Free Camp Fear Ghouls by R.L. Stine Page B

started the whole thing again. “We’re the very best of friends! We’ll be best friends till the end.”
    â€œB-E-S-T,” Caroline murmured through swollen lips. “Best friends.”
    â€œThat’s it!” I yelled. “Come on, Caroline, one more time!”
    Caroline joined in. We sang our song again.
    Was it working?
    I peered at Caroline’s hideous face.
    As I stared, the sore on her forehead began to fade.
    Then it vanished!
    It was working. The cheer really was working!
    The ghouls stopped singing.
    â€œNo!” Amy screeched. “Noooo!”
    Caroline and I sang the cheer again—this time bellowing it at the top of our lungs. “We’re the very best of friends—•”
    â€œStop!” the ghouls wailed.
    â€œWe’ll be best friends till the end.”
    Caroline’s face returned to normal.
    She grinned at me and shouted, “B-E-S-T, best—”
    She didn’t finish. Her smile faded. She stared over my shoulder in horror.
    I whipped around to the campfire behind me.
    My mouth suddenly went dry. “Whoa,” I whispered.
    There, floating above the flames, was Pearl!

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    P earl hovered over us. She wore her troop uniform—purple sash and all.
    But I could see right through her to the trees surrounding the clearing.
    Pearl wasn’t a ghoul anymore. She was a ghost!
    â€œYou have failed!” she bellowed.
    â€œNo!” I shrieked. “We passed!”
    â€œNot you.” Pearl slowly turned her head to stare at the troop. “You!” She pointed a ghostly finger at Amy and the Camp Fear Ghouls. “You have all failed!”
    Amy shrank back in fear. “Wh-what are you doing here?” she stammered. “We destroyed you. Just like we destroyed Rose!”
    Pearl’s voice boomed over the trees. “Fool! You destroyed my body. But you cannot destroy me! I am the leader. I must always be part of the thirteen!”
    â€œI told you we couldn’t get rid of her,” Trudy whispered to Amy. “But you wouldn’t listen.”
    â€œShut up!” Amy growled.
    Pearl floated closer to Amy. “Amy is the most to blame. Because of her, we do not have the correct number of members. But you all did as Amy told you. You all broke the rules.” Pearl suddenly bellowed, “Now you all must pay!”
    Amy dropped to her knees. “No!”
    â€œYes!” Pearl pointed her skeletal hand at Amy and ordered, “Camp Fear Ghouls, COUNT OFF!”
    Amy clasped her hands together. “Please, don’t make me!”
    Pearl sucked in a huge breath of air, then roared, “ONE!”
    The Camp Fear Ghouls stared up at Pearl. Total fear showed on their disgusting faces.
    What were they afraid of? What would happen if they counted off?
    Pearl floated closer to Amy. “I said, ONE!”
    Amy covered her head and moaned, “TWO!”
    â€œTHREE!” Priscilla whimpered.
    â€œFOUR!” Trudy cried.
    Thunder rumbled in the distance. The ghouls kept counting.
    â€œFIVE!”
    â€œSIX!”
    I watched their faces, trying to put it together.
    There were supposed to be thirteen girls in the troop. That was the key, I knew. But the key to what?
    The thunder crashed again. Closer to camp this time.
    Violet was the last of the ghouls to count off. “TWELVE!”
    The troop turned to face Caroline and me.
    Pearl hovered over me. “Say it!” she ordered.
    â€œTHIRTEEN!” I shouted.
    Lightning struck a tree a few feet away. The night sky exploded with light.
    â€œNow you!” Pearl pointed at Caroline.
    I turned to Caroline. She stood frozen, her eyes wide with fear.
    â€œCaroline,” I whispered. “Say it.”
    Caroline stared blankly ahead, shivering.
    I grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her. “Say it, Caroline!” I ordered. “Say ‘fourteen!’ “
    But Caroline didn’t say a thing.

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