by Perdita Finn
“Sweet!” said Deuce. His snakes hissed.
They couldn’t believe what Clawdeen had come up with—especially Rayth, who had a crush on her.
“Hey, Cl-Clawdeen,” he stammered. “You look, um—I mean you and the ghouls are, like, um—you are very…” He scratched his hair nervously. “Hey!” he added, holding up his guitar. “Did I mention we started a band?”
Clawdeen blushed. “Thank you, Rayth.”
The ghouls passed through the crowd, their high heels clicking on the marble floors. They made their way to a classroom to take a break from all the excitement. The fashion run-through had been a success, but now they had to get ready for the opening itself.
Frankie was looking a little paler than usual. She’d lost some electricity making the dresses shimmer, but she still didn’t feel like herself.
“Are you okay?” asked Draculaura.
“It still feels like there’s a little electricity left. Maybe I can…” She shook her hands as if they had fallen asleep and she was trying to wake them up. She shook them harder. Tiny sparks flew out of her fingertips. She shook them even harder, and a giant ball of energy shot out of her hand and rocketed around the room.
The shining orb was literally bouncing off the walls! It ricocheted off the window. The ghouls ducked down to avoid getting hit by it as it flew past them. Wherever it hit, it left a black char mark.
“Look out!” called Clawdeen.
The ghouls dove out of the way. The ball crashed right where they had been standing—and created a huge smoking crater in the middle of the hall.
The ghouls were coughing and rubbing their eyes.
“Zzzzzznap!” A tiny face poked out of the crater. He was bright yellow with spikes of blue and yellow hair and wide electric-blue eyes.
“Awwww!” gushed the ghouls.
“Adorbs!” said Draculaura, looking at the tiny round creature with giant eyes and little ears. “What is it?’
“Zzzznap!” it said again.
Frankie giggled. “I guess it’s a ‘znap’!”
“Znap! Znap!” The little creature jumped up and down.
Clawdeen reached down to shake its little paw. “Well, it’s very nice to meet you, Znap.” She jumped backward. He had shocked her! “Maybe we can just bow?” she suggested.
Znap floated through the air right toward Frankie. He floated around her, studying her. She looked at him. He landed on her arm with a fireworks display of sparks. Frankie’s hair stood straight up! She laughed, delighted. She didn’t mind getting a little shocked.
“So, ghouls,” Ari said. “Now that we have our fierce new looks, what do you say we head over to the power station and see if Cleo’s ready for tonight?”
Frankie took out her iCoffin to see if she had any messages. She frowned. Why hadn’t she heard from Twyla? “Let me catch up with you,” she said to the others. “I have to check on something first.”
Frankie took off out the front door before her friends could protest. For a moment, Znap hesitated. Should he stay or should he go? He looked at Frankie. He didn’t ever want to be apart from her, and he buzzed through the air right after her devotedly. Wherever she went, he would follow!
Chapter 13
SHORT-CIRCUITED
Frankie went to the gazebo, looking for Twyla. But nobody was there. Frankie took out her iCoffin again. No messages. She called Twyla’s number again.
“Come on, Twyla, where are you?” she fretted. “Something’s just not right…”
Znap looked on worriedly as the phone rang and rang.
Little did they know that Twyla’s iCoffin was lying on the floor of an underground chamber. It buzzed and glowed. Moanica picked it up and answered, “Wrong number.” She clicked it off, dropped it, and stomped on the phone until it broke into pieces.
She cackled wickedly. Behind bars, Twyla watched her. Moanica had locked her up—and there was no way she could tell Frankie what was happening. Every time she touched the bars, they shocked her.
Moanica turned back to the huge electrical device the Zomboyz had constructed. Wires of all different colors coiled in and out of large metal plates. At its base was Frankie’s science project.
“Are you still fiddling with that thing?” Moanica scolded a Zomboy who was trying to shove a three-pronged plug into a two-pronged socket. “I thought you’d be done by now.”
A Zomboy rushed over and clamped a giant cable to the device.
“Well? Is it finished? Can we get started?” Moanica demanded to know.
