R. L. Stine_Mostly Ghostly 04 by Little Camp of Horrors Read Free Book Online

escaped,” Tara said. “Nickyand I slipped away while they were fighting. They didn't even see us go.”
    “But we know what their plan is,” Nicky said, lowering his voice. “They're waiting for
you
to do the work, Max. They're waiting for you to get the pendant. Then they're going to pounce.”
    I gulped. “Pounce?”
    Tara nodded. “They're here. They're watching. They're ready to pounce.”
    And then I heard a cracking sound behind me.
    I spun around. And cried out, “Phears!”

20
    N ICKY GRABBED ME . “Shhh. Max, don't lose it. That was a tree branch creaking.”
    My heart had leaped to my throat. I blinked several times, then glanced down the long row of cabins, all dark and silent.
    “We have to get out of here!” I cried. “I can't face Phears again!”
    “We can't leave,” Tara said. “We have to find that pendant. We have to find Mom and Dad. They are so close. I know they are.”
    “Where is Colin?” Nicky asked me. “Maybe Tara and I can slip into his cabin and take the pendant away from him while he sleeps.”
    I shook my head. “He isn't here. He went on a two-day canoe trip with some kids.”
    “Was he wearing the pendant?” Tara asked.
    “I don't know. He keeps teasing me with it. Pulling it out from under his shirt and showing it off to me. It doesn't belong to him. He's a total thief.”
    “Thief?” a voice cried.
    I turned and saw Uncle Joey standing beside me. “Who is a thief, Max?” he demanded. “Who are you talking to?”
    Tara poked me in the side. “Tell him to mind his own business, Max.”
    “I can't say that!” I told her.
    Uncle Joey squinted at me. “You can't tell me who you were talking to? Was it a girl? Did you sneak out to meet a girl?”
    “Is there room for us in your cabin?” Nicky asked me. “Do you have a lot of other guys in there?”
    “No. Three,” I said.
    Uncle Joey's eyes bulged. “You sneaked out to meet
three
girls?”
    “I wasn't talking to you,” I said.
    Uncle Joey studied me. “Max, did you hit your head when you fell down the gorge?”
    Tara grabbed my arm. “Max, tell him to go away. We have to talk.”
    “No,” I said. “Shut up.”
    Uncle Joey's face twisted into an angry scowl. “You're telling me to shut up? Would you like to be on latrine duty and mop up the bathrooms for a week?”
    “Tell him to get lost!” Tara said.
    “Make me!” I cried.
    Uncle Joey shrugged. “Okay, I will. You're on latrine duty for a week, Max.”
    I turned angrily to Tara. “Thanks a lot!” I shouted.
    “You're welcome,” Uncle Joey said. “Now get back to your cabin.” He crossed his arms and glared at me.
    I had no choice. I had a hundred things I wanted to ask Nicky and Tara. But with Uncle Joey watching, I turned and trudged up the path to the cabins.
    Owls hooted in the trees. A strong breeze off the lake made the trees creak and shiver. Flying low overhead, a bat fluttered back and forth across the path.
    I was almost to my cabin when I heard the whispers.
    “Max … Maaaaaax … ”
    Again. Someone whispering my name. From the empty cabin in the woods. The Haunted Cabin.
    “Maaaaaaaax … ”
    No. Not from the cabin. Too close.
    Right behind me!
    I spun around—and stared at the two insect creatures.
    Taller than me, standing on their back legs. Buzzing excitedly. Whispering,
“Maaaax … Maaaax … ”
    Their tiny black eyes glowed in the moonlight. Their antennae rattled over their heads.
    I let out a loud gasp and tried to run.
    But they were too fast for me. One scrabbled in front of me, and I stumbled into it. Its ribbed chest felt hard as iron.
    The other one bumped me from behind.
    “Maaax. Maaax.”
A raspy, metallic sound.
    “Too slow, Max. You're too slow.”
    “We need the pendant now. We warned you.”
    “Too slow.”
    “And now it's too late.”
    With loud grunts, they shoved their hard ribbed bodies against me. One from in front, the other from behind.
    Pain jolted my body.
    They're crushing me, I