Free What Scares You the Most? by R.L. Stine Page B

sweat off her forehead with the back of her hand. A sign a few stores down caught her eye: YE OLDE ICE CREAM PARLOR .
    I’ve got to get something to drink, April thought. She made her way into the small restaurant—all white, white as vanilla ice cream—white walls, white ceiling, white tables, and white booths.
    She ordered a raspberry iced tea and a bottle of water. Then she started to carry her tray to a table.
    But she stopped halfway across the restaurant—and stared at a girl sitting alone in the back booth.
    I know that girl, she thought. She looks so familiar.
    And then April screamed, “Kristen—what are you doing here?”

24
    Kristen had an ice cream sundae in front of her. She dropped her spoon to the table, and her mouth opened in shock as April came hurrying over to her booth.
    â€œApril?” Kristen cried. “No way! I don’t believe it!”
    She jumped up, and the two girls hugged as if they were old friends.
    â€œThis is impossible!” April exclaimed. “Impossible! What are you doing here?”
    â€œWe don’t have school today,” Kristen explained. “My mom dropped me off here at the mall. I’m meeting some kids at the movie theater later.”
    April set her tray on the table and slid into the white booth across from Kristen. “But—but—” She felt too shocked to speak.
    Kristen laughed. “Calm down. Look at you. You’re drenched with sweat.” She handed April a paper napkin. “What’s your problem anyway?”
    â€œI—I’ve been running,” April replied. She moppedher forehead, then her cheeks. “But I don’t believe you’re here. I know you don’t live in Applegate.”
    â€œApplegate?” Kristen squinted across the table at April. “You’re kidding—right? This isn’t Applegate. This is New Town Village.” She picked up the spoon and took a chunk of chocolate ice cream.
    April’s mouth dropped open. She tried to say something, but only a squeak came out.
    Kristen spooned up her sundae, staring hard at her, studying her.
    â€œNew Town Village?” April finally managed to speak. “But that’s two towns away from Applegate.”
    Kristen nodded. “So?”
    April felt panic tighten her throat. “I—I must have run all the way. I don’t remember. I mean, that’s so far. What time is it?”
    Kristen glanced at her watch. “Two-fifteen. Hey—are you all right? Did you really run through two towns? Why? Why did you do it?”
    April stared back at her, thinking hard.
    Kristen reached across the table and squeezed April’s hand. “April, you’re shaking!”
    â€œI don’t know why I did it,” April murmured. “I…I don’t know.”
    And then the room began to spin in front of her. The white walls, the white floor, the white booths…
    â€œApril? Hey, April?” Kristen was squeezing her hand. “What’s up with you?”
    â€œI…don’t know,” April said. She took a longdrink of the iced tea. “Everything is crazy, Kristen. Crazy and frightening. Did you get your invitation to the reunion?”
    Kristen nodded. “Are you going?”
    â€œI really don’t want to,” April replied. “Since we got back from the island, the strangest things have been happening to me.”
    Kristen spooned up the last of the chocolate syrup in her sundae bowl. She set the spoon down and gazed hard at April. “Strange things? Like what?”
    And then it all burst from April in a breathless stream of words.
    She told Kristen about that morning—the chopping sound behind the cardboard trees, and the lightning, and the woman in the blue cloak on the stage. And about the woman singing in her headphones. And hearing Marlin call to her for help. And the night the police found her on the playground rock hill.
    When she finally