. Slowly, the black turned to gray. And then I could see the faint image of tiles on a wall in front of me.
Resting my hands on my knees, I bent forward and concentrated on breathing. I took a long, cool breath, then slowly let it out.
Then another.
The dizziness started to fade. I watched the two shades drift away from me.
They whirled low over my head, tangling together. Two smoke bats hissing as they darted back and forth above me.
And then they rose up high, twisting round and round each other —and vanished through the yellow tile wall.
Still breathing hard, I stared at the wall. I waited for them to come shooting back.
But … no sign of them.
Trembling, I spun around. Where was I? Where had they carried me?
My teeth were chattering. I tightened my jaw hard, trying to stop them.
Bright white moonlight poured through a long window. The light shimmered off the high ceiling and sparkled in front of me.
In the water.
Water?
I shook my head, trying to clear it.
And I finally recognized where I was standing.
The new swimming pool at school. The swimming pool that I'd helped to dedicate just a few months before.
I was standing at the edge of the pool. With a gasp, I stumbled back until I was pressed against the wall.
No lights were on. The moonlight shimmering in the pool made the only light. The water splashed softly, lapping against the sides of the pool.
Why did the shades bring me here?
I slid down to the floor and sat cross-legged on the cool tiles. I took deep breaths, inhaling the sharp chlorine smell, and tried to calm myself down.
Tried to think clearly.
Why am I here? Why?
Nothing I thought about made any sense. I stared at the sparkling lights dancing on the water. And I shivered.
Then I heard a sharp cough.
Footsteps clicking on the tiles. I wasn't alone.
Feeling my whole body tense, I jumped to my feet.
“Who —who's there?” My question came out in a choked whisper.
I gasped when I recognized the short, chubby figure who stepped out of the shadows.
Mayor Stank!
He came walking toward me quickly along the edge of the pool, shoes clicking on the hard floor. He wore a gray business suit with a bright yellow necktie.
He had a wide grin on his face. His bald head ref lected the twinkling moonlight, making him look all silvery and strange.
“Remember me, Max?” he called. His voice echoed hollowly off the walls.
“Why —y-yes,” I stammered, pressing myself against the wall to stop my trembling.
He stopped a few feet from me. His eyes glowed brightly. His grin grew wider. “Remember me, Max? Mayor Stank? Remember? You pushed me into the pool? On TV? In front of the whole town?
Sputtering, coughing, I felt myself rising from the floor.
“Help! Put me down!” I gasped.
They were carrying me, lifting me off the floor and sweeping me away.
“Nicky! Tara!”
I tried to call to my friends. But my words were swallowed by the thick, steaming smoke.
I was moving fast now. Being swept away.
I couldn't see.
I couldn't breathe.
Where were they taking me?
What did they want with me?
24
L IKE FLOATING IN A dream, I thought.
Floating blindly, not asleep.
But not awake, either.
I had the terrifying thought that I was going to float like this forever, inside a heavy black cloud.
Float without seeing, without breathing, without
being anywhere.
Was I still alive? Or had the bats smothered me to death?
The burning pain in my throat, my nostrils, my chest told me I was still alive. My hacking coughs and loud, wheezing breaths told me I was still alive.
But how long would these two shades hold me in their smoky grip?
How long would I float, helpless, like this?
The question was answered quickly.
I landed hard on both feet. My body was jarred as pain shot up my legs and back, to my shoulders.
“Owww. Oh, help.”
I stumbled forward into the smoke.
And the haze started to lift. Slowly, the black turned to gray. And then I could see the faint image of tiles on a wall in front of me.
Resting my hands on my knees, I bent forward and concentrated on breathing. I took a long, cool breath, then slowly let it out.
Then another.
The dizziness started to fade. I watched the two shades drift away from me.
They whirled low over my head, tangling together. Two smoke bats hissing as they darted back and forth above me.
And then they rose up high, twisting round and round each other —and vanished through the yellow tile wall.
Still breathing hard, I stared at the wall. I waited for them to come shooting back.
But … no sign of them.
Trembling, I spun around. Where was I? Where had they carried me?
My teeth were chattering. I tightened my jaw hard, trying to stop them.
Bright white moonlight poured through a long window. The light shimmered off the high ceiling and sparkled in front of me.
In the water.
Water?
I shook my head, trying to clear it.
And I finally recognized where I was standing.
The new swimming pool at school. The swimming pool that I'd helped to dedicate just a few months before.
I was standing at the edge of the pool. With a gasp, I stumbled back until I was pressed against the wall.
No lights were on. The moonlight shimmering in the pool made the only light. The water splashed softly, lapping against the sides of the pool.
Why did the shades bring me here?
I slid down to the floor and sat cross-legged on the cool tiles. I took deep breaths, inhaling the sharp chlorine smell, and tried to calm myself down.
Tried to think clearly.
Why am I here? Why?
Nothing I thought about made any sense. I stared at the sparkling lights dancing on the water. And I shivered.
Then I heard a sharp cough.
Footsteps clicking on the tiles. I wasn't alone.
Feeling my whole body tense, I jumped to my feet.
“Who —who's there?” My question came out in a choked whisper.
I gasped when I recognized the short, chubby figure who stepped out of the shadows.
Mayor Stank!
He came walking toward me quickly along the edge of the pool, shoes clicking on the hard floor. He wore a gray business suit with a bright yellow necktie.
He had a wide grin on his face. His bald head ref lected the twinkling moonlight, making him look all silvery and strange.
“Remember me, Max?” he called. His voice echoed hollowly off the walls.
“Why —y-yes,” I stammered, pressing myself against the wall to stop my trembling.
He stopped a few feet from me. His eyes glowed brightly. His grin grew wider. “Remember me, Max? Mayor Stank? Remember? You pushed me into the pool? On TV? In front of the whole town?
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