Free Scare School by R. L. Stine Page B

thought anyone would guess … ”
    “I’m going to tell everyone,” I said. “Your days of terrifying the school are over.”
    “I know,” he said, shaking his head again. “You’ve defeated me, Sam.” He shrugged. “I’m finished here.”
    He gazed at me with a pleading expression. “Can we make a deal?” he asked.
    I tensed, studying him. “What kind of deal?”
    “Can we make a trade?” he asked softly. “I’ll give you back your jacket if you give me my tail.”
    “I don’t know,” I replied. “Why should I trust you? It might be some kind of a trick.”
    He raised his right hand as if swearing an oath. “No tricks. You give me my tail, Sam. I return your jacket. Then I promise I’ll go away, and no one at this school will ever see me again.”
    I squinted hard at him. “You’ll go away before the band concert? And you’ll never come back to this school?”
    He raised his right hand again. “Promise.”
    I kept staring at him. Had I really defeated him? Had I really freed the school from his terror?
    What did the article online say? Did it say what would happen if you guessed an imp’s real identity? Did It say that guessing his identity would take away all his powers? I couldn’t remember.
    “Is it a deal?” he asked eagerly. “Have we got a deal?” He reached out his right hand for me to shake.
    I stared hard at him, studying his sad, defeated face.
    Could I trust him?
    Could I?

26
    Yes, I decided. I shook his hand.
    “Go get my tail,” Simpson said. “I’ll bring your jacket. We’ll meet back here in two minutes—okay?”
    I hoped I wasn’t making a big mistake. “You won’t run away and hide?” I asked. “You won’t go back to your old tricks at the concert tonight?”
    He shook his head. “I can’t go back to my old tricks, Sam. You’ve defeated me.”
    He seemed so sad and sincere. I had to believe him.
    I turned and ran out of the band room. I made my way downstairs and hurried to my locker.
    I heard voices down the hall. I saw people heading to the auditorium. The audience had startedto arrive for the concert.
    I saw two teachers go through the auditorium doors. A couple of kids followed them.
    I wanted to run up to them all. I wanted to scream at the top of my lungs: “I did it! I defeated the imp!”
    I grabbed the green tail from my locker shelf. I wrapped it around my hand and slammed the locker door shut.
    I was running up the steps, on my way back to the band room, when I saw a familiar figure heading down toward me.
    “Hey, Tim,” I called.
    Tim stopped. He lowered his eyes to the tail wrapped around my hand.
    “Are you still here? Are you going to the concert?” I asked.
    He kept his gaze on the tail. “What are you going to do with that?” he asked.
    I hesitated.
    Should I tell him?
    Yes. I couldn’t keep my news to myself any longer. I had to tell someone!
    “I did it, Tim!” I exclaimed. “I captured the imp. I captured him, and I figured out who he is!”
    Tim’s mouth dropped open. “You—?”
    “Yes! It’s Simpson! I watched the imp change into Simpson! I defeated him! The imp is finished!” I cried. “As soon as I give him back his tail, he’shistory! He’s going away forever!”
    “Wow,” Tim muttered, his eyes wide with amazement. “Wow, Sam. I can’t believe it!”
    “Is that cool, or what?” I said. I raised my free hand to slap him a high five.
    But instead, he reached for the tail. “Can I hold it for a second?” he asked. “I just want to hold it.”
    “Oh. Well … ” I started to hand it to him. Then I stopped with a gasp.
    And jerked my hand back.
    Tim Poster.
    Drop the first letter.
    IM Poster .
    Imp oster .
    Imposter!
    “Not” I screamed. “You tool You’re an imp!”
    Tim leaped forward and grabbed the tail. “Give me my brother’s tail!”
    I let out a gasp. “Huh? Your brother?”
    He struggled to grab the tail from my hand.
    I swung away from him and slammed hard into the wall.
    He tackled me