Stage Fright by Peter Bently Read Free Book Online Page A

skillfully dodging columns, walls, desks, and other bats.

    â€œWow!” said Lee. “Cool! Wait till I show Boris!” Lee’s friend Boris was a real bat who lived in the school clock tower.
    Miss Gargoyle hovered in midair to get her breath back.
    â€œThe third S ,” she went on, “is skulking. This is particularly handy when you need to turn into a bat—or back into a vampire—without any Fangless folk seeing you. When you need a place to skulk, my tip is to remember the Three C s: columns, curtains, and corners.”

    â€œWhat kind of corners?” said Lee.
    â€œThree- D ones are best,” said Miss Gargoyle.

    â€œWhat?” asked Billy. “As in a 3-D movie?”
    â€œNo,” said Miss Gargoyle. “As in dark, damp, and dingy. Okay class, now you all have a try.”
    They practiced the three S s until the bell rang for break.
    â€œWell done, everybody,” said Miss Gargoyle. “That’s the end of our lessons for today. See you after break in the school hall for the dress rehearsal.” She glanced over at Lee. “And don’t forget your costumes!”

Chapter 2
    First Night Nerves

    During break, Lee, Bella, and Billy sat together. Lee gobbled up a packet of Drac’s Snacks, but Billy and Bella ate hardly anything at all.
    â€œI—I can’t eat,” quivered Billy. “I’m so nervous about this stupid phantomime. I dunno why I said I’d be in it. I hate acting!”
    â€œYou’ll be fine,” said Lee. “The hunter hasn’t got much to say, not like—”
    â€œATCHOO!”

    Bella sneezed so loudly that Lee dropped his snack and Billy almost jumped out of his seat.
    â€œYikes, Bella!” said Lee. “That was loud enough to wake up a zombie!”
    â€œSorry,” said Bella. “I’ve got a little cold. I don’t think I should have done so much skulking during the last lesson.”
    â€œWell, you did manage to find the darkest and dampest corner,” said Billy. “It took us forever to find you.”
    â€œMy throat feels funny, too,” said Bella.
    â€œYou’re probably just nervous,” said Lee. “After all, you have the biggest part.”
    â€œAnd you have to sing those songs all by yourself,” Billy chipped in. Miss Gargoyle had asked Bella to play Snow Fright because she had the best voice in the class.
    â€œYeah,” said Lee. “In front of the whole school.”

    â€œAnd lots of parents and friends,” said Billy.
    â€œOh thanks, guys!” groaned Bella. “You’ve really cheered me up!”
    Lee hastily changed the subject.
    â€œMiss Gargoyle said there’s going to be a special mystery guest,” he said. “I wonder who it is.”
    â€œNo idea,” said Billy. “Didn’t she say the mayor is coming? Maybe it’s him.”
    â€œOh, durrr!” snorted Bella. “The whole point of a mystery guest is that you don’t know who it is, silly.”
    â€œAll right,” said Billy. “Keep your cape on!”
    â€œIt’s no good,” said Bella. “I just can’t eat. Does anyone want my snack?”

    Big Herb was at the next table. Hearing the offer of free food, he whizzed around like a tornado.
    â€œI’ll have it!” he said through a huge mouthful of black pudding sandwich, some of which sprayed out onto his shirt. Then he looked at Bella’s tub of beetroot salad and shook his head. “Yurggh! Actually, no thanks Bella. I forgot you’re a vegetarian.”

Chapter 3
    Snow Fright in a Flap
    After break, Lee, Bella, and Billy went straight to the hall and changed into their phantomime costumes.
    â€œOK, seven dwarfs,” said Miss Gargoyle. “Let’s run through the “Work Song” one last time.”

    Lee and the six other vampire dwarfs all marched across the stage in a line. They were Gappy, Snappy, Flappy, Creepy,