Free Danger Guys by Tony Abbott

ONE
    â€œ Boom! Ba-boom! ”
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œThat’s how it starts,” I said. “With lightning flashing and thunder going Boom! Ba-boom! ”
    â€œOh. Okay. Go on.”
    I was in my best friend Zeek’s room. He was holding his dad’s new video camera. I was telling him my idea for a movie. And, since it was Halloween, it was going to be a scary movie.
    â€œIt’s dark,” I said. “Two kids run into an old house. Their names are Noodle Newton and Zeek Pilinsky.”
    â€œThe stars!” Zeek smiled as he looked at me through the camera lens.
    â€œSuddenly, a horrible noise echoes through the house. And Zeek says, ‘I’m afraaaid! ’ But Noodle stays cool. He says …”
    â€œCUT! CUT! CUT!” Zeek said, putting down the camera. “That’s not how it goes! I don’t say, ‘I’ m afraaaid .’”
    â€œSorry,” I said. “I thought one of us should be scared … you know … a little ?”
    â€œWell, it can’t be me,” he said. “Or you, either. We’re official Danger Guys. We love this stuff.”
    It’s true. We are Danger Guys, and we do love this stuff. Action movies, scary movies, adventure movies—we’ve seen them all. And we’ve read every book, too.
    â€œThink of something else, Noodle. You’re always thinking up something or other.”
    Yeah, I’m the guy with the ideas. That’s why everybody calls me Noodle. And Zeek’s the sports whiz, the guy with the muscles.
    Together, we are one incredible team.
    â€œWell, okay,” I admitted. “How about—”
    â€œShhh!” Zeek put his finger up to his lips and pointed to his door. The knob turned slowly.
    Suddenly— wham! The door swung open. I fell behind Zeek’s bed. Zeek backed into his desk, tripped, and nearly dropped the camera.
    â€œGot you!” said a familiar voice.
    â€œDad!” said Zeek. “You scared us!” Then Zeek looked at me and smiled. “Well, not really.”
    I poked up my head. “We’re going to make a Halloween movie with your camera, Mr. P.”
    â€œThat’s why I’m here,” he said. “If you plan to make a movie, there’s only one place to learn.”
    Then he held up a handful of tickets. There was a big golden “P” on each one.
    Zeek and I looked at each other. We started jumping up and down.
    â€œParagon Movie Studio!”
    Zeek’s dad smiled. “That’s right. We’ve got tickets for a tour of the oldest studio in Hollywood. Want to eat first, or—”
    Whoosh! We never even heard the rest.
    A couple of hours later, Zeek and I, dressed in our Danger Guy jackets, backpacks, and sunglasses, were staring up at the golden letters on the Paragon Studio gate.
    â€œZeek, look. Just like at the beginning of all those movies. The Paragon gate. Then it fades and the movie starts. Remember Storm of Terror ? That first scene?”
    â€œYeah,” said Zeek in his deep movie voice. “‘ It was a beautiful day. Then something went wrong. Terribly wrong! ’ I can’t believe it—they made that movie right here!”
    â€œBoys, they made everything here,” said Zeek’s mom, gazing at Mr. P. “Why, I remember Strangers in Love and Close Friends and all those other great films. Don’t you, dear?”
    Zeek and I looked at each other. “Yeah, I guess they had to make those kinds of movies, too.”
    â€œAnd,” said Zeek’s sister, Emily, “don’t forget Ali Baba .” Then she started to hum the love theme.
    Two seconds later, a small bus drove up. We got on with a bunch of other kids and parents.
    â€œOkay, Zeek,” I said. “Start rolling. We need some good background shots for our movie.”
    â€œYeah. Too bad it’s such a nice day. Maybe we should make a love story.”
    We looked at each