Free The Monster Hunter's Manual by Jessica Penot Page B

calmly. “I wanna see what happens.”
    I didn’t even answer him I was running so fast. I ran so fast my feet almost slipped out from under me. I passed under the castle gates and Uno, Alex, and I cranked the wheel to close the gate.
    â€œWhat should we do?” Alex yelled.
    Uno had trouble talking. “We – we need to get Aunt Perrine.”
    â€œWhat?” Alex said. “What would she do?”
    Uno began to run towards the house. “Come on,” he yelled and we followed because we didn’t know what else to do.
    We ran into the living room and Uno pulled at a candle that was located beside the fireplace. Alex and I watched in amazement as a secret passage opened into a dark hall behind the fireplace. Uno ran in and we followed.
    We ran down the long, stone hall. Candles on the wall lit up as if by magic, as we passed them. The hall ended at a spiral staircase that went up and down. We went up to aroom, which seemed to be hidden in one of the back towers of the castle. It was circular and the window looked out on the old woods. Bookshelves, covered with ancient books, lined the walls, and there were glass cases filled with herbs, vials, and old skulls. Swords and axes were mounted to the walls next to cross bows and maces.
    Alex and I stood staring out at the green bottles and ancient books. It looked like a wizard’s study.
    â€œWhat’re you doing?” Uno called out. “We have to find the book.”
    â€œThe what?” I asked stupidly.
    â€œLe Guide de Bagarreur Le Monstre
. I know she left it in here some place. If we can find it we won’t have to tell Aunt Perrine and we won’t get into trouble,” Uno replied. “The book will tell us how to stop the zombies.”
    â€œZombies?” Alex yelled.
    â€œBook?” I said.
    â€œWould you two stop staring and help me? We are going to be in so much trouble,” Uno said.
    I ran to the bookshelf and started reading the titles, “What does it look like?”
    â€œIt is quite large and bound in dragon skin.” Aunt Perrine’s voice caused us all stop dead in our tracks.
    We turned to see her at the top of the stairs with her arms crossed angrily across her chest. She was wearing a robe with dragons embroidered on it and she looked fierce for an old lady. “I expected more of you, Uno. I expect Roger to be involved in zis kind of foolishness, but you are smarter zan zis.”
    Uno looked down. His red eyes filled with remorse and he looked a little sheepish.
    â€œAnd you two boys,” she said, “have gotten into nozing but trouble since you ’ave been ’ere.”
    â€œSorry,” Alex and I said in unison.
    â€œMagic is dangerous. Little boys should not play wiz zings zey do not understand.”
    â€œSorry,” we said again.
    â€œOK, zen. Now we deal wiz zeez zombies.” Aunt Perrine looked around. “Where is Roger?”
    â€œHe stayed to watch the zombies,” I said.
    Aunt Perrine shook her head. “I’ll deal with him later. But now, you three need weapons.”
    Alex and I just looked at each other.

Chapter 7
Three Easy Steps to Fighting Zombies

    Aunt Perrine seemed very calm about everything. She hummed as she pulled a large, red book from the shelf. She set it down on the table. The book was bound in shiny, red scales and labeled in long elegant script,
Le Guide de Bagarreur Le Monstre
.
    â€œWhat does it mean?” I asked Uno.
    â€œIt means the guidebook for monster fighters. It’s
The Monster Hunter’s Manual,”
Uno whispered.
    Aunt Perrine took out the book and then walked over to a weapon-covered wall. She looked up at the swords, knives, crossbows, silver guns, crosses and shields. She shook her head, and turning away from the wall, went over to a chest.
    â€œAh,” she said. “Zis is just what we need. Zee perfect weapon to fight zee zombies.”
    She pulled four out four very large,