Good-bye Stacey, Good-bye by Ann M. Martin Read Free Book Online Page B

bake?" suggested Claudia.
    "And — and handmade stuff," I suggested.
    "Like potholders and scarves," said Mary Anne.
    "What about babies from my spider plants?" said Dawn.
    "Yeah!" cried the others.
    "Oh, boy!" I exclaimed. "This yard sale is going to go down in yard-sale history as the best ever!"
    "Stellar," agreed Kristy.
    Chapter 9.
    Interesting? Was Kristy kidding? Her babysitting job was so scary and weird that I get goosebumps all over whenever I think about it. The afternoon started off with about as much pandemonium as we usually find at the Pikes' house. After all, there were Kristy, Andrew, Karen, David Michael (Kristy's youngest brother, whom she was also supposed to be watching), Boo-Boo (Watson's cat), and Shannon (David Michael's puppy). Then Amanda and Max Delaney and Hannie and Linny Papadakis dropped by to play.
    Let me just remind you about all those kids. Karen and Andrew are six and four, and David Michael is seven. Amanda and Max are eight and six. They're really Karen's friends, and don't always get along too well with David Michael. Linny and Hannie are also eight and six. Linny is David Michael's good friend, and Hannie is Karen's good friend. The Papadakis kids are friendly and easygoing and get along with anybody — except Amanda and Max. And Amanda and Max don't like Hannie and Linnie much, either. So there were a lot of "enemies" in this little crowd of kids.
    But Kristy was dealing with the seven of them fairly well. For one thing, she insisted
    that they play outside in the backyard. Nobody minded. Shannon the puppy was more fun outside than inside. She would frisk after bugs and chase falling leaves and tumble around in the grass. Things were going so well that Kristy sat down in a lawn chair and simply watched the scene before her.
    David Michael, Linny, and Andrew were trying to set up an obstacle course for Shannon — arranging stones and chairs for her to jump over, crawl through, and dive under. Kristy knew it would never work — and that the boys wouldn't really care.
    The girls and Max were chasing poor Boo-Boo through the yard. What you need to remember about Boo-Boo is that he's fat and old. And pretty bad-tempered. Kristy and her family had been living in Watson's house for several whole months, and Kristy was not sure she'd ever even patted Boo-Boo. He was good for chasing, though. Kristy hoped the kids would tire Boo-Boo out and that he would go indoors and fall asleep. (Kristy liked Boo-Boo much better asleep than awake.)
    "Boo-Boo! Boo-Boo!" Amanda called.
    Boo-Boo had paused by a rosebush. Amanda made a move as if she were going to come after him again. It was a fake, though (just like
    in football)/ but Boo-Boo fell for it and ran up a tree, claws clinging wildly.
    "I think Boo-Boo might be under another spell, you guys," Karen informed the others, and Kristy shook her head. Karen wasn't going to start that Morbidda Destiny stuff again — was she?
    Yes, she was.
    "A spell?" Hannie repeated, her eyes widening. "You mean — a witch's spell?" Han-nie's gaze traveled across the yard to Mrs. Porter's house next door. The house was old, Victorian, with gables and turrets and towers. And it was run-down. It was a Halloween house.
    "Yes," replied Karen. "I saw Morbidda Destiny with bottles and jars last weekend. I think she was working up some new potions."
    Kristy wondered whether she should put a stop to Karen's stories. Often, she did. They sometimes got out of hand. However, David Michael, Linny, and Andrew were now listening, too, and everyone seemed just plain fascinated. Besides, if the stories kept the Papa-dakises from arguing with the Delaneys, and the Delaneys from being mean to David Michael, well . . .
    Kristy let Karen go on. See, Karen thinks
    that old Mrs. Porter, who lives alone in the Halloween house, is actually a witch named Morbidda Destiny, and that she mixes potions and brews, casts spells, rides a broomstick, and goes to witches' meetings. Mrs. Porter is a