by R. L. Stine
Elliot held his nose. “I’ll never complain about Dad’s garden fertilizer again!” he declared.
Cheering and shouting, the other kids climbed to their feet.
“Thank you!” Alicia cried, wrapping me in a hug. The others rushed forward to thank me, too.
There were lots of hugs, lots of tears as we made our way up to the theater and then out into the woods.
“We are out of here!” I cried happily to Elliot.
But we all stopped at the edge of the woods when we saw the counselors.
They all stood in front of us, dozens of them, side by side in their white shirts and shorts. They had formed a line along the path.
And I could see from the hard expressions set on their faces that they had not come to welcome everyone back.
As I stared from face to face, Buddy stepped forward. He gave a signal to the other counselors. “Don’t let them get away!” he cried.
30
The counselors stepped forward, moving in a line. Their expressions remained hard and threatening. They kept their arms at their sides.
They moved stiffly. Like robots. In a trance.
They took two more steps.
Then a shrill whistle broke the silence.
“Stop right there! Everybody freeze!” a man’s voice boomed.
I heard another shrill whistle.
I turned to see several blue-uniformed police officers running up the hill.
The counselors shook their heads, blinked, uttered soft cries. They made no attempt to run.
“Where are we?” I heard Holly mutter.
“What’s happening?” another counselor asked.
They all appeared dazed and confused. The police whistles seemed to have broken the trance that held them.
The other kids and I all cheered happily as the officers swarmed up the hill.
“How did you know we needed help?” I called.
“We didn’t,” an officer replied. “A horrible smell floated into town. We wanted to find out what was causing it. We followed it here!”
I had to laugh. The same smell that had killed the monster had actually saved us kids.
“We didn’t know there was a problem at this camp,” an officer announced. “We’ll contact your parents as soon as we can.”
Elliot and I led the way down the hill. We were so eager to see Mom and Dad.
The counselors muttered to themselves, gazing around, trying to figure out what had happened.
I turned to Buddy as Elliot and I walked past him. “Are you feeling better?” I asked.
He narrowed his blue eyes at me and squinted hard. He didn’t seem to be able to focus. “Only the Best,” he murmured. “Only the Best.”
Elliot and I were never so glad to be home!
“What took you so long to find us?” Elliot demanded.
Mom and Dad shook their heads. “The police checked everywhere trying to find you two,” Dad replied. “They called the camp several times. The counselor who answered the phone told the police that you weren’t there.”
“We were so worried,” Mom said, biting her bottom lip. “So terribly worried. When we found the trailer empty, we didn’t know what to think!”
“Well, we’re home safe and sound now,” I replied with a grin.
“Maybe you two would like to go away to a real camp next summer,” Dad said.
“Uh … no way!” Elliot and I answered together.
Two weeks later, we had a surprise visitor.
I opened the door to find Buddy on the front stoop. His blond hair was neatly brushed. He wore chinos, a blue-and-white-striped sportshirt, and a dark blue tie.
“I’m so sorry about what happened at camp,” Buddy said.
I was still too shocked at seeing him to reply. I just held on to the door and gaped at him.
“Is Elliot home?” Buddy asked.
“Hi.” Elliot stepped up beside me. “Buddy!
What’s up?”
“I brought you this,” Buddy replied. He reached into his pants pocket and pulled out a gold coin.
“It’s a King Coin,” he told Elliot. “You earned it, remember? You actually won the race.”
Elliot reached out for it. Then stopped. His hand hung in midair.
I knew what my brother was thinking. This would be his sixth King Coin.
Should he take it?
Finally, he grabbed it. “Thanks, Buddy,” Elliot said.
Buddy said good-bye and gave us a wave. Elliot and I watched him get into a car and drive away. Then we closed the door behind us.
“Are you sure you should’ve taken that?” I asked Elliot.
“Why not?” he replied. “That purple monster is dead — right? What could happen?”
Five minutes later, we both smelled the horrible odor at the same time.