The Zomboy held up a finger as if to say, One second. He studied the device. He took out a hammer and whacked at a bolt. A jolt of electricity flew into him and sent him flying across the room.
He groaned. He gave Moanica the thumbs-up.
“Finally.” Moanica sighed impatiently. She shoved aside another Zomboy to get to the main control panel. She grabbed ahold of a giant switch.
“I know what you’re up to!” shouted Twyla, trying to stop her. “You’re stealing all the electricity.”
Moanica raised a single arched eyebrow. “Oh really?”
“I figured it out,” said Twyla. “I mean, we’re underneath the power station.”
Since the Zomboyz had captured and imprisoned her, Twyla had been observing everything around her. She’d seen how the wires went up to an electrical grid on the ceiling. She’d heard the thumping of music high above her. Behind all the noises of the Zomboyz working were other noises—doors opening and shutting, trucks making deliveries, the laughter of monsters working hard together. They were building the salon. But no one knew Twyla was locked up right beneath them. How would they ever find her?
Cleo was busily directing the last-minute finishing touches before the opening. Werepups ran here and there, boxes held in their teeth. Clawdeen arranged a display of clawsome fashion accessories. Ari hung a painting. Draculaura moved a plant to a better location. Lagoona set up the DJ station. The music had to be perfect for the big opening night. Cleo took a last look around. She polished a mirror. That was it. They were ready. The ghouls cheered.
Far below, underground, Twyla heard them.
Somehow, she had to stall Moanica. She had to keep her from going through with her plan. “You’re going to use Frankie’s science project to take all the electricity out of the power grid,” she told her.
“Huh. And they say Frankie is the ghoul with all the brains,” Moanica admitted.
Every Zomboy in the room froze. They dropped their shovels and their pickaxes. Brains? Where?
Moanica glared at them. “No, there aren’t any brains.”
Disappointed, the Zomboyz went back to work.
Twyla wasn’t going to let Moanica get away with this! “You can steal the electricity to ruin the big salon opening, but it won’t stop those ghouls from following their dream.”
Moanica’s eyes widened. She smiled. She laughed, flipping her hair over her shoulder. Twyla had not figured out her plan after all. “Oh, I don’t care about their little salon or their misguided dream. Ruining that is just a bonus.”
Excited, she hurried over to the device, proud of her evil plan. After all, she hadn’t had anyone to explain her project to, except the Zomboyz, and they didn’t really count.
“Professor Dracula said that Normies are afraid of the dark, right?” she said. “So when we use this bad boy to take all their electricity…total darkness! And when the Normies are good and scared, the Zomboyz and I will go out into the world and show them how truly scarifying we monsters can be. Right, Zomboyz?”
But she didn’t realize the Zomboyz were taking a tea break. One Zomboy looked up from pouring a cup for another. Another one was dunking his cookie into his drink.
“Hey! Be scary!” ordered Moanica.
The Zomboyz held out their arms and moaned. They were still holding their tea cups. They didn’t look very scary, but Moanica was satisfied.
“This is the Night of the Zomboyz!” She cackled triumphantly. The time h
ad come. She was ready at last! She threw the switch on the giant device.
The electrical wires buzzed. The room lit up. The crystal walls were glowing brighter and brighter. Electricity was pouring into the underground chamber.
Moanica examined Frankie’s tiny project. There was a needle on it measuring input. It was moving higher and higher and higher like a thermometer. She clapped her hands. This was better than she had ever imagined—
Boom! A huge explosion filled the room and sent Moanica flying backward. Sparks flew! The machine smoked. It whirred to a stop. Frankie’s battery was a puddle of melted plastic. Moanica’s hair was frazzled.
“Impressive…fail,” said Twyla.
Moanica was furious. “WHAT WAS THAT? I THOUGHT YOU ZOMBOYZ SAID YOU KNEW WHAT YOU WERE DOING!”
The Zomboyz shrugged. One of them took a sip of tea thoughtfully.
Moanica threw up her hands in frustration. “Worthless. I’ve gotta get some air. Time to think of a plan B.”
