You’re invited to . . . Create Your Own Scary Story! Do you want to turn your sleepover into a creepover? Telling a spooky story is a great way to set the mood. P. J. Night has written a few sentences to get you started. Fill in the rest of the stor...
The middle school bus came so early in the morning, and took so long getting to school, that one of Cora Nicolaides’s parents usually drove her and picked her up. Her dad was working from home today, so it would be his turn for pickup that afternoon. Cora took her time as she walked to the carpoo...
CHAPTER 13 She screamed soundlessly, almost dropping the candle, and whirled around. “Kayla!” It was Tom. Even in the light of the flickering candle, she could see his pale face, his wild eyes filled with horror. “What’s happening?” he croaked. “The last thing I remember is you going up those sta...
We’re representing our school. People, please exit the bus in an orderly fashion.” “Why do teachers always call us ‘people’?” Lucy whispered to her friend Cailyn as they stood up to get off the school bus. “I guess they think it makes us feel more grown-up,” said Cailyn. “Doesn’t work for me, tho...
Abby! What’s wrong?” cried Mrs. Miller as she burst into the room, with Mr. Miller and Chester following right behind her. “Mom!” Abby screamed. “Mom! Help! I can’t get out!” “Honey, honey, calm down,” Mrs. Miller said, and Abby felt the warm, comforting touch of her mother’s hand on her back. “L...
Never left the safety of locked doors and windows, and the sound of laughter coming from the television, and the good smells of food cooking in the kitchen, and the warm glow of lights in every room. But she didn’t know, see? She didn’t have a clue what was waiting for her, at the edge of the dar...
She pointed toward the hallway. Everyone in the dining room turned. This time, they all saw the face—the face of an old woman with careworn eyes sunk into deeply etched skin. The woman stepped into the dining room. “Excuse me,” she said, looking as startled to see the Kims as they were to see her...
Emily screamed, bolting upright in bed, covered in sweat. She flung the covers off and rolled to the floor to get away from the monster attacking her. Then she realized that there was no monster. She was alone. It was not three o’clock in the morning, but rather seven a.m. The shine was shining. ...
Gavin continued, his voice drained of all emotion. “Huh? What are you talking about?” She gulped, trying to control the trembling in her voice as she remembered what Spencer had told her earlier about Gavin acting strangely. “It’s so cold out there. In the snow. Cold and dark.” His voice was flat...
It felt fake to her—sounded fake, even—but must have been convincing enough, since Dr. Walker glanced at the clock on the DVD player and said, “It’s getting late, Jenna. Will you be able to finish in fifteen minutes?” Jenna knew she had to argue—at least a little—to be convincing. “Mom, it’s not ...
The babysitter checked the clock again. Past eleven. They’d promised to be home by ten thirty. She shifted sleepily in the deep leather chair and glanced back at the TV. She had it turned down low, to an old black-and-white movie, which was quaintly spooky. Practically every scene included ominou...
Nora asked Caitlin as they went out into the hallway. “Caitlin’s room is the scariest thing you’re going to see this Halloween,” LL remarked. “It’s totally frightening!” Caitlin laughed. “They gave up a long time ago.” She shrugged. “When we moved in to this new apartment, I tried to keep it clea...
The sand was damp and chilly. There were more rocks under the sand than there were on top of it, and the sand got coarser the deeper it was. But there she lay, and there her friends piled sand on her. It felt clammy on her body, and the burying part seemed to take forever. How many handfuls of sa...
A hand clapped over her mouth and she tried furiously to bite it, to twist away, to keep running. “Kristi! Stop! It’s me—it’s Bobby—ow!” It took a moment for Kristi to understand that she was hearing a familiar voice. A friendly voice. The fight drained out of her, leaving her muscles trembling a...