by RL Stine
The scales feel slippery. You tug and tug.
And then you know.
It isn’t a mask.
Nick is a monster!
Too bad you didn’t believe him.
Too bad — because with one chomp of Nick’s reptile-sharp fangs, you will come to a monstrous
END.
Then you hear laughter and footsteps. You jump up from your hiding place and peek out the window. Marcie, Lara, and Martin are standing on the porch. You rush outside.
“Sorry we’re late,” Marcie tells you. “But we stopped for pizza. Want some?” She holds the pizza box out toward you. Normally triple cheese with extra pepperoni would make your mouth water, but today it smells disgusting. You’re more in the mood for moths.
“No thanks,” you say. You have no time to lose. “Listen, you’ve got to come with me to the cemetery.” You grab Marcie’s arm, but she yanks it back.
“I know I’m acting weird,” you explain quickly. “But there’s a reason. The other night at the graveyard, something happened. I was transformed — into a bat.”
“Right!” Lara cries. “And I became the Bride of Frankenstein.”
“It’s true,” you insist.
Martin snorts. “Great story!” he says, laughing.
“Yeah,” Marcie agrees. “Why don’t you save it for the next meeting of the Horror Club?”
“It’s not a story!” You are practically yelling. In just a few seconds, the sun will go down and you’ll never be able to explain!
Go to PAGE 82.
It shouldn’t be too hard to make the house seem haunted — especially since it is haunted! You turn to the ghost. “I have an idea,” you say, “but I need your help.”
“You want me to help you?” the ghost booms.
“Yes,” you reply and whisper your idea to him.
“All right,” the ghost of Professor Krupnik grumbles.
You’re very relieved. “Great!” you cry. “And after it works, you’ll unbat me.”
“We’ll see,” the ghost mutters. You don’t like the sound of that. But you don’t have any choice.
You hurry back to the mansion. “We’ve got to leave!” you tell your friends. “This place is haunted by the ghost of Professor Krupnik!”
“Yeah, sure,” says Lara. She yawns.
At that moment the front door to the mansion creaks open. The ghost drifts into the room.
“That’s a ghost?” asks Martin. “It just looks like an old man.”
“OOOOOOOOOOHHHH!” Professor Krupnik moans. “OOOOOOOHHHH!”
“Even if it is a ghost, it doesn’t look too scary,” Marcie adds. You can’t believe it. The Horror Club kids aren’t even afraid of a real ghost!
If you try a completely different plan now, go to PAGE 103.
Or if you want to help the ghost scare them away, turn to PAGE 136.
“No offense,” you tell Debbie, “but I’m going to continue the scavenger hunt.”
For a moment Debbie only stares at you. Then her purple skin begins to grow darker. And darker. “How dare you doubt me?!” she cries. “Is this the thanks I get for trying to help?”
She raises her arms. And now you see that she has long — very sharp — claws! She lunges for you.
You leap back, trying to decide which direction to run, when something goes SPLAT! — right on your neck.
You reach up and feel prickly hair. And legs. And a warm round body. There’s a tarantula on your neck!
The creature’s legs dig into your skin, like sharp needles. It begins to nibble at your skin. You scream and flick it to the ground. Debbie laughs. She reaches for another deadly spider.
But you spot a dark hall and race down it. Debbie and her tarantulas follow. You run and run. And find yourself standing in front of two doors. One is painted orange. The other is painted green.
Pick a door quickly — before you are eaten alive by the tarantulas!
If you choose the orange door, go to PAGE 126.
If you choose the green door, go to PAGE 43.
“The Horror Club sounds great!” you tell Nick. “Count me in!”
“I’ll meet you in front of your house at nine o’clock tonight,” Nick says. You agree and say good-bye. Then you rush into your kitchen to find your parents. You tell them you’ve made a friend, and you’ve been invited to a club meeting. They’re so happy for you. Of course, you don’t tell them that the meeting is in a deserted, boarded-up old house!
At nine o’clock, you join Nick under the elm tree in your front yard. A skinny, fidgety girl with messy, long dark hair waits with Nick.
“This is Debbie,” he tells you. “She’s a member of the club, too.”
“Hi,” Debbie says. You can barely see her face under all her thick hair. And she always seems to be squirming about! You wonder what’s with this strange girl.
You follow your new friends up the hill to the end of the long dark street. The farther you go, the fewer houses there are. At the end of the road, all the streetlights are out. The sky is pitch-black. If it weren’t for Nick’s flashlight, you’d probably trip over your own feet.
“There it is,” Nick says, pointing. “Bat Wing Hall.”
Turn to PAGE 96.
ZZZAAANNNGGG! With a loud vibrating noise, the glass box vanishes! The witch stands before you. The magic worked!
“Thank you. Oh, thank you,” the witch gushes.
“No problem,” you say. “But time is running —”
“You’re right,” the witch says. “Time’s running out.” She thrusts her broom into your hands. “Be careful how you remove the straw,” she warns.
“Excellent!” you cry. “Now all I have to do is pluck three hairs from a werewolf!”
“Easy!” the witch scoffs. “I know where to find a werewolf.”