Aboveground, one of the Zomboyz at the bake sale took a bite of a brownie. Not bad, but not as good as brains. Before he could sample one of the cupcakes, the trapdoor underneath the table flew open. Moanica stormed out of the tunnel in a total fury and headed to Monster High.
She blew in through the front door. Her hair was still electrified, and she was mumbling angrily to herself. Frankie was in the entryway, still looking everywhere for Twyla. Znap followed her wherever she went. He buzzed behind her.
Distracted, Moanica walked right into Frankie.
“Moanica?” she said. “You wouldn’t happen to know where Twyla is…”
“Who, me?” Moanica answered defensively. “How should I know where that shadow ghoul likes to sneak?”
Her reaction made Frankie suspicious. “If you do know where Twyla is, I’ll find out.”
Znap nodded in agreement. He pointed his little finger at Moanica angrily. “Znap, znap, znap!”
When Frankie wasn’t looking, Moanica made a face. “I’ll find out,” she repeated mockingly.
But as she watched Frankie walk away, she noticed a thin stream of electricity zapping from an overhead light into one of Frankie’s neck bolts. She passed another light and it happened again. Zap! What did it mean?
Moanica grinned wickedly. Frankie was a natural electricity magnet. This was better than she’d ever imagined. She didn’t need Frankie’s project to carry out her evil plan. She just needed Frankie!
Moanica pulled out her iCoffin. “Release the Boogey-girl,” she ordered the Zomboy who answered.
He groaned in response.
“No, I’m not mad at you anymore.” Moanica sighed. “You’re still my Zomboyz.”
Another groan came from the other end of the phone, but this one was more like a purr.
“Yes,” said Moanica. She checked to make sure no one was listening. “We can get ice cream after we finish the Night of the Zomboyz.”
In the background, all the Zomboyz cheered—and they released Twyla.
Twyla ran as fast as she could through the tunnel. When she got to the trapdoor, a Zomboy shooed her outside. He snapped shut the door to the tunnel. What was going on? Why had they let her go? All Twyla knew was that she had to find Frankie.
Chapter 14
STATIC
The band was trying to practice again. After all, their big show was that night.
“All right, so it’s settled,” began Rayth. “The name of the band is Howling Thunder and Frightening Featuring Rayth and Deuce and the Rolling Bones…and Woolee.”
Woolee gave him a furry thumbs-up.
Silvi shook her head, disappointed. “You know there’s no way that’s going to fit on a T-shirt.”
“Hey,” Rayth said quickly, trying to keep the peace. “Howling Thunder and Frightening Featuring Rayth and Deuce and the Rolling Bones and Woolee isn’t about T-shirts and making money.” He placed his hand on his heart dramatically. “It’s about our message and monster alternative.” Rayth struck a chord on his guitar.
Deuce was just about to hit the drums when he paused, concerned. “Um. Monster alternative? I thought we were going to be playing heavy metal.” He let loose on his drum set to make his point.
Rayth was stunned “No. H-T-F-F-R-D-A-T-R-B and Woolee is a monster alternative band—”
“Guys! Guys!” interrupted Venus. “Doesn’t it make more sense for a monster band to play goth rock?”
Deuce threw up his hands. “Great, now we don’t even agree on the kind of music we’re gonna play? Bonesy, Skelly, what about you guys?”
Bonesy and Skelly exchanged a glance and began playing their instruments—the keytar and the bass. The easy sounds of smooth jazz filled the courtyard.
Everyone began arguing again.
“Only my mom likes smooth jazz!” Rayth said.
“Goth rock is totally now!” said Venus.
“Metal is the only cool music,” added Deuce.
A blaring cacophony filled the courtyard as everyone played something different. It sounded terrible—and it was only a few hours until the opening.
Meanwhile, Frankie and Znap were still on the hunt for Twyla. Frankie was getting more and more worried. Something had to be the matter. She couldn’t believe it when she heard footsteps—and saw Twyla running toward Monster High!
“Twyla!” she exclaimed.
“Znap!” said Znap excitedly.
Twyla was trying to catch her breath. She had run so fast.
