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

realized.
    They're not going to wait for Colin.
    They're crushing me right now.

21
    M Y CHEST ACHED . I couldn't breathe.
    I felt the warm vibrations of their chests as they tightened themselves against me, pressing harder, smothering me against their insect bodies.
    Then I heard a loud
crack
.
    My bones breaking!
    But no. I heard a soft explosion. And then a powerful stinging odor spread over me.
    It took me a second to realize what it was. The can of bug spray. Crushed between the two creatures, the can had exploded.
    The stinging mist floated up around us.
    I heard the creatures sigh.
    Their chests went soft. I could feel the ribbed flesh collapsing.
    They toppled off me and began to stagger crazily, coughing and sputtering. Their antennae drooped. The glow faded from their tiny round eyes. They grabbed at their chests, wheezing, heads tossed back, roaring hoarsely like elephants.
    And then they collapsed. Their bodies made a wet smacking sound as they hit the muddy ground. Their heads slid into their shells. Their spindly legs curled into their chests.
    They didn't move.
    Dead. The two creatures were dead.
    I stood over them, still panting. I pressed my hands to my knees and struggled to catch my breath.
    The two insect creatures were dead. But I knew I couldn't celebrate. I knew Phears was still around.
    Waiting to pounce.
    Phears would be angry now. Phears would be coming after me soon.
    And I knew it would take more than a can of bug spray to get rid of him.

22
    A FTER KILLING TWO DANGEROUS CREATURES , mop-ping the latrines wasn't that difficult. In fact, it helped take my mind off my troubles. I held the mop in one hand and pinched my nose with two fingers of my other hand. No problem.
    I mopped all six latrines after breakfast, and it only took an hour. While I worked, I made up word games in my head.
    Did you know that an anagram for SmallCAMP SNAKE LAKE is SNEAK LAME PACK?
    I know. It doesn't make any sense. But what do you expect from someone cleaning toilets?
    I did the word games to keep my mind off Colin and the pendant and Phears. Artie told me that Colin was supposed to return from his canoe trip later that afternoon.
    It was a chilly gray day. Dark storm clouds gathered overhead. In the woods, a white blanket of fog rolled along the ground.
    Right after lunch, the rain started to comedown. Thunder cracked overhead. We all gathered in the lodge.
    Uncle Joey showed a movie on the big-screen TV. It was a Jackie Chan film, very funny with lots of kicking and guys flying through the air.
    The girls groaned and complained about how stupid and violent it was. But the guys liked it.
    Some kids sat cross-legged on the floor. Some sprawled on their backs and used other kids for pillows.
    The rain pattered down on the roof of the lodge, making it hard to hear the movie. I couldn't concentrate on it anyway. I knew Colin would be back in camp any minute.
    About halfway through the film, I sneaked out the back door. I stood outside the lodge and let the rain pour over me. It was almost as dark as night. I squinted into the eerie gray light, watching for my brother.
    To my right, the pounding rain had turned the dirt path to the cabins into a river. To my left, the lake stretched dark and still. Raindrops sparkled like little diamonds as they hit the surface.
    Thunder rumbled, far in the distance now. And I saw a pale streak of lightning high in the gray-purple sky.
    I sighed. I could be home safe and sound in myroom. Instead, here I was somewhere far out in the woods, surrounded by ghosts.
    And just as I thought about ghosts, Nicky and Tara appeared in front of me. I watched the raindrops fall right through them and hit the ground at their feet.
    They were standing in the rain, but they weren't getting wet.
    “What's up, Max?” Tara asked.
    “Is Colin back?” Nicky asked.
    I opened my mouth to answer them but stopped. A figure moved down by the lake. A chill swept down my back. Phears?
    No. I recognized Colin. Colin