Have You Met My Ghoulfriend? by R.L. Stine Read Free Book Online Page B

and hurried to sit down.
    “I have a splitting headache this morning,” Ms. McDonald said, groaning. Still holding her head, she dropped into her desk chair. “I don't want to hear a cough or a whisper or a pin drop. I need total silence.”
    Traci raised her hand. “Aren't we going to read our book reports?”
    Ms. McDonald shook her head. “We're not going to do anything out loud. We're going to have quiet reading—
very
quiet reading until my headache goes away. Everyone understand? Don't say yes. Just nod.”
    We all nodded. Then there was a lot of soft chair scraping and backpack rustling as we all pulled out books for quiet reading.
    Holding her head, Ms. McDonald stared down at her desk. Everyone started to read. The room grew silent, so silent I could hear birds chirping outside.
    “Very good, class,” Ms. McDonald said. “Thank you for your cooperation.”
    And that's when I suddenly went berserk.

18
    B EFORE I EVEN REALIZED it, I jumped from my seat. I pumped my fists in the air and let out a deafening cry.
    Ms. McDonald gasped and squinted across the room at me. “Max? What are you doing?”
    I let out another high scream.
    I couldn't answer her question. I didn't know
what
I was doing.
    I only knew I wasn't in control.
    “Sit down, Max. That's not funny,” the teacher groaned, holding her head.
    “Gubba hubbba?” I said. “Gubbba gubbba hubbba!”
    Why was I jabbering like that?
    I wanted to sit down. But I couldn't. I took off, running around the room, flapping my arms like a bird.
    “Whoooooeeeee!”
I opened my mouth in an endless scream.
    When I reached the front of the room, I did a high cartwheel. (I'd never done a cartwheel in mylife!) As I came down, I kicked over the trash can with both feet. It banged noisily against the wall and rolled into Ms. McDonald's desk.
    “Max—control yourself!” she screamed.
    But I couldn't. I turned another cartwheel. Then I cut the air with a few karate kicks. I circled the room twice, running wildly. As I ran, I grabbed the paintings and posters off the walls and tossed them behind me on the floor.
    Kids were gasping and screaming. I saw Traci gaping at me in horror, her mouth dropped open to her knees! Aaron looked a bit confused too.
    “Ohhh, my headache …,” Ms. McDonald groaned. “Somebody—stop him!”
    I banged my head on the chalkboard. I spun away, up to Ms. McDonald's desk.
    I can't stop! Help me! I can't stop!
    That's what I
wanted
to scream. But instead, it came out, “Jabba jabbba gummma!”
    And then, to my horror, I turned my back to Ms. McDonald. I stuck out my butt and started to shimmy and shake it like a dancer in an MTV hiphop video.
    That got everyone laughing and screaming.
    Ms. McDonald shot around her desk and grabbed me by the arms. “Stop it, Max. Stop it!”
    But I was still shimmying and shaking my butt when Mrs. Wright, the principal, stepped into the room.
    Her mouth dropped open, and a loud gurgling noise came from her throat. Her face turned purple with anger. “Are we having dancing lessons?” she finally choked out. “What is all the uproar in this room?”
    “I … uh … I'm just practicing for the homecoming dance,” I said.
    Hey!
I could talk again!
    And I had stopped shimmying. My heart pounded like a drum in my chest. Sweat poured down my face. I felt dizzy. But at least I had stopped going crazy.
    “Max is having a problem this morning,” Ms. McDonald explained. She turned to me. “Max, what on earth—?”
    “I … I can explain,” I stammered.
    Everyone in the room stared at me. I wiped sweat off my forehead with my T-shirt sleeve.
    “You'd better have a good explanation for going wild like that,” Mrs. Wright said.
    “Yes. I have a very good explanation,” I said, still catching my breath.
    And I did. I knew exactly what my problem was. I was possessed.
    I didn't forget the threat that Phears had made. He promised to bring a Berserker Ghoul to ruin my life. He said the ghoul would drive me