“Twyla, where have you been?” asked Frankie. “I’ve been looking all over—”
“It’s Moanica,” Twyla interjected. “She had her Zomboyz dig a tunnel under the power station.”
“Znap! Znap! Znap!” buzzed Znap. He waved and smiled. He couldn’t wait to go to the power station!
Twyla stared at the tiny creature. “What’s that?”
“I’ll explain later,” Frankie responded. She was too worried about this news. “Why on earth are they digging a tunnel?”
“Because she wants to steal all the electricity, all the light, so she can—”
Clawdeen interrupted her. “Frankie?” she asked. She was all dressed up for the big opening.
“Clawdeen? What are you doing here?” wondered Frankie.
“I came looking for you!” Clawdeen was exasperated. The salon was about to open and she needed all her best ghoulfriends there with her.
“Oh no, you shouldn’t go back to the salon—” Twyla warned Clawdeen.
Frankie stopped her from telling Clawdeen. There was no need to frighten everyone…yet. “Clawdeen, your dream is becoming reality tonight. You go make sure everything is perfect. I’ll meet you there soon.”
“Okay,” agreed Clawdeen. “But don’t be late. Ah! I’m so excited. I can’t stop howling. Awooooooo!”
As soon as she was gone, Frankie turned to Twyla. “Now, where is that tunnel?”
Together, the ghouls marched across the clearing with little Znap behind them. There weren’t any Zomboyz at the pretend bake sale. All the treats were gone. The sign was torn down. It was completely abandoned.
“That’s odd; they’re usually here,” Twyla noted.
Frankie couldn’t see what the problem was. They just had to open the trapdoor. She and Znap tried to lift the table away, but Twyla stopped her.
“Frankie, I know you want to take care of this on your own, but listen. That cavern is swarming with Zomboyz.”
“I am more than capable of outsmarting a few Zomboyz,” Frankie said confidently.
“Znap! Znap!” added Znap in agreement.
“That salon means everything to Clawdeen,” Frankie explained. “I’m not letting Moanica ruin her big night.” She lifted up the trapdoor and began the climb down the ladder.
“Znap! Znap!” He did a somersault in the air and dove into the tunnel.
Twyla took a big breath. “Fine, then I’m coming with you.” She headed back underground.
Frankie peered into the darkness. “So how far down does
this go?”
“A long way,” Twyla told her.
“It’s really dark. Good thing I have my own light source!” She fritzed and sparked, illuminating the passageway.
Znap floated before them, glowing.
What they didn’t notice was the two Zomboyz grinning in the darkness behind them. Moanica had ordered them to let the ghouls pass by. The ghouls didn’t know they were walking into a trap.
Chapter 15
A SIZZLING SUCCESS!
Ahuge crowd had gathered in front of the old power station. They were there for the opening! Music thumped from the salon. Lights twinkled around the door. Ari emerged from inside. She was wearing an electrified dress covered in musical notes. She looked fangtastic! The crowd went wild.
“It’s Tash!” someone called. That was Ari’s human name.
“Hey, she’s got a monster makeover!”
“I love it!”
“I want one too!”
Ari had a microphone. “Hello, everyone!” she called out. “Thank you all for coming to our grand opening! I’d like to introduce Clawdeen Wolf, up-and-coming style genius.”
Clawdeen was overwhelmed and a little nervous. This was her dream come true! “Welcome to…FIERCE!” she announced.
The doors were open, the lights were blazing, and the music was pounding.
The floor was covered in an intricate design. The styling chairs were monster chic. Neon signs blazed. A fog machine made the whole room eerily glamorous. The Fierce Salon was a happening scene. Ghouls strutted through the room in Clawdeen’s fashions, lit up by Frankie’s electric touch.
The Normies loved it all!
“Their monster makeup is so realistic!”
“Forget their makeup, did you see those outfits?”
“I’m telling all my friends about monster style!”
Cleo was styling a human’s hair, giving her a monster makeover. It was wild! When the girl stood up, she looked at herself in the mirror, thrilled. Her friends clustered around.
“So cool!”
“Love it!”
