Spell of the Screaming Jokers by R.L. Stine Read Free Book Online Page B

Street.
    â€œNo!” I shouted. “I’m not okay! I feel like a walking target. I got a joker. Now something terrible is going to happen to me. I’m just waiting for the rattles and hisses to start. I’m waiting for a bunch of jokers to attack me!”
    â€œTake it easy, Brit,” Jeff said. “We’ll stay with you. They won’t attack all of us.”
    â€œWe’ll walk you home,” Louisa offered. “Don’t worry.”
    They walked me all the way to my front door. “Thanks, guys,” I told them. “You’re really good friends.”
    For some reason, that sent Frankie into a fit of laughter.
    â€œFrankie, quit it!” Louisa rolled her eyes. “You’ve been acting so weird lately. All you do is laugh. This isn’t funny.”
    â€œHa! Ha! The joke is on you,” Frankie said, and started to laugh some more.
    The laughter pounded in my head. “Cut it out, Frankie!” I yelled. I just couldn’t stand the sound.
    I broke away from the group and ran into my house. “Mom?” I called.
    No answer.
    â€œMom?” I called again. My eyes searched the kitchen. There was no sign of my mom. And no sign that she’d been there.
    No groceries. Nothing on the stove.
    My heart began to race.
    â€œMOM!” I screamed. “Where are you?”
    No answer.
    I turned and ran for the stairs.
    â€œJimmy?” I called. “Jimmy? Are you home?”
    I waited to hear his voice.
    But all I heard was a faint hissing sound.
    Mom must be taking a shower , I tried to tell myself. It’s only the shower running.
    That’s all.
    Just the shower.
    But the hissing sound grew louder—and turned into rattling.
    I searched frantically for a place to hide.
    All I could think of was the hall closet.
    I dashed for it. I threw open the door—and screamed.
    There they were—five ugly jokers in pointy green hats!
    Waiting for me.
    Leering at me with their hideous grins.
    Each one held a stick—with a horrible, grinning skull perched on the top.
    Their lips curled into an ugly sneer.
    Then one moved forward. It raised its skull-stick high—then it lunged for me.
    â€œNooo!” I cried.
    I dropped to the hall floor. I covered my head with my arms. I squeezed my eyes shut.
    Three more jokers circled me. Danced around me. Swatted me with their skull-sticks.
    They laughed and screamed. And chanted.
    â€œAll red and black must bow to green!
    All red and black must bow to green!”
    Over and over again.
    I hugged my arms more tightly around my head.
    They rattled their sticks wildly. Shrieking now. Shrieking madly.
    Then all the noise stopped.
    Gone. The jokers must be gone.
    I slowly raised my head—and gasped.
    They were still there! Hovering above me. Staring at me in eerie silence.
    â€œLeave me alone!” I screamed. “Go away!”
    The first joker stretched his hand toward me.
    â€œGet away from me!” I cried, shrinking away.
    But he yanked on my arm and pulled me to my feet.
    I stared into his horrible eyes. And they began to glow an evil red.
    â€œWh-what are you going to do?” I stammered.
    The joker glared at me. He lifted his skull-stick high in the air. The other jokers did the same.
    They began to shake them again. More frantically than before.
    The rattling was deafening.
    I threw my hands over my ears. But I couldn’t drown out the terrifying sound.
    The skulls seemed to start breathing. A green mist poured from their nostrils. Their hollow cheeks began to pulse. And from deep within their sockets, their eyes began to glow.
    The jokers started singing their horrible chant.
    â€œWe shake the skull with eyes that gleam!
    We make our marks, we laugh and scream!
    Her army strengthens day by day
    You play her game! She’ll make you pay!
    All red and black must bow to green . . . . ”
    Then they stopped—and ran out of the house.
    My legs collapsed