The Birthday Party of No Return! by R. L. Stine Read Free Book Online Page B

scholarship. I gazed at the nicely wrapped package in my hand.
    It’s the Birthday Party of No Return for Cory , I thought.
    This is where everything changes.
    But I had a funny feeling in my stomach as I rang the doorbell. I just hope Cory’s bad luck isn’t TOO bad , I told myself.
    Mrs. Duckworth opened the door. Cory looks a lot like his mom. The same blond hair and blue eyes. And she has the dimple on her chin, too.
    â€œHi, Lee.” She stepped aside so I could walk in. “Everyone is downstairs. Just follow the noise.”
    Cory’s basement is a giant playroom. That’s where the family hangs out. They have a huge flat screen TV down there and shelves of books and board games and every toy Cory ever owned in his life. Tables and a bar with a real soda dispenser that has about six different kinds of soda pop. Lots of stereo equipment and a real karaoke machine.
    I mean, it’s everything you’d want all in one huge room.
    And it was packed with kids now. I recognized just about every kid from school, and some cousins of Cory’s I’d met before, and I saw a bunch of kids I didn’t know.
    â€œHey, how’s it going, Lee?” Cory greeted me. We bumped knuckles. He was wearing faded cargo jeans and a red and black T-shirt that said BIRTHDAY DUDE in big letters.
    â€œHappy birthday,” I said. I waved my present in front of him.
    â€œJust add it to the pile,” Cory said. He pointed to a card table stacked high with brightly wrapped presents.
    I dropped my present on the pile. I had that funny feeling in my stomach again. Stop thinking about it , I scolded myself. He deserves a little bad luck.
    I turned and gazed around the room. Kids were having a great time. Music thundered. I spotted Laura with some other girls, all carrying plates with pizza slices.
    â€œMy parents gave me a Wii,” Cory said. “Check it out.” He pointed to the big TV against the wall.
    A bunch of kids were huddled around it. Gray Haddox was playing tennis. He was swinging the controller hard, killing each serve.
    A tall blue and white iced birthday cake, loaded with candles, stood beside the food table. I walked over and grabbed a handful of tortilla chips.
    â€œAwesome party,” I told Cory, shouting over the music.
    Some guys had found a soccer ball and were batting it back and forth across the room. A few girls had turned on the karaoke machine. But you couldn’t hear them over the roaring music.
    I hung out with some guys for a while, just goofing and talking about stuff. There was a huge bouquet of balloons floating near the stairway. Some guys thought it was funny to pop them and make kids scream.
    Suddenly, the music stopped. Mrs. Duckworth strode across the room. “Time for Cory to open his presents,” she announced.
    She dragged a big trash can up to the table. “Put the wrapping paper in here,” she told Cory. “Everyone gather around.”
    We all huddled in front of the gift table, dropping onto the couches, chairs, and the floor. A few kids kept playing Wii. The sounds of the game rang off the low ceiling.
    With his mom watching from the side, Cory began opening presents. He wasn’t careful with the wrapping paper or anything. He just ripped the packages open with both hands.
    â€œSweet! Sweet!” he kept exclaiming, holding up each present.
    He got a lot of books and funny T-shirts and Wii games. Someone gave him a huge box of Starburst candy, his favorite.
    He was about halfway through the presents when he picked mine up.
    â€œIs this from you, Lee?” he asked.
    I nodded. “Yeah.”
    I suddenly felt really nervous. My hands went cold and I could feel my neck muscles tighten.
    I held my breath as Cory ripped away the red ribbon, then the wrapping paper. Then he jerked open the box.
    He pulled out the vulture claw and lifted it high for everyone to see.
    â€œSweet!” he cried. “Check it out. A good-luck