Read Online The Haunted Mask II by R. L. Stine - Free Book Online Page A

asked.
    “Do you need directions?”
    “Can we help you get somewhere?”
    No. No!
    This wasn’t going right. This wasn’t going the way I’d planned—the way I’d
dreamed!
    Marnie took my arm. “Which way were you headed, sir? We’ll walk with you.
It’s kind of a scary night to be walking around a strange neighborhood.”
    The others pushed in closer, trying to be helpful.
    Trying to be helpful to an old man. An old man they weren’t the least bit
scared of.
    “Nooooo!” I howled in protest. “I’m the ghost of the Carpenter mansion! I’ve
come to pay you back for trespassing on my front yard!”
    I tried to shriek—but my voice came out in a weak whisper. I don’t think
they heard a word I uttered.
    I’ve got to scare them, I told myself. I’ve got to!
    I raised both hands together in the air as if I planned to strangle them all.
    My cane flew out of my grasp. I lost my balance and tottered over backward.
    “Ohhhh!” I let out a groan as I hit the sidewalk sitting up.
    They all cried out. But not in fear. They cried out because they were worried
about me.
    Helping hands reached down to pull me to my feet.
    “Are you okay? Here’s your cane.” I recognized Duck Benton’s scratchy voice.
    I heard murmurs of sympathy. “Poor old guy,” someone whispered.
    “Are you hurt?”
    “Can we get you some help?”
    No. No. No. No. No.
    They weren’t terrified. The weren’t the tiniest bit afraid.
    I sank onto the cane. I suddenly felt so weary. So totally exhausted I could
barely keep my head up.
    Forget about scaring them, Steve, I told myself. You’ve got to get to Carly
Beth’s house before you collapse. You’ve got to find out from Carly Beth how to
get the mask off. How to get your old face—and strength—back.
    Marnie was still holding on to my trembling arm. “Where are you trying to
go?” she asked, her freckled face filled with concern.
    “Uh… do you know where Carly Beth Caldwell’s house is?” I asked in a weak
croak.
    “It’s on the next block. Across the street. I know her brother,” I heard
Andrew Foster say.
    “We’ll take you there,” Marnie offered.
    She gripped my arm tighter. A mummy stepped up and took my other arm. They
began to walk me slowly, gently down the sidewalk.
    I don’t believe this! I thought bitterly. They’re supposed to be scared out of their costumes! They should be shrieking and
crying by now.
    But instead, they’re helping me walk.
    I sighed. The sad thing was, I felt so tired and weak, I couldn’t have made
it to Carly Beth’s without their help.
    They led me halfway up her driveway. Then I thanked them and told them I
could make it the rest of the way.
    I watched them scurry away to go trick-or-treating. “I guess Steve isn’t
going to show up,” Duck said.
    “He was probably too big a wimp to go out on Halloween night!” Marnie joked.
    They all laughed.
    Leaning heavily on the cane, I turned toward Carly Beth’s house. The lights
were all on. But I couldn’t see anyone in the windows.
    She probably isn’t back from trick-or-treating yet, I decided.
    I heard chattering voices. Footsteps on the gravel drive.
    I wheeled around to see Carly Beth and her friend Sabrina Mason hurrying
across the lawn, heading toward the house.
    I recognized Carly Beth’s duck costume. She wore it every year. Except for
last Halloween, when she wore that terrifying mask.
    Sabrina was some kind of superhero. She wore silvery tights and a long silvery cape. She had a silvery mask pulled over
her face, but I recognized her long, black hair.
    “Carly Beth—!” I tried to shout. But her name came out in a choked whisper.
    She and Sabrina kept chattering excitedly as they hurried across the lawn.
    “Carly Beth—! Please!” I cried.
    Halfway to the house, they both turned. They saw me.
    Yes!
    “Carly Beth—” I cried.
    She pulled off her duck mask and took a few steps toward the driveway. She
squinted hard at me. “Who are you?”
    “It’s