“Yuck!” Elliot groaned. He swallowed hard. “Wendy, wh-what’s that smell?” he stammered.
“I — I don’t know,” I replied in a shaky voice.
I heard Mom laugh behind us. We turned to see her standing in the doorway to the kitchen. “What’s wrong?” she asked. “I have a pot of brussels sprouts boiling on the stove!”
BEHIND THE SCREAMS
The HORROR at
CAMP JELLYJAM
CONTENTS
About the Author
Q & A with R.L. Stine
Fright Gallery: King Jellyjam
The Top Five Scariest Campfire Stories
The World’s Wackiest Competitions
The Stink Scale
Activity: Slime Hunt!
A Terrifying Peek at
GOOSEBUMPS HORRORLAND # 9
WELCOME TO CAMP SLITHER
Bonus material written and compiled
by Matthew D. Payne
About the Author
R.L. Stine’s books are read all over the world. So far, his books have sold more than 300 million copies, making him one of the most popular children’s authors in history. Besides Goosebumps, R.L. Stine has written the teen series Fear Street, the funny series Rotten School, as well as the Mostly Ghostly series, The Nightmare Room series, and the two-book thriller Dangerous Girls. R.L. Stine lives in New York with his wife, Jane, and Minnie, his King Charles spaniel. You can learn more about him at www.RLStine.com.
Q & A with R.L. Stine
Did you go to summer camp when you were a kid? Did anything scary ever happen to you there?
R.L. Stine (RLS): I never went to sleepover camp, but I did go to day camp. And that’s where I had my most terrifying experience: the camp swimming test! To pass the test, you had to jump into deep water and swim to the shallow end. I just couldn’t do it. It was horrible. All the kids were standing at the edge of the pool, shouting, “Jump! Jump!” But I was frozen to the spot. Too scared to jump. Now whenever I have to write a scene where one of my characters is really scared, I always think about that moment and I feel scared all over again.
King Jellyjam is one of the grossest Goosebumps characters out there—where did the idea for such a hideous character come from?
RLS: I wish I knew. He just popped into my head. Sometimes my ideas come from something I’ve seen or experienced—and sometimes they just come out of nowhere. King Jellyjam just leaped into my mind and starting stinking up the place.
Where do you get your best writing done?
RLS: In my office. It’s a very good place to work: I have a skeleton to keep me company, and my desk has legs that look like spiderwebs. Even better: My office is right in my apartment. So when I am finished working, I’m already home!
If you could put two of your villains head-to-head in an all-out battle, who would you choose?
RLS: There are two new villains in Goosebumps HorrorLand # 5: Dr. Maniac vs. Robby Schwartz—Dr. Maniac and his sworn enemy, the Purple Rage. They are two of the meanest, craziest bad guys I’ve ever created. And when they go at each other, the results are explosive. (If you read the book, you’ll see what I mean.)
In Goose
bumps HorrorLand #9: Welcome to Camp Slither, you bring readers back to summer camp. What frights and delights wait for them at Camp Slither?
RLS: I don’t want to give anything away, but let me say that the story of a giant snake that lives in the lake is nothing to worry about…. And if you do unlock the door to the bunk on the hill, you’ll be fine—until the floor starts to squirm and hiss.
To find out how long R.L. Stine would
survive in the jungle alone, pick up the
special collector’s edition of Goosebumps
HOW I GOT MY SHRUNKEN HEAD.
Fright Gallery: King Jellyjam
FIRST APPEARANCE
The Horror at Camp Jellyjam
ORIGINS A careless camper left a cup of gelatin deep in a cave that was contaminated with radiation and slimy snails. King Jellyjam was born out of this strange mix of ingredients and children everywhere were given another reason not to litter.
SPECIAL POWERS As King Jellyjam grew, so did his powers. He was able to hypnotize camp counselors to do his dirty work. Soon, he had dozens of counselors and children obeying his every order.
WEAKNESSES King Jellyjam is so enormous that he cannot leave his cave. His stench is so overpowering that he’ll die from stench suffocation if he doesn’t force others to keep him clean.
