Moon-Faced Ghoul-Thing by Barry Hutchison Read Free Book Online Page B

even with Paradise’s finding ability.
    Wesley’s eyelids fluttered open. “Wh-what’s happening?” he stammered.
    “We’re making a dramatic escape,” said Paradise. Wesley groaned.
    “Not another one. What are we escaping this time?”
    “Moon-Faced Ghoul-Thing. Again,” said Ben. He chewed his lip, then asked, “Are you OK, Wes?”
    Wesley deliberately looked away and unhooked his arm from Ben’s shoulder. “We’re not running for the forest, are we?” he asked. “It looks terrifying.”
    “No, we’re trying to find the well,” said Paradise, before immediately tripping over and landing in a heap on the grass.
    “Wow, you really can find anything,” smirked Ben, pulling aside the tall grass to reveal a small stone well hidden within. They all peered down into the murky blackness.
    The well was wide enough to climb down, but only if they went one at a time. Ben grabbed a stone from the ground, held it abovethe well then let it fall.

    Several seconds passed before they heard the faint plink of the stone hitting the water.
    “It’s a long way down,” Paradise said.
    Wesley stared at her in horror. “We’re not climbing down there, are we?”
    “There’s a tunnel,” Paradise said, her brow furrowed as she concentrated. “It leads awayfrom the well and under the forest.”
    “The ghoul-thing won’t be able to get us down there,” Ben said. He slung a leg over the well and pressed his palms flat against the sides. “Come on, follow me.”
    Wesley shook his head. “Always rushing in,” he muttered.
    “Wesley’s right,” said Paradise. “We don’t know what’s down there.”
    “No, but we know what’s up here,” said Ben. “If the ghoul-thing is coming then so is Scarrabus.”
    Wesley looked back at Mr Nuttendudge’s house, then peered past Ben into the well. “Oh, let’s get it over with,” he grumbled. He clambered into the well as Ben began to inch his way down.
    “I don’t like this,” Wesley said. “Have I mentioned that?”
    “It’ll be OK, Wes,” said Ben, but the only answer from Wesley was a grunt as he began to clamber clumsily down the well.
    When they were halfway down, they heard Paradise whisper, “I can’t reach the walls. They’re too wide.”
    “You mean your arms are too short,” said Ben.
    “Either way, I can’t reach.”
    “Try,” Ben urged. “Wedge your feet and back against the wall, and climb down that way.”
    From up above Ben heard Paradise mutter something under her breath. He heard the rustle of her robe as she got into position.
    Then he heard her cry out in fright as herfeet slipped and she tumbled down the well towards him.
    “Oof!”
    “Careful!”
    SPLASH!
    They hit the icy-cold water in a tangle of arms and legs. Ben barely had time to gasp before he plunged beneath the surface.
    Underwater, he could hear the muffled swishing of his friends, frantically fighting their way to the surface. He kicked out in the darkness, trying to swim upwards, but instead crashed into one of the well’s stone walls.
    He fumbled wildly, before a flailing foot caught him hard on the chin, spinning him round. The cold was making his body cramp. His lungs were crying out for air, but he hadno idea in which direction he’d find any. Up, down, left, right, it was all the same down there in the cold darkness.
    Something snagged him by the back of the tunic and yanked him sharply. With a splosh he broke the surface just as his mouth opened and he gulped in the damp well air.

    “Are you OK?” Wesley asked. In the gloom, Ben could just make out that Wes had what looked like an inflated pig’s bladder tied around each arm, keeping him afloat.
    “I’m fine,” Ben coughed. “Thanks, Wes. You saved my life.”
    Wesley looked surprised. “Did I? I mean, yes. So I did.”
    Ben gestured to the pig bladders. “What are those?”
    “Arm floats,” Wesley explained. “A little something I keep up my sleeve for just such an occasion. This robe gets very