Free Mean Ghouls by Stacia Deutsch

what he’d do with her and Sam if he caught them. A picture of him eating brains at a long table set with candles and cloth napkins popped into her mind and made her run faster.
    â€œI’ll distract him,” Sam said, turning away from Megan. “I know all the passageways.” He glanced back over his shoulder at Brett. “You’ll never catch me, Zom-Bonehead!”
    Megan headed toward the back door. Outside, she’d have a better chance to hide until it was safe.
    Unfortunately, Brett followed Megan out into the cool night air.
    Since they weren’t in the same PE class at home, she’d never seen him run, so Megan was surprised when Brett began gaining on her. He was the fastest zombie she’d ever seen! Almost supernaturally fast.
    Running was not going to save her.
    Brett made a grab for the back of Megan’s black T-shirt and she stumbled.
    Rocks scraped Megan’s hands and knees as she lunged out of Brett’s grasp. She managed to stand, but Brett was only inches behind her.
    â€œI’ve got you!” Brett snarled. “I’ve been waitingfor this moment ever since you turned me into a zombie!”
    â€œWhat are you talking about?” Megan kicked and struggled.
    â€œI ate your disease-infected brownie!”
    â€œI can’t believe you think I gave you zombitus,” Megan said. She still had no idea how she’d gotten it in the first place.
    â€œIt was your brownie!” he shrieked. His angry face was centimeters from hers.
    â€œDon’t blame me! I didn’t force you to eat it.” She tried every move she’d learned from wrestling with Zach, but Brett was too strong. “Get away from me, you snaggletooth!”
    â€œNow you have to pay,” he said quietly.
    More scared than she’d ever been her whole life, Megan stopped fighting and closed her eyes. If this was the end, to be eaten alive by her first crush, she didn’t want to see it. She hoped it would be quick and painless.
    â€œWhat’s going on here?”
    Saved!
    Megan knew that voice. She opened her eyes slowly. She also knew those floral flip-flops.
    Looking up past Brett’s big pumpkin head, Megan was relieved to find Mr. Jones standing over them.
    â€œMr. Hansen?” Mr. Jones pulled Brett off of Megan with a strong hand. “Is this appropriate zombie behavior?”
    Megan scrambled up and ducked behind Mr. Jones’s large body for protection.
    â€œI —” Brett began to explain, but Mr. Jones cut him off.
    â€œI will not have my students eating other students,” Mr. Jones’s said. “This is a vegetarian campus.” No one had told Megan that. Sam and Happy had just let her assume brains would eventually be served in the cafeteria.
    â€œI wasn’t going to eat her,” Brett said, quickly defending himself.
    â€œAnd what were you planning to do?” Mr. Jones stared hard at Brett.
    Yeah … Megan wanted to know, too.
    â€œMegan and I are old friends from Dana Point,” Brett explained. “We were just playing around.” He laughed, but it was obviously forced.
    Mr. Jones turned to Megan. “Is that true?”
    Brett licked his lips nervously. Whether he meant it as a threat or not, Megan got the chills. She wanted to get away from Brett as soon as she could.
    â€œUm … I’m Megan Murry. I’m new here. Can I talk to you about something?” she asked Mr. Jones.
    Drawing his bushy eyebrows together and lowering his eyes, he looked between her and Brett and back again.
    â€œAlone,” Megan said, nodding her head toward Brett.
    When Mr. Jones didn’t reply, she added, “It’s important.”
    â€œIf I ever catch you chasing one of my students,” Mr. Jones said, his European accent crackling, “you will be transferred to my school in Siberia.” A small smile curled his mouth. “It’s lovely. Old historic property. On Lake Baikal at