Authors: Peter Bently
Teacher Screecher
Teacher Screecher
Written by
Peter Bently
Illustrated by
Chris Harrison
Albert Whitman & Company
Chicago, Illinois
For Theo and Tara
P.B.
For my Mum
C.H.
Contents
Chapter 1
Bat Flu
One evening, Lee Price's mom walked into his bedroom and stopped. The bedroom looked empty.
“Hurry up, you threeâwherever you are,” said Mrs. Price. “It's twenty to nine. You'll be late for school!”
“We're in here,” said Lee's voice from the wardrobe. “We've all turned into bats. Hang on.”
Lee fluttered out of the wardrobe followed by his best friends, Bella Williams and Billy Pratt.
“We were doing some skulking practice,” said Lee.
Lee, Bella, and Billy went to St. Orlok's Primary School for young vampires. Their teacher, Miss Gargoyle, taught them important vampire skills, like cloak swishing and scary staring and how to change into bats.
“Right,” said Mrs. Price. “Now off to school. Dad's asleep in bed with bat flu so it'll be quieter if you leave through the window.”
Mrs. Price opened the bedroom window and Lee, Billy, and Bella flew out into the night. Ten minutes later, they flapped through the school gates and changed back into vampire form.
A strange black van was parked nearby. On the side of the van it said:
Frances and Kenneth
Styne & Company
The driver was helping Mr. Eric Gore, the school's zombie caretaker, lug an enormous crate out of the van. The crate was nearly ten feet long.
“Frances and Kenneth Styne,” said Lee. “I think that's a shop in town. I wonder what's in the crate?”
Mr. Gore looked at them gloomily.
“Vouldn't you like to know, eh?” he droned. “Nosy little vampire brats!”
“Erâgood morning, Mr. Gore,” said Lee as politely as he could.
“Ye-e-e-s!” groaned Mr. Gore, patting the crate. “Oh yes. A very good mornink indeed!”
