Free The Birthday Party of No Return! by R. L. Stine Page A

dressed for the football competition.
    It was only tag football. But Coach Taylor made everyone wear full equipment — knee pads, shoulder pads, and a helmet.
    I tried on three helmets, and they were all too big for me. I never knew I had such a tiny head! Finally, I just took one of the big ones. I figured it was no big deal if it slipped around a little.
    Some of the guys were goofing on one another, making jokes and bumping one another into the lockers. But I stayed quiet in my corner of the locker room. I wanted to concentrate.
    This was the most important game of my life.
    Cory came in when I was almost in my uniform. He tossed his backpack against the wall and set his helmet down on the bench. He started to unlock his locker.
    â€œHow’s it going, Lee?” he asked.
    â€œNot bad,” I said. “Actually, I feel good. I feel good about this game.”
    â€œMe, too,” he said.
    He pulled off his T-shirt and stuffed it in the locker. Then he lifted the good-luck claw off his neck. He set it down on the bench beside the helmet.
    â€œI’m going to the Stampede game at the arena Saturday,” Cory said. He struggled with the shoulder pads. Realized he had them on backward. Took them off and started again.
    â€œI get to sit on the bench and hang out with the players,” he said.
    â€œI’m going to the game, too,” I told him. “My dad got tickets in the second row.”
    â€œAwesome,” Cory said. He tightened the shoulder-pad straps. “Maybe I could get a ride with you, Lee. My parents are going somewhere Saturday night, and they didn’t want to drive me.”
    â€œSure,” I said. “I’ll tell my dad to stop at your house.”
    Yes, we were in a competition to the death. But Cory and I were still friends. It was a friendly competition.
    Except … staring at his vulture claw on the bench, I suddenly didn’t feel so friendly.
    I mean, it wasn’t fair. Really.
    I mean, I was happy I got rid of my bad luck. But Cory still had his good -luck charm. Cory still had all the good luck.
    That meant I was going to lose today. Lose the game and lose my last chance for the scholarship.
    â€œAnything wrong?” Cory’s question broke into my thoughts.
    â€œNo. No problem,” I said. I grabbed the big helmet and started to pull it over my hair. “This thing weighs a ton.”
    Cory started to answer. But Coach Taylor stepped up to his locker. “Cory, would you do me a favor? I left my playbook in my office on the second floor. Would you run up and get it for me?”
    â€œSure,” Cory said. He pulled a jersey down over the shoulder pads. Then he took off toward the locker-room door.
    I set my helmet back on the bench. I saw that I hadn’t tightened the laces on my football cleats. I sat down and started to work on them.
    My eyes stopped on the object on the floor. A claw. Cory’s claw. He didn’t put it back. It must have fallen off the bench.
    My brain started to whir. Thoughts flashed through my mind like comets. All kinds of thoughts. Including evil thoughts.
    The claw sat inches away from me. I gazed around. No one was looking. Most of the other guys had already run out to the football field.
    I picked up Cory’s claw. I rubbed my fingers over it.
    Should I do it? Should I?
    I couldn’t resist.
    Cory was my friend. But I really needed to outplay him today.
    I raised the claw to my mouth and kissed it.
    Then I turned it over and kissed the back.
    Then I kissed both sides again. Then I planted kisses all over it.
    All those kisses got it a little wet. I dried it off on the front of my football jersey. Then I placed it back on the floor exactly where it had fallen.
    Did I feel bad about what I just did?
    Not really. If the claw brought Cory a little bad luck this afternoon, it would just even things up. You know. Make it more fair.
    I pulled the helmet over my head and started to the door. Cory