Free The Dare by R.L. Stine Page B

to them.
    He gave both Dennis and Zack failing grades for the term. That meant that Dennis was no longer eligible for the track team. Dennis’s parents came to school and argued with Mr. Hernandez. But this time the principal backed up Mr. Northwood.
    Mr. Northwood also made Caitlin and Melody come in for an hour after school every day for a week—just because they were laughing together during a class discussion. And he threatened to keep us all from going on our spring class trip if our projects weren’t handed in on time.
    So, as the days went by, we continued to joke about how we wanted to murder Mr. Northwood.
    And then, late on a Thursday night, it stopped being a joke.
    *   *   *
    Zack had sneaked two six-packs of beer from his house, and we were all sipping from the cans as we did our homework, sprawled around my living room.
    I was slumped in the armchair, trying to concentrate on
Hamlet.
Dennis and Caitlin were at opposite ends of the couch, scribbling in their chemistry notebooks. Zack, Lanny, and Melody were on their stomachs on the carpet, immersed in different books.
    I heard Dennis mutter something about needing a pencil, but I didn’t see him get up or walk over to the little green table against the wall.
    I glanced up in time to see him pull open the drawer. “Wow!” His eyes went wide as he reached in and pulled out the little pistol. “Wow! We really
could
kill Mr. Northwood!” Dennis exclaimed.
    â€œDennis—put that away!” Caitlin cried from the couch. She immediately sounded very frightened.
    â€œWhat’s that?” Lanny called, glancing up from the floor.
    â€œWe could shoot him. We really could!” Dennis cried with surprising enthusiasm.
    I saw him click the bullet cartridge into the handle.
    â€œDennis—whoa,” I said, closing my book. I had a tight feeling in my chest, a feeling of dread.
    â€œHey, Zack, check this out!” Dennis cried, ignoring me. He tossed the loaded pistol across the room to Zack.
    Zack reached up and caught it, spilling his beer on the carpet. He didn’t seem to notice. He rolled the silver pistol around in his hands, examining it carefully.“Is it real?” he asked me. “I’ve never held a real gun before.”
    â€œMy dad left it,” I explained. “For protection. Put it away—okay?”
    â€œYeah. Put it away. Come on!” Caitlin pleaded.
    But Zack handed it to Lanny. Lanny pretended to shoot Dennis. Dennis grabbed his chest and staggered to the floor.
    The boys laughed. The girls didn’t.
    I jumped to my feet. “Come on, guys. Stop messing around with that. You’re scaring me. You really are.”
    â€œI’m leaving,” Melody said tensely. She slammed her book shut and stood up. “If you don’t put that away, I’m leaving. This is just stupid.”
    Lanny had tossed down three beers. His eyes were kind of watery. He grinned at Melody. Then he spun the pistol on his finger. “Always wanted to be a cowboy,” he murmured.
    â€œWe could shoot Northwood,” Dennis said, scratching his head. “It would be so easy.” He crossed the room and took the pistol from Lanny.
    â€œBye,” Melody said. “I’m serious. I’m leaving.” She started toward the front hall.
    Dennis carried the pistol to the window. He aimed it out at the darkness and pretended to fire it. “Bang. You’re dead, Mr. Northwood,” he said, grinning.
    He tossed the pistol to Zack. “What do you think, man?”
    Zack missed. The gun bounced on the carpet, stopping at his feet.
    â€œPut it away!
Please!”
I shouted.
    â€œWe shoot Northwood. Then we hide the gun,” Dennis said. “Then we pretend like nothing happened. No one is going to suspect a group of nice, respectable teenagers like us.”
    â€œYou’re crazy, Dennis,” Caitlin said shrilly. “You’re really