Camp Fear Ghouls by R.L. Stine Read Free Book Online

entire house? Had I forgotten some announcement about tonight’s meeting? Was I hearing things—like screams?
    I shook my head, trying to clear out my brain. I turned for one last look at the river. In the moonlight the river looked like swirling black oil.
    Then I caught a glimpse of something on the water. Something made of purple cloth.
    â€œOh, no.” I let out a low groan.
    Pearl’s purple sash!
    â€œGuys,” I called. “Look!”
    But there was no one there.
    The Camp Fear Girls had vanished!

14

    O h, no! The Camp Fear Girls had all gone home! I was alone!
    I turned back to the water. Frantically, I scanned for the purple sash.
    It was gone too.
    I stared hard at the inky water. Was Pearl in there somewhere?
    But the river flowed smoothly under the bridge. Nothing broke its dark surface.
    Maybe I didn’t see the sash, I thought as I climbed back up to Mill Bridge. Maybe I imagined it because I was already so freaked out.
    That was it, I decided. I had just imagined it. Fear Street had made me nervous. The Camp Fear Girls had made me nervous. Maybe I wasn’t really as intoscary stuff as I thought. Because the Camp Fear Girls were just too creepy for me.
    Oh, well. At least it was all over now. The Camp Fear Girls wouldn’t let Caroline join. And I wouldn’t join without her. So I was out. End of story.
    I should have known it wouldn’t be that easy.
    *  *  *
    The phone was ringing when I walked in the front door. Probably Caroline, calling to yell at me about the Camp Fear Girls.
    â€œLizzy, it’s me!” Caroline cried into the phone. “You’ll never guess what I got!”
    Caroline didn’t sound mad. That was a relief.
    â€œWhat?” I asked, reaching for an apple on the table.
    â€œAn invitation from the Camp Fear Girls. They want me to go on their camp-out.”
    I nearly choked on my apple. “What? Are you sure it’s an invitation?”
    â€œPositive,” Caroline replied. “It’s very official looking. There’s even a permission slip for my parents to sign.”
    Huh? Amy just said Caroline couldn’t join.
    How come there was room for her all of a sudden?
    And another thing. How did the invitation reach her so fast? Even if Amy changed her mind, how could it have been at Caroline’s house fifteen minutes later?
    â€œThe envelope was sitting on my bed when I got home,” Caroline was saying. “It must have come thisafternoon, but I never even noticed! Isn’t it cool?” She squealed with excitement. “They do want me after all.”
    Something just wasn’t right about this.
    â€œCaroline,” I said carefully. “Don’t you think it’s a little strange that they asked you to join? You saw how weird Amy acted tonight.”
    Caroline sighed into the phone. “What’s the big deal, Lizzy? I’m in. Why aren’t you glad?”
    Uh-oh. “I am glad,” I said quickly. “But I’m worried about the Camp Fear Girls. They seem a little weird.”
    There was a long pause.
    â€œI was right,” Caroline said finally. “You do want to keep this troop all to yourself.”
    â€œWhat?” I cried. “No!”
    â€œThen give me one good reason why I shouldn’t go on that camp-out,” Caroline demanded.
    â€œCaroline, trust me. This is a very bad idea,” I began.
    â€œLizzy,” Caroline interrupted. “I already called Arden and told her I quit the Waynesbridge Scouts.”
    â€œYou quit the scouts?” I repeated. Wow! Caroline was really serious about the Camp Fear Girls!
    â€œThat’s right,” Caroline told me. “If we don’t join the Camp Fear Girls, I won’t belong to any club at all. And it will be all your fault. Besides, I really want to go on this camp-out, Lizzy. And I want you to go too. It won’t be any fun without you.”
    What could I say? I lied to