LIVING OR DEAD? Living
FAVORITE PHRASE “BUUUUURRP!”
HOBBIES AND INTERESTS Personal hygiene; collecting bath soaps and scented candles.
The TOP FIVE Scariest Campfire Stories
There’s nothing quite as fun as scaring the pants off your friends while roasting marshmallows around a campfire. If you want to be the one doing the scaring, try these five spine-tingling stories the next time you’re sharing a tent with others in the great outdoors. There are plenty more stories out there—have your friends share their favorites, and remember … it’s just a story … right?
BLOODY MARY
THE STORY: An evil spirit will appear in a mirror when you call her name three times in a dark room.
THE BACKGROUND: In some parts of the United States, Bloody Mary is known as Mary Worth. Some believe that you need to say her name as many as 13 or even 100 times, or that you have to say the exact phrase “I believe in Bloody Mary.” Others say that you should hold a candle while looking in the mirror. No matter how you tell your tale, remember to hint at what horrific things might happen when you summon her spirit—many say she’ll scratch your face!
THE BABYSITTER AND THE PHONE CALL
THE STORY: A murderous maniac calls a babysitter from inside the same house.
THE BACKGROUND: Specially crafted for those who babysit, this story is told pretty much the same all across the United States. In this tale, a man calls the babysitter over and over and over again. In some stories he threatens the babysitter and in some he just laughs hysterically. The babysitter, becoming frightened, calls the operator to trace the call only to find out that the call is coming from inside the house!
THE GRAVEYARD AT NIGHT
THE STORY: A teenager visits a graveyard at night … and never leaves.
THE BACKGROUND: Though this story has different beginnings and middles, the end is always the same: the teenager dies. Sometimes the teenager visits the graveyard to win cool points, and other times the visit comes after a dare. In a few variations, the teen lies in the arms of a graveyard statue and dies at sunrise. In others, the teen is dared to plunge a knife into a fresh grave, and after he unknowingly pins his shirt to the grave he thinks a dead body has grabbed his shirt and he is scared to death!
THE DISAPPEARING HITCHHIKER
THE STORY: Drivers offer a ride to a young woman wandering along a dark stretch of road, only to find out she’s a ghost!
THE BACKGROUND: The most frightening part of the disappearing hitchhiker is not that the girl is a ghost, but that we don’t find out until she disappears into thin air after getting into the backseat and talking with the driver! The driver, confused, continues to the girl’s destination and meets her parents, who confirm that she was killed years ago walking home along the same lonely stretch of road! In most versions of the tale, we find out that this has happened to MANY drivers.
THE HOOK
THE STORY: Teens in a car hear a report of a hook-handed maniac on the loose nearby.
THE BACKGROUND: This story is told the same way throughout the United States. The passenger, frightened that the maniac is so close, tells the driver to take her home. He guns the engine to leave as quickly as possible. When they get to her house, they find a hook hanging off the right door handle! In some versions, the story mentions a scraping sound (the hook!) outside the car, which makes the boy gun the engine.
The World’s Wackiest Competitions
If you thought that King Jellyjam’s Sports Camp had every sport imaginable … think again! There are loads of wacky competitions out there, some of which you’ll never believe.
CHESS BOXING: Perhaps the most bizarre biathlon (that’s two sports combined) in the world, chess boxing is alternate rounds of chess and boxing. It’s a new sport (the first match was held in 2003), but it now has many fans throughout Europe.
MADAGASCAR COCKROACH DERBIES: In New Jersey, a Madagascar cockroach derby is held to predict the winner of an upcoming presidential election. Cockroach derbies are 86% accurate.
CHEESE ROLLING: Every year in Gloucestershire, England, wheels of cheese are sent rolling down a steep hill. Competitors then chase the cheese (some of them end up rolling as much as the cheese!) to see who can catch it first.
BOG SNORKELING: Competitors in Wales, United Kingdom, don snorkels and flippers and race a length of water cut out of a bog. What is a bog, you ask? Wet, spongy ground made of dead vegetable matter. Yummy!
CAMEL WRESTLING: This sport is popular in Turkey. The winner pins the camel, although the real winner is anyone who doesn’t end up covered in camel spit!
WIFE CARRYING: This competition was made popular in Finland but is now found in the northern United States as well: A man carries his wife through a complicated obstacle course.
The Stink Scale
Nothing smells quite as bad as King Jellyjam, but a few things have come close. This scale has been formulated to determine how bad smells can get.
Stink Scale 1
SWEATY SOCKS—especially on a hot summer day. BRUSSELS SPROUTS—the vegetable we love to hate. Look past the stink, though, and they are mighty tasty!
Stink Scale 2
BURNT HAIR and WET DOG—which means if your dog gets struck by lightning and you toss him in water to put out the flames, the resulting smell will equal a Stink Scale 4.
Stink Scale 3
SKUNKS—the question on everyone’s mind: Do skunks know how bad they smell?
LIMBURGER CHEESE—which is made with the same bacteria that is found in smelly armpits … mmmm!
Stink Scale 4
THE CORPSE FLOWER—the largest flower in the world. Found only in Sumatra, it smells like a rotting mammal, attracting flies that then pollinate it.
ETHYL MERCAPTAN—a chemical put into odorless natural gas so we can smell a leak. Many scientists have dubbed this the worst-smelling substance known to man.
Stink Scale 5
KING JELLYJAM—need we say more?
ACTIVITY: Slime Hunt!
ATTENTION, Boys and Girls! This is Sgt. Slimebuster, and I’m going to teach you a thing or two about your enemy: SLIME! Given the right environment, we could have dozens of King Jellyjams on our hands. Do you want to be controlled by a fat blob for the rest of your life? I DIDN’T THINK SO.
So stand up straight and open up those listeners of yours. I’m going to let you know a thing or two about the slime in your own HOME and your own stinky BODIES! That’s right, you ungrateful worms, there is slime right under your NOSE, and you probably didn’t know it!
I’m gonna talk to you about MICROBIAL SLIME. This is when massive colonies of bacteria get together and form slimy film in moist places l
ike SINKS, SHOWERS, and TOILET BOWLS. See, when a bunch of bacteria decide to get together, they LITERALLY get together by creating a slimy substance called polysaccharide, which causes them to stick to each other and to surfaces, forming a film of slime! Don’t be afraid of new words—that’s pronounced PAUL-lee-SACK-uh-RIDE, and it is a fancy word for SLIME!
Now take a look in your bathtub or kitchen sink and look near the DRAIN. That slime LOVES to hang around the drain, although it can show up in any moist corner. Don’t mistake it for the black mold you might find around shower tiles, or the filmy soap scum you might find on tiles and glass. No, this stuff is different—it’s slimy and comes in all sorts of dull brown, but sometimes even green, pink, or red. That pink stuff is particularly disgusting.
Now let’s talk about your TOILET. When the toilet needs scrubbin’, it’s not always because a lot of folks have used the bathroom. Sometimes it’s because slime has formed in your toilet! You know the one I’m talkin’ about: brown and starting just under the waterline. I think I’m gonna be sick. But that’s not the worst of it….
You can also find slime IN YOUR OWN MOUTH! That’s right! Have you ever, at the start of the day when you wake up or the end of the day before you’ve brushed your teeth, felt that fuzzy coating on your teeth when you run your tongue over them? Well, that’s microbial SLIME! And that’s disgusting! Your bad hygiene might lead to the next King Jellyjam.
Now I’m gonna teach you a thing or two about how to OBLITERATE your enemy. It’s really easy, and something your mothers and fathers have been doing their whole lives. It’s a real interesting concept called CLEANING. So the next time your parents ask you to lend a helping hand with the chores, don’t you DARE roll your eyes at them and whine about it. Pick up a brush and start cleaning. Just remember, the toilet brush is for the toilet and the toothbrush is for your teeth.
