by R. L. Stine
You back away from her. The pendant is safe in your fist.
“Noooooo! It’s happening!” she moans. “You! You’ve ruined everything….”
Your mouth falls open in shock as smoke billows up from Mistress Barbarous’s body.
Right in front of you, Mistress Barbarous begins to change shape. First she shrinks in size. Then fur sprouts all over her body! Then she falls forward onto all fours.
“I can’t believe it!” you murmur.
Mistress Barbarous has turned into a weasel! A coal-black weasel!
She bares her sharp teeth at you, then darts away.
Richie drops down from the ceiling on a rope.
“What is going on?” Richie asks. “I’ve never seen anything like it. Ever!”
All around you, Mistress Barbarous’s relatives are changing shape. Changing into animals!
Watch them transform on PAGE 104.
CRACK! You snap the whip at the lion.
Hold on! Wait just a second!
You think a lion is more dangerous than the ringmistress?
No, no, no!
You obviously haven’t spent enough time around her, or you’d know better.
Remember when Mistress Barbarous called you “lunch”?
Well, she wasn’t talking about what the lions were going to eat. She was talking about her own idea of a tasty meal!
Sorry! You almost reached a good ending in this book. But almost isn’t good enough. So stop reading.
Why don’t you go and make yourself a little snack?
After all, that’s what Mistress Barbarous is doing!
THE END
You don’t have the twine.
Oh, well. It doesn’t matter that much anyway.
Because a minute later, you lose your grip.
Susan flies through the air and grabs on to a trapeze.
You reach out for one, desperately. But you miss.
You begin to tumble forward, then fall.
But you’re a circus performer! So you don’t just fall flat on your face.
No way.
You twist in the air, then do two-and-a-half backwards flips and a triple pike.
Then you fall flat on your face.
Needless to say, you won’t be performing that trick again!
THE END
Your stomach flips over as you stare open-mouthed at the sideshow exhibits.
The Lizard Boy …
The Girl with Five Tongues …
The Bearded Girl …
And that smell! It’s coming from a cage that’s dark inside. You can’t make out what’s in it, but a sign over the exhibit reads: SEE IT! SMELL IT! AND FOR AN EXTRA $5 YOU CAN TASTE IT! THE KID WITH ROTTEN FLESH!
Disgusting! Revolting! No way do you want to see it. The stench alone makes you stagger and fall to your knees.
Then you lock eyes with the Lizard Boy. The giant lizard is as big as you are. His face looks almost human.
Except that it’s covered in scales!
Something in the Lizard Boy’s eyes looks familiar. Normal.
Then, with a flash of dread, you recognize him. It’s Danny Mendleson! A kid who was at circus camp with you last year! Last year he won the chance to spend a week in this circus.
“Be careful,” he whispers. “Don’t let Barbarous catch you, or you’ll end up here forever. Like me!”
Forever? Uh-oh! Find out what he means on PAGE 17.
“Here, take it. Take my camera!” you offer, desperate to escape.
Mistress Barbarous eyes the camera hanging around your neck.
“Okay, I will!” she exclaims. She drops you and grabs it.
“Say cheese,” she sings, pointing the camera at the Lizard Boy. “No, wait. Say moldy cheese! Because that’s what your scaly skin looks like! Ha-ha!”
Then she pushes the button.
Nothing happens.
Uh-oh. The battery must be dead!
“This is a piece of junk!” Barbarous growls, tossing the camera to the floor.
CRASH!
Well, if it wasn’t junk before, it is now!
“Get in the jar!” she roars at you.
“No! Wait!” you plead. “Don’t make me get in there. I’ll do anything you want! Anything!”
“Anything?” Barbarous repeats with a twisted smile.
Turn to PAGE 112.
You have the bullwhip coiled in your back pocket, so you decide to drop. If the lions attack, you’ll whip them!
You let go of Geyorg’s costume. With your arms stretched out wide, you sail down to the trampoline below.
BOING!
You hit the trampoline dead center — and bounce back up!
Perfect!
BOING!
You’re up in the air … then down …
BOING!
It’s fun! Too much fun.
So much fun that you forget that Mistress Barbarous and all her evil relatives are trying to kill you!
Then — THWAP!
A knife breezes past you, almost slicing your ear.
Keep bouncing and turn to PAGE 61.
You don’t like Bostini, but you’re too nice to stand around and watch a person being torn to shreds.
Fearlessly, you crack your bullwhip at the lion.
The beast flinches and growls at you. But then it rolls off Bostini and saunters to the side of the ring.
“Excellent!” you congratulate yourself.
“Don’t get smart, circus kid!” Mistress Barbarous shouts at you. She puts her fingers to her mouth and whistles.
Immediately, a tall white horse gallops into the ring. Barbarous jumps up and stands on its back. “I’m going to get another mirror,” she calls as she rides toward an exit. “Then you’ll be sorry you ever touched that whip!”
“If she gets another mirror you’re as good as dead!” Richie calls down from above. “She uses it for her magic!”
Uh-oh. He’s right. If she gets another mirror …
Hey! Do you have a mirror?
If you brought the mirror with you, turn to PAGE 95.
If you didn’t, turn to PAGE 45.
“Excuse me, would you mind spraying me off?” you call to the man with the hose.
He nods and aims the hose at you.
Whoa! The strong blast of water knocks you down. You manage to stand up again, but the blasting stream pushes you backwards. Back toward the big top.
“Stop!” you shout, waving your arms and trying to signal to the man to stop squirting you.
But he just laughs and turns up the water pressure.
You stumble backwards.
Back into the circus tent.
And into Mistress Barbarous’s waiting arms!
Turn to PAGE 21.
Who’s more dangerous? The lion or Mistress Barbarous?
Barbarous, you decide. Definitely — Barbarous!
You whirl and snap your whip at her.
CRACCCK! The leather lash curls around her hand, knocking the mirror away.
“Aaahh!” she screams as the whip stings her hand.
“GRRRRR!”
You glance over your shoulder. Whoa! The lion is springing at you!
“Duck!” a voice calls from high above.
Duck? Who said that?
Who cares!
Just do it!
Hit the dirt on PAGE 26.
Mistress Barbarous kneels beside you and stares into your eyes. Her whole face lights up with a purplish glow.
“So you want to be a clown?” she demands, glaring at you with purple eyes. “Fine! A clown you will be. Forever!”
You gasp as a purple lightning bolt shoots out of her eyes and streaks to your face.
Mistress Barbarous laughs. “Here, have a look,” she says, holding up a small mirror for you to see.
You gaze fearfully into the glass.
The makeup looks different. More real. More permanent.
It is permanent! The clown face will never come off!
But now
that Mistress Barbarous has worked her magic on you, she leaves you alone. The rest of the week in the circus flies by. The shows are great. Little kids laugh and point at your clown face. It’s a blast!
It’s not such a blast when the week ends and you have to go home, though. Little kids still laugh and point. Everyone does.
But at least when the teacher calls you the class clown it’s not entirely your fault!
THE END
I can’t hit Mistress Barbarous with this lizard! you think. This is Danny Mendleson. Barbarous turned him into the Lizard Boy!
The lights blare on.
Yup, you were right. You’re holding Danny’s tail.
“Drop that lizard!” Mistress Barbarous commands. “He’s our star attraction!”
You do as she says, setting Danny’s tail gently on the floor.
“Hey!” Danny cries when he sees it’s you. “You’re back! You’ve got to get away from her!”
“Oh, be quiet!” Barbarous snaps. “Freaks, meet your new roommate: the Kid Who Lives in a Jar!”
“Noooo!” you shout. You try to break free from her grasp. But it’s no good….
Face your fate on PAGE 12.
“Don’t worry, I can handle Mistress Barbarous,” Pietro says. “She just likes to scare the newcomers. Come on! Let’s go practice!” He leads you into the big top.
That evening, you’re nervous but excited for your circus debut. You wear a cool blue outfit with silver streaks down the sides.
Your cue comes and you race out into the ring. The clowns chase you, then flop to the ground, exhausted. Everyone cheers.
Now the animals chase you.
A giant lion is right on your tail. You race even faster.
The crowd goes wild.
It looks like the ferocious lion is really chasing you!
It even feels like he’s chasing you. Whoa.
“GRRRRROAR!” he thunders.
TWANG! Your shoelace comes untied. You fly through the air — and land flat on your face.
And the lion pounces!
