R. L. Stine_Mostly Ghostly 07 (8 page)

Would the light from this flashlight have the same effect on this creature?

Could I surprise the big animal long enough for Nicky and Tara to escape?

My hand shook so hard, the flashlight again started to slide out. I gripped it in both hands.

The creature leaped over a hedge and disappeared into the darkness on the other side.

“No!” I cried out.

I couldn't let it get away. Lowering my head, I ran full force into the hedge. Its prickly branches scratched my hands and face. But I pushed straight through to the other side.

The creature had its back to me. Its snakelike tail curled and uncurled on its furry back.

Ducking against the onrushing wind, I ran hard to catch up with the monster. Holding my friends tightly in front of itself. Tilting its head back, howling into the rush of wind.

Well, I'm going to give you something to howl about! I thought.

I raised the flashlight. Aimed it at the creature's broad back.

And clicked it on. Clicked it hard.

Nothing happened.

Nothing.

No light. No light at all.

I
SHOOK THE FLASHLIGHT
.

I clicked it again.

No. The light didn't flash on.

I clicked it again. Again. My heart pounding each time.

It was dead. The flashlight was dead.

The creature was escaping with my friends.

Their screams had stopped. Had he strangled them with those long, curved talons?

The wind swirled around me as I chased the monster, squeezing the flashlight in both hands. Clicking it helplessly again and again.

I didn't see the rock at the side of a driveway. With a loud cry, I stumbled over it and went sprawling onto my stomach on the ground.

The flashlight hit the pavement. Bounced hard.

And a beam of bright white light shot out of it.

Yes! It was working now!

I dove for it. Grabbed it up. Struggled to my feet.

Gasping for breath, I ran after the howling creature. I raised the flashlight. Aimed the beam of light into the creature's black, furry back.

The monster stopped. It raised its head—and opened its mouth in an angry roar.

I gasped as it whirled around to face me.

Holding the flashlight in both hands, I raised the beam of light to the panther creature's face.

It howled in pain. Raised its front paws to shield its eyes from the light.

Nicky and Tara dropped free. Toppled to the ground.

The light beam trembled. But I kept it on the monster's face.

It let out another roar, softer this time. The creature tossed its head back and shook its paws as if trying to wave the light beam away.

I expected it to turn and run. But instead, it dropped to its knees, uttering low whimpers as it sank to the ground.

I lowered the light beam. Kept it focused on the creature's head.

And watched the monster sink into the grass and start to dissolve.

As I stared in shock, it melted into a lumpy black puddle. A round black stain on the grass.

Finally, my whole body shaking, I lowered the light beam. I clicked off the flashlight and ran to Nicky and Tara.

They had climbed to their feet and were gazing around as if in a daze.

“It… it's gone!” Nicky cried.

Tara pulled off her red hat and shook out her dark hair. “Whoa … Max … you … you did it!”

Nicky and Tara were fading in and out of view. I knew that their fright had drained a lot of their energy. I could see right through them!

The darkness lifted as suddenly as it had