“You do?” you ask incredulously.
“Sure,” the witch says. “The werewolf is in the basement. Or at least he was two hundred years ago. You can take the elevator Professor Krupnik installed.” She proudly points to a small elevator in the corner of the attic. Then she disappears in a puff of bright-pink smoke.
You hurry to the elevator. The door magically opens. Quickly, you step inside. But the broom gets stuck in the opening!
You frantically try to pull out a straw, but none will come out. You could break one off, you think. But then you remember the witch’s warning.
If you take a chance and break off a straw, turn to PAGE 21.
Try to squeeze the broom into the elevator? Then turn to PAGE 115.
“What is it?” you cry as your body hits the ground.
“We’ve got to be careful,” Nick whispers. “If anyone catches us going in the front door, we could be in big trouble. We’re not really allowed in here.”
You nod. And watch Debbie as she squirms and glances around nervously.
You wonder why your new friends are so jumpy. You can’t imagine how anyone could possibly see you in the darkness. But you figure Nick and Debbie know what they’re doing.
You stand and follow Nick and Debbie across the porch. Keeping as quiet as possible, you pull off the broken boards on the front door.
You enter the dark house.
The air in the entryway is stale and dusty. You hold back a sneeze. Nick motions for you to follow him.
You creep after Nick and Debbie down a dark hallway. The floorboards creak loudly with each step.
Then you enter a big, dimly lit living room. A broken chandelier sways from the ceiling. The faded wallpaper hangs in pieces from the walls. Dirty sheets cover what appear to be old sofas and chairs.
And then you see them!
Turn to PAGE 75.
You maneuver your controls quickly and jump over the mud wave.
You made it! Now if you can just destroy the Mud Monsters, you’ll win the game.
You concentrate hard. Focus on the screen. You move through snapping turtles and sea monsters. Then, at the right moment, you drop the bombs you saved
from level seven.
Boom! You blow up the Mud Monsters’ nest.
CONGRATULATIONS! the screen blinks. YOU HAVE DESTROYED THE MUD MONSTERS!
“I win!” you cry.
“I don’t believe it!” Nick yells, throwing down his controls.
“How could you lose like that?” Debbie shrieks at Nick.
“How could you let a kid beat you?” Connor snarls. Everyone starts arguing. Debbie and Connor yell at Nick. Nick screams back. They have all forgotten about you.
You decide not to wait around for them to show you out. You’re sure you can’t trust these monsters. You make a break for the door.
You dodge out into the hall and race down the stairs. Through the downstairs rooms. To the front door. You’re almost free!
You grab the doorknob, begin to pull — when someone grabs your shoulder and drags you back!
See who’s got you on PAGE 116.
You step out of the elevator. You hold the broom tightly in one hand and choose one straw. Then, with the other hand, you snap it off.
You wait for a moment, standing motionless. Nothing happens. Everything is okay. You breathe a sigh of relief, then stuff the straw in your pocket along with the human bone and the mummy’s bandage.
The scavenger hunt is almost over!
You step into the elevator. But — hey, wait! The elevator has vanished!
You plummet through the darkness.
Down, down!
There’s no way to stop! You have nothing to help you! In a moment, you’ll smash into the basement floor!
Too bad — it seems you made a mistake with the witch’s broom. And for you, alas, it’s the last straw!
THE END
You decide the best thing would be to tell your friends the truth. You fly outside and as soon as you hit the light, you transform into a kid again. After the movie, your friends rush up to you. “Where were you?” Marcie demands.
“I didn’t want to watch the movie,” you reply.
“Did it scare you?” Lara teases.
“Afraid of bats?” Martin chimes in. He gives your shoulder a playful punch.
“Actually,” you tell him, “the problem is just the opposite. The truth is, I am a bat.”
All three of your friends stare at you wide-eyed. Then they begin to laugh.
“Right,” says Marcie. “And I’m Frankenstein’s monster.”
“Something happened in the graveyard,” you explain. “I was in the crypt, and later that night I turned into a bat.”
Marcie and Lara are laughing so hard they can’t even talk.
“Wait a minute,” Martin says, frowning. “Are you serious?”
“Yes!” you say, relieved that someone finally understands.
But Martin guffaws harder. “What a great story!” he cries.
Go to PAGE 45.
“Maybe there are instructions inside the crypt,” you say. You enter, and now you see more writing on the inside of the door. Somehow you never noticed it before:
WARNING: DO NOT USE THE POWER OF THE RING MORE THAN ONCE PER YEAR. RESULTS CAN BE UNPREDICTABLE.
You point out the words to Marcie.
“Oh, no!” she cries. “What can we do now?”
You gaze at your changed friends sadly. Martin seems to be better at flying now, but Lara is having trouble hopping.
“I think we’ll have to wait till next year,” you tell her.
Marcie hurries across the street to the mansion and returns with an old shoe box. Carefully, you put Lara and Martin into it.
“Don’t worry,” you say to them. “We’ll be able to turn you back in a year. And in the meantime, we’ll take very good care of you.”
Now all you have to do is figure out how to tell your mother about your strange new pets!
THE END
“Okay,” you tell the Egyptian king. “I’ll stay.”
“Wonderful!” the king exclaims. He steps down from his throne.
“Follow me,” he says.
You stick your tongue out at the priest. Then you turn and follow the king from the throne room, down a long hallway and into a small room.
The room has dark marble walls and a low stone ceiling. In the center of the room is a stone table. Your legs begin to tremble when you see what rests on the top — the tray with the strange instruments. The mummy-making instruments!
“Lie down on the table,” the king commands you.
“B-but — you said I was going to stay with you!” you protest.
“That’s right,” the king agrees. “But I am old. I will die soon. And I want to bring you to the afterlife with me. You need to be mummified now!”
The king calls for the priests. They dash in and strap you to the cold table. You kick and yell, but no one pays attention. They are too busy preparing the bandages. Your bandages!
One priest holds two instruments over your head. They look like a long, skinny hook and a long, skinny spoon.
“What are you going to do?” you cry.
Go to PAGE 120.
Maybe, you think, the ring has to turn before the door is shut.
You’re not sure you’re strong enough to do it. But you are determined to try.
You swoop down and perch on the rusty ring. Then, while your friends continue to push on the door, you grasp the iron ring in your tiny claws and try to turn it.
At first, nothing happens.
You take a deep breath and try again. Every little bat muscle in you strains. You grunt, you groan. You’re shaking all over from the effort.
But at last, the ring starts to turn. And you can feel the door moving inch by tiny inch.
A green mist bubbles out of the tomb. “What’s that?” Marcie cries.
“Keep pushing!” you squeak.
Luckily, your Horror Club friends don’t need any encouragement. They continue to push. With a deafening CLANK! the door slams shut.
The ground begins to shake. You hear thunder, and lightning crackles across the sky. An instant later, Lara screams. Your teammates are all staring at you.
Did closing the tomb work?
Turn to PAGE 30.
I can’t believe there is a real mummy in this house, you think to yourself as you chase him down hallway after dark hallway.
The mummy turns a corner. You are about to turn, too, when you hear familiar voices behind a pink door. You peek through a crack in the door — and spot Nick, Connor, and Debbie. They seem to be talking about you!
The monsters obviously don’t know you are there. Should you stop and listen? Maybe you will hear something that will help you escape.
Or is it better to follow the mummy?
To eavesdrop, turn to PAGE 65.
To follow the mummy, hurry to PAGE 94.
You decide to return to the cemetery tonight. You can’t stand to be a bat another second! With a last shuddering look at your new bat self, you climb down from the sink. Then you crawl up the wall to your window ledge. From your new, shorter, bat’s-eye view, the yard below looks very far away, even though you’re only on the second floor.
Well, you’ve got wings — might as well try them. You’re a little nervous about your lack of flight experience. But you’ve got no choice. You try flapping your wings, and the next thing you know you’re lifting up, up — out into the dark night air.
The wind rushes beneath your wings and you soar higher and higher. You sneak a peek down at the yard far below. Big mistake! For just a moment you’re so scared you forget to flap your wings. Instantly, you begin to plummet to the ground.
Frantically, you begin flapping again, and manage to level out. Flying isn’t as easy as it looks, you realize. You try to turn to the right, and find yourself flying upside down instead. Then you bump into the side of a tree.
After some practice, you begin to get the hang of flying. Unfortunately, you made so many twists and turns while you were learning that you have no idea where you are.
What now? Go to PAGE 31.
B
efore you go too far, you feel a strange tingling sensation all over your body. But you don’t have time to worry about it. You must escape!
The monsters are gaining on you.
You fly up the stairs now. Two steps at a time.
And then you stop. The tingling is getting worse.
Keep going, you say to yourself. You’ve got to keep going. The monsters are only a few steps behind.
You try to run. But you can’t!
Something’s wrong. You’re stuck in the middle of the staircase! You can’t move up. Your legs are paralyzed!
Nick, Debbie, and Connor close in on you. Connor’s odor makes you gag. But you’re trapped. Frozen in place.
“Need some help?” Nick asks with an evil snicker.
If you accept the monsters’ help, go to PAGE 51.
If you refuse, turn to PAGE 61.
You turn to the right. The walls are covered with dirty, dingy wallpaper. It flakes under your fingers as you grope your way through the hall.
You hope you are going in the right direction. But you have no idea where to find a witch’s broom — or a werewolf!
Suddenly, you spot a doorway and hear faint beeping noises coming from the room. As you move closer, flashes of light escape the entrance. You enter the room.
Oh, no! There’s Nick, Debbie, and Connor!
You’re about to run, but then you notice the monsters are sitting around a large screen. Debbie and Connor have controls in their hands. You realize that they are playing a video game!
“Stop, Connor!” Debbie shrieks. “Stop cheating!”
“Shut up!” Connor retorts. “All I have to do is get three apples, and then I can bomb you back to level one!”
You watch in amazement. You recognize the game they’re playing — Mud Monsters. You can’t believe that these three hideous monsters are playing your favorite video game — and playing it badly!