Cover your head on PAGE 108.
BEWARE!!
DO NOT READ THIS
BOOK FROM
BEGINNING TO END!
It’s official: You’re the Grand Prize Winner!
Pick your prize: a tour of the Hasley Toy Company, or Hasley’s newest toy — a kid-sized robot called the Annihilator 3000. But choose carefully!
Take the tour and you’ll get locked in the factory — where the toys come alive at night. Watch out for Zorgs. Those nasty monster toys want to suck out your brain. And stay away from Nasty Kathy. This living doll may look sweet, but her heart is pure evil!
If you choose the robot, make sure you’re ready for trouble. The Annihilator is bent on destruction! First it goes after your cat. Then it goes after … you. Yikes! How do you disable a raging robot?
You’re in control of this scary adventure. You decide what will happen. And how terrifying the scares will be!
Start on PAGE 1. Then follow the instructions at the bottom of each page. You make the choices.
SO TAKE A DEEP BREATH. CROSS YOUR FINGERS. AND TURN TO PAGE 1 NOW TO GIVE YOURSELF GOOSEBUMPS.
“Hey, Mom! Look at this! I’m a winner!” you shout.
You race into the house with a letter that’s just arrived in the mail. It came in a strange black envelope. Addressed to you. The words HASLEY TOY COMPANY are printed on the back.
“Look, Mom!” You wave the letter in the air. “I won!”
“That’s nice.” Your mother is reading the newspaper. She doesn’t look up.
“Mom. For real! I won the Grand Prize!” you announce happily.
“That’s great, sweetie.” You can tell she’s not really listening.
“I get my choice,” you go on. “A tour of the Hasley Toy Factory, or their biggest and best toy — the Annihilator 3000. It’s this totally cool robot. It’s as big as I am!”
“The Annihilator what?” She looks up. You’ve got her attention now. “When did you enter this contest?” she asks.
Hey. That’s weird, you think.
“I didn’t,” you admit.
Your mom looks concerned. “How did they get your name?” she wants to know.
Go on to PAGE 2.
You glance down at the envelope in your hand. It suddenly seems creepy that it’s black.
“I don’t know how they got my name,” you admit.
Your mom thinks for a minute. “Maybe it was that electronic game we bought last year for your birthday. Remember? We sent your name in on the registration.”
“That must be it,” you say, sighing with relief. “Isn’t it great that I won?”
“Oh, sweetheart.” Your mom pats your shoulder. “Don’t get your hopes up too high. Sometimes those contests are fakes. They say you’ve won, but then there’s a catch: You have to buy magazines or something.”
“No way!” you protest. “The letter doesn’t say anything about magazines.”
You hurry to the phone and call the special number in the letter. You dial it. A man answers. A man with a scratchy voice.
“Hello,” he says, addressing you by name. “I’ve been waiting for your call.”
Go on to PAGE 3.
“Which prize do you want?” the man asks.
You hadn’t really thought about it yet.
And then it hits you. The man knew your name. But how?
A shiver goes down your spine.
You shake your head and try to concentrate. So he knew your name. Big deal. Not every kid on the planet has just won a huge prize!
“Hello? Are you still there?” the man calls.
You’ve got to say something. Which prize do you want? The letter says that if you take the tour of the Hasley Toy Factory, you’ll get a free video game too.
But the Annihilator 3000 is the best toy the company makes!
“Uh, if I choose the tour of the toy factory, can I bring a friend?” you ask.
“Sure,” he replies. “So what’s it going to be?”
If you want to tour the Hasley Toy Factory, turn to PAGE 44.
If you want the Annihilator 3000, turn to PAGE 69.
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 and 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.
Goosebumps book series created by Parachute Press, Inc.
Copyright © 1998 by Scholastic
All rights reserved. Published by Scholastic Inc. SCHOLASTIC, GOOSEBUMPS, GOOSEBUMPS HORRORLAND and associated logos are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Scholastic Inc.
The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.
All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. No part of this publication may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereafter invented, without the express written permission of the publisher. For information regarding permission, write to Scholastic Inc., Attention: Permissions Department, 557 Broadway, New York, NY 10012.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
First edition, 1998
e-ISBN 978-0-545-82079-0
. L. Stine, Trapped in the Circus of Fear
