Tick Tock, You're Dead!

by RL Stine

  “I said, come with me!” the robot repeats in a nasty metallic twang.

  Go to college on PAGE 112.

  “No way,” you protest. “I’m not going in there.”

  “If you want help finding your brother,” Jarmal snaps, “you’d better do it.”

  Finally you agree. What else can you do?

  Jarmal hands you the red box with the explosives. “Remember, you have to place it within three feet of the power source. And one more thing … you have only one minute to get away before it blows.”

  “How am I supposed to get into the building?” you ask.

  “There are two ways to get in,” Jarmal tells you. “One is to find some way to get past the robot guards at the door.”

  “No thanks,” you mutter. “What’s the other way?”

  “You could crawl in through the air duct,” Jarmal says. “That way you’ll avoid the robots — but the ducts are very narrow. Crawling through them could be very, very dangerous.”

  How will you enter the building?

  Decide carefully — the fate of humans on Earth may depend on your answer!

  Try to fool the guards? Turn to PAGE 29.

  Crawl in through the air duct? Turn to PAGE 79.

  You decide to try the truth.

  “I’m not a spy,” you repeat. “But I’m not a crew member, either. I’m actually a time traveler.”

  “Likely story!” the captain snarls. “If you’re a time traveler, prove it!”

  “The device your guard took from me is a chronometer,” you explain. “That’s how I move from one time to another.”

  The guard hands the chronometer to the captain. She glances at it, then hands it back to you. You quickly slip it under your uniform in case she changes her mind.

  “If you are really from the past,” she says to you, “what color were the eyes of an allosaurus?”

  “I’m not from that far back,” you protest.

  She sighs. “Okay, while I decide what to do with you, wait outside.”

  The guards each take one of your arms and roughly shove you out into the corridor.

  Turn to PAGE 69.

  Denny screams in terror as the knight prepares to toss him to the ground.

  “Stop!” you yell. “That’s King Ruthbert’s son, Ruthelford,” you say.

  The knight looks at you in surprise. “Of course. Why do you think I’m getting ready to dash his brains out?”

  “King Ruthbert will pay a huge ransom for him,” you go on. “More gold and jewels than you can imagine.”

  “Is that right?” the knight replies. “How do you know?”

  “I’m an agent of the king,” you tell the knight. It’s the first lie that enters your mind.

  “Really? Then why are your hands tied?” the knight asks.

  “Well, uh, er …” You try to think of a good answer. “Untie me and I’ll show you!”

  The knight looks you up and down. He draws his sword.

  Oh, no! What’s he going to do?

  Go to PAGE 88.

  You reach out to grab Denny before hitting the buttons on the chronometer.

  “NOOO!” Denny shrieks. He pulls away and tears off down the street.

  “Denny, come back here!” you yell. But Denny keeps going. He darts across the street and runs smack into his double — the future Denny. They both fall onto the sidewalk.

  Your mother’s face goes white when she sees two Dennys.

  “Okay,” your father demands. “Which one of you is really my son?”

  “I am!” says one of the red-haired Dennys.

  “I am,” insists the other one. He punches the first one on the arm. The other Denny punches back.

  You’ve got to do something! You rush across the street and grab both Dennys. Then you push the buttons on the chronometer.

  Travel back to the present on PAGE 66.

  You grab the rake. Then, holding it out in front of you, you inch toward the door on the other side of the room. The vine follows you, its flower head still snapping like mad.

  You’re about to reach for the doorknob when something grabs your ankle.

  The vine is coiling around your legs!

  Desperately, you hack at the vine with the rake. But it’s no use. The vine rapidly works its way up your body, wrapping you up as tightly as a mummy!

  Suddenly, the door opens. Someone walks in, singing the words to your favorite song.

  It’s Denny!

  You open your mouth to yell to him. But it’s no use. You can’t speak — you can’t even move.

  You hear Denny moving around the room, looking at everything. Then he stops right in front of you.

  He looks closely at the vine holding you prisoner. “Cool plant,” he says.

  Cool plant?

  That’s not a plant — it’s you!

  THE END

  You ask someone to point out the driver of the green truck. He’s a gray-haired man in a plaid jacket.

  Now you have to decide what to say to him. Maybe you can get him to take you along with him, and then, at the crucial moment, you can steer the truck away from your family.

  Finally, you come up with two plans. You could tell him you’re from out of town and you’re lost, and you want a ride to your hotel. Or you could pretend the dispatcher wants him to take you along on the next delivery.

  Which will you choose?

  Tell the driver you’re lost on PAGE 26.

  Pretend the dispatcher sent you on PAGE 104.

  “Please help me!” you beg the robot. “I’m looking for my brother and —”

  “Silence, intruder,” the robot commands. Keeping its laser trained on you, it waves you over to a chair in front of one of the monitors.

  “You will be my helper in the Teletime room, human. I need someone to help me study the past,” the robot explains. It points to one of the monitors. “You will watch this screen all night and all day and report to me on what you see.”

  That’s not bad, you think. At least I’ll get to watch TV!

