Don't Scream! by R. L. Stine Read Free Book Online Page B

do?”
    â€œNot now,” I whispered. “Please. Later —”
    â€œI need you to go to the computer lab,” she said. “The signal is coming from a laptop. I need you to steal it.”
    â€œHuh? Steal?” I gasped. “No way. No way I’ll steal a laptop. Forget about it.”
    â€œYes, you will. You will learn to obey. I can hurt you, Jack,” she said. “Would you like me to burn this leg? I can burn all the skin off this leg if you don’t obey me. Want to see?”
    â€œPlease —” I struggled to pull the phone from my pocket, but it was stuck.
    My heart was thudding in my chest. Sweat poured down my back.
    â€œStand up,” she said.
    â€œHuh? I’m in class,” I replied in a whisper. “Can’t you wait?”
    â€œDo what I tell you,” she said. “Stand up. Now. Throw your hands above your head. And scream. Scream your head off.”
    â€œNo. Please. I … I can’t,” I stammered.
    I gasped as I felt a sudden hot spot on my leg. A flash of heat from the phone.
    â€œSsscream,” Emmy hissed. “Do it now, Jack. Show me that you can obey. Stand up and scream your head off. NOW!”

20
    Another burst of heat made me leap to my feet.
    I took a deep breath. I saw the startled look on Miss Rush’s face.
    â€œWill you obey?” Emmy demanded. “Will you steal the laptop?”
    â€œNo,” I said. “Never. I won’t steal.”
    An explosion of heat sent pain shooting up and down my leg.
    I raised my hands above my head. And I opened my mouth in a high, shrill scream.
    Some kids cried out in surprise. Others started to laugh.
    I glimpsed Eli in the second row. His eyebrows were flying high above his glasses again.
    â€œJack?” Miss Rush stepped away from her desk and started down the aisle toward me.
    I felt my face burning. I knew I was blushing. I dropped back into my seat.
    Kids were talking and laughing. Everyone stared at me.
    â€œWhat happened?” Miss Rush asked, studying me. “What was
that
about?”
    Of course, I couldn’t tell her the truth.
    I swallowed hard. Then I said: “A bee.”
    The teacher squinted at me. “A bee?”
    â€œIt stung me,” I said.
    Kids laughed. Someone made a buzzing sound. That made the kids laugh harder.
    Miss Rush frowned. “It must have been a very big bee to make you jump up and scream like that.”
    I nodded. “Yes. Very big.”
    She patted my shoulder. “Are you allergic to bee stings, Jack? Do you need to see the nurse?”
    â€œI … don’t think so,” I replied.
    â€œThen let’s get back to the Science work sheet,” she said. She turned and headed for her desk.
    Some kids were still staring at me. My leg burned a little. I tugged the phone out of my pocket and placed it on the desk where it couldn’t hurt me.
    â€œThat was good, Jack.” Emmy’s whisper floated up from the phone.
    â€œPlease — leave me alone,” I begged.
    Too loud. Kids turned around.
    â€œWhat did you say, Jack?” Miss Rush called from the front of the room.
    â€œI … was talking to the bee,” I said. “Sorry.”
    â€œLet’s all get serious now,” she said. “Let’s take a look at section three on the work sheet.”
    I spread the sheet on my desk. I struggled to focus on it. I tried to shut Emmy and the phone out of my mind.
    â€œOkay, Jack.”
    I shuddered as Emmy’s voice rose up from the phone. “Will you steal the laptop for me?”
    â€œNo.” I leaned over my desk and whispered into the phone. “No way,” I said. “Don’t ask again. I’d like to help you, but I won’t steal.”
    I heard her sigh. “You’re making this hard. I have to teach you to obey. Quick — stand on your head. Do it. Stand on your head.”

21
    After school, I scrunched down in the back corner