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

that?” Caroline aimed her flashlight at a tree.
    â€œA twig,” I whispered. “You stepped on a twig.”
    â€œI didn’t,” Caroline protested, blinding me with her light. “It must have been you. Lizzy, this is creepy!”
    I shoved her flashlight away from my face. “Caroline, you were the one who wanted to come on this camp-out. Are you saying you want to go home now?”
    â€œNo, I am not,” Caroline snapped.
    We pointed our lights in front of us. Gnarled trees blocked our way. Thorny vines hung down from twisted branches and caught at our hair.
    â€œYeow!” Caroline cried as a branch whipped her in the face.
    We walked so close together, we stepped on each other’s feet. My eyes were open wide as I stared into the darkness.
    Just ahead, something moved through the trees.
    I locked my knees. “Did you see that?”
    â€œYes. What do you think it was?” Caroline whispered, barely moving her lips.
    â€œI don’t know,” I groaned. “Let’s just find the campsite.”
    Caroline held out the map and we focused our lights on the yellowed paper. “I think we’re supposed to look for a stream,” she murmured.
    I flashed my beam in a circle around us. “I don’t see a stream, do you?” I asked.
    â€œNo,” Caroline replied.
    Something crashed through the trees to our right.
    â€œM-maybe we should forget about this camp-out,” Caroline said in a shaky voice. “Maybe we should just go home.”
    â€œWell—okay,” I agreed. I didn’t want to sound too eager. But boy, was I glad Caroline changed her mind!
    We turned and started back the way we came.
    A few more feet, and we’ll be back on Fear Street, I thought. But when I flashed my light around, I couldn’t see anything but trees! And nothing looked familiar!
    â€œCaroline,” I whispered. “We must have gone the wrong way. I don’t know where we are.”
    Caroline squeezed my hand and whimpered.
    Then I heard a bubbling sound. Water! Running water!
    â€œThe stream! I think I hear it, Caroline,” I told her.
    We hurried forward. Branches tore at our clothes. I could hear Caroline grumbling about it. But I didn’t care. I just wanted to find the campsite. Even the Camp Fear Girls weren’t as creepy as this forest!
    When we reached the stream, I checked the map again.
    â€œWhat does it say? Where do we go now?” Caroline asked.
    I squinted at the map. “I can’t tell. It’s all smudged.”
    â€œA light!” Caroline cried suddenly. “I see a light!”
    I glanced up. She was right! Off in the distance I could just make out a faint yellow glow.
    Crack! Again the sound of something moving behind us.
    This time it wasn’t a twig. It sounded more like a big branch. And something huge must have made it break.
    No way was I turning around to find out.
    â€œRun for it!” I screamed to Caroline. “Now!”
    We took off toward the yellow light.
    My pulse thundered in my ears. Brambles jabbed at me. But I didn’t stop.
    The light grew brighter as we ran closer.
    I could see it now. A campfire!
    A warm yellow campfire. In a little clearing. And girls sitting around it!
    I tripped over a tree root and fell to my knees just in front of the fire.
    Caroline fell next to me, gasping for breath.
    Our faces were flushed. Sweat poured from my forehead as I raised my head.
    The Camp Fear Girls loomed over us. They stared at Caroline and me as if we were totally nuts.
    Priscilla, who was holding a guitar, spoke first. “Hey, you guys made it. Why are you so out of breath?”
    I pressed my hand against my chest. It burned from running so hard. “I think someone was following us through the woods.”
    â€œYeah. Me.” Amy stepped out of the woods and into the clearing. “I saw you two back by the creek. But when I tried to catch up with you, you bolted. Are you