  You settle into one of the cushioned chairs opposite the monitor. On the screen, George Washington is crossing the Delaware River. You watch him do it again.

  And again.

  It’s interesting the first few times, but after that you get bored. Really bored.

  The days, months, and finally years slowly pass. George is still crossing the river. And you’re still watching.

  Compared to this nonstop history lesson, going to museums with your parents was a total blast!

  THE END

  You’ve got to find the chronometer. You stick your arm deep into the quicksand. You feel around with your fingers … nothing.

  Suddenly the Tyrannosaurus rex lets out a roar.

  You plunge both hands into the quicksand. Beside you, Denny drops to his hands and knees to search, too.

  You sift frantically through the mud. The dinosaur comes closer and closer. He reaches out one claw. Then he lets out a tremendous sound. It’s a burp from his earlier feast — a gigantic burp as loud as an explosion!

  The force of the burp knocks both you and Denny over. The two of you pitch forward … right into the quicksand!

  Oh, no! You’re both being pulled down, down into the quivering muck, to meet …

  THE END

  You decide to try to get back to Dr. Peebles’s lab. But is there enough time?

  The student in front of you has given a wrong answer.

  “No!” the girl cries. “Give me another chance!” But the teacher shoves the student into the frammilizer. And now the robot’s red electronic eye fixes on you.

  “How many electrons can be found in a pound of taffy?” the teacher asks you.

  You grasp the chronometer and place your fingers over the top and bottom buttons to return to Dr. Peebles’s laboratory.

  “Answer!” the robot thunders.

  You quickly press the buttons.

  SPROIINNGGG! There is a hideous sound as the chronometer dis
integrates in your hand. Tiny wheels and computer chips fly all over your desk.

  “Answer the question!” the robot repeats.

  Too bad. There’s no way you can return to your time. But cheer up — unless you know the answer to the question, you won’t have to stay in the classroom very long!

  THE END

  You start up the metallic ladder, making sure that the red box is still inside your pocket. The building is at least thirty stories high. At the top of the steps is a pulsing green glow.

  The power source, you realize.

  You climb faster. Soon you are at the top of the ladder, staring at a huge, green-glowing orb inside a round room with glass panels.

  The glow is so bright you can hardly see. You look for a way into the room and finally notice a small door with a sign: EXTREME DANGER. DO NOT ENTER.

  But you have to enter, to leave the explosive device.

  Or do you?

  Jarmal said only that the explosive device needed to be within three feet of the power source. He never said it had to be in the same room. Maybe you’re already close enough.

  Decide what to do right away — a robot guard is coming!

  To enter the room, turn to PAGE 42.

  Or to place the device against the wall and see what happens, turn to PAGE 49.

  All right! The robot fell for it!

  You can see yourself stepping into the Chronoport. Then you hear Dr. Peebles say: “One more thing! Remember to hold the buttons down for at least five seconds!”

  That’s exactly what you needed to hear. Now you know how to make the chronometer work! But you still can’t find Denny.

  “I don’t believe your Teletime machine really shows the past,” you say.

  “What!!??” the robot roars. “How dare you insult my machine!” Its finger moves closer to the trigger.

  “If it really works,” you say quickly, “then show me the present.”

  “The present?” the robot cries.

  “Yes!” You nod. “The scenes from the past could have been films or videotapes. If I see scenes from the present, I’ll believe the machine really works.”

  “Very well,” the robot grumbles. “But right afterward I will take pleasure in vaporizing you. Any particular scene in the present?” it adds sarcastically.

  You smile. Your plan is working.

  Turn to PAGE 90.

  No way. You’re not going to miss seeing a real dinosaur being born. You’ll catch up with Denny in a few minutes.

  You keep your eyes on the big speckled egg.

  This is too cool, you think. Maybe it’s a brachiosaurus or a triceratops. You’ve always wanted to see one of them.

  Tap. Tap. Tap.

  The baby dinosaur struggles to get out.

  CRACK! The enormous egg splits open.

  You lean forward — you’re dying to see this!

  Then out it pops. You see a long tail … a tiny beak … and soft wet feathers.

  FEATHERS?

  You can’t believe it. This baby’s not a dinosaur. It’s a chicken.

  Some kind of weird, prehistoric chicken!

  Okay. Now you’ve learned your lesson.

  Never count your dinosaurs before they hatch!

  THE END

  You follow the robot to meet the captain.

  The captain of the ship is a woman. A human woman — but she looks really mean.

  “You were caught spying in our secret antigravity device,” she says sternly. “The penalty is immediate execution. Now what do you have to say for yourself?”

  Immediate execution!

  Somehow, you have to get her to understand what you were doing there. But what if she doesn’t believe your story? Maybe it would be better to pretend you’re a new member of the space crew and didn’t know better.

  Decide well. Your life depends on it!

  Lie? Turn to PAGE 25.

  Tell the truth? Go to PAGE 120.

  “You’re not the boss of me!” Denny says again. “Go ahead, Dad!”

  “Prepare to boil, spy!” the knight on your right side snarls. He starts to drag you to the edge of the platform.

  “Wait!” you cry. You look at the king. “Before you carry out the sentence, I have something that belongs to your son.”

  “Halt!” the king commands. “What is it?”

  “A valuable piece of jewelry,” you say. “Please allow me to give it to him.”

  “Yeah!” Denny says. “Give it to me!”

  Turn to PAGE 14.

  The teacher turns to you. “Stand up,” the robot orders.

  Nervously, you stand. You hold your breath as the teacher starts to speak. This is the moment. Can you answer the question, or will you be frammilized?

  “The ancient British wizard Morgred used a magic spell to travel in time. The spell made use of three magical objects. What are they?”

  Morgred? He was the wizard in the GOOSEBUMPS book A Night in Terror Tower. You remember him. But can you remember the answer to the question? If you can’t, you’ll have to guess! Think carefully, then answer.

  Are the three objects a pin, a pipe, and a potato? If so, turn to PAGE 103.

  Or are the magical objects three white stones? If that is your answer, turn to PAGE 28.

  Somehow you’ve got to talk Denny into coming back to the present with you. But how?

  Then you get an idea. “Denny,” you say very calmly. “I’m going back to Dr. Peebles’s laboratory now. But I don’t want you to come with me.”

  “Why not?” Denny asks suspiciously.

  “It’s none of your business,” you say as nastily as you can. “You can come back later today — or tomorrow.”

  “No!” Denny whines. “I want to go back now.”

  “Well, you can’t,” you say. “I’m going without you.”

  “NOOOO!” he whines louder. “Take me with you!”

  “Sorry.”

  “I’ll tell Mom!” he insists. “I’ll tell her how you’re always trying to be the boss of me.”

  “Oh, all right,” you say, trying to sound disgusted. “Hold my hand, then.” Looking pleased, Denny takes your hand. You glance down at the chronometer. Forty-five seconds — plenty of time to spare. And Denny doesn’t even realize that he tricked himself!

  THE END

  Mice! The boxes are full of mice. White mice to be used at the lab for research.

  Looking at the mice gives you an idea.

  As fast as you can, you start opening the boxes and releasing the mice. Before you know it, there are mice all over the truck.

  “Help! Help!” you scream, banging on the back of the truck.

  Will anyone hear you?

  Turn to PAGE 107.

  BEWARE!!

  DO NOT READ THIS

  BOOK FROM

  BEGINNING TO END!

  Making friends in your new town is harder than you thought! The kids in your school are members of the Horror Club. They have their meetings after dark in Bat Wing Hall — a rundown house that’s haunted by the ghost of Professor Krupnik!

  When the Horror Club decides to play a spooky game, you really want to join in. But then you find out you’ll have to search the professor’s cursed crypt in the cemetery! Or face an ancient mummy, a witch, and a hungry werewolf — or the terrifying ghost of Professor Krupnik himself — before the night is through!

  You’re in control of this scary adventure. You decide what will happen. And you decide how terrifying the scares will be.

  Start on PAGE 1. Then follow the instructions at the bottom of each page. You make the choices.

  If you make the right ones, you’ll have a really cool adventure! IF YOU MAKE THE WRONG CHOICES … BEWARE!

  SO TAKE A DEEP BREATH. CROSS YOUR FINGERS. AND TURN TO PAGE 1 NOW TO GIVE YOURSELF GOOSEBUMPS!

  “This town stinks!”

  It’s Friday afternoon — the end of your first week at your new school. Your family just moved to this town last month. And so far no one at school ha
s even tried to be your friend.

  Day after day, you sit in class waiting for someone to talk to you. Waiting and staring at all the strange faces around you. How can you possibly go through the year without any friends? you wonder. You’re cool. You know you are. You had tons of friends at your old school.

  You trudge home slowly. All you have to look forward to is a boring weekend of watching TV with your parents and your bratty little brother. Then something hits the back of your jacket.

  You whirl around. A pebble drops onto the ground. You glance up — and notice a brown-haired boy about your own age.

  “Hi!” he calls out. “I’m Nick!”

  “Hi,” you reply and introduce yourself.

  “We’re in the same class at school,” Nick says.

  That’s funny, you think. You don’t remember seeing him there. But you smile anyway. You’re so happy someone is finally talking to you.

  “I live there,” Nick tells you. He points to a two-story green house on the next block. You gaze back at him, shocked.

  “But you can’t live there!” you exclaim. “There’s no way!”

  Go on to PAGE 2.

  “What do you mean I can’t live there?” Nick asks, laughing. “I know my own house.”

  “I live next door,” you tell him. You point to the redbrick house next to the green one. “The green house has been empty all month. There haven’t been any lights on. No cars in the driveway.”

  “I was on vacation with my family. We got back last night,” Nick says. “What do you think of school?”

  “Okay, I guess,” you reply. You’re afraid to say anything more. You never know — maybe this kid Nick actually likes school.

  “Can you believe how much homework our teacher gave us this weekend?” Nick complains. He kicks a stone down the street as you walk. “All the kids who had Mr. McCormick last year say he’s really tough. And mean. A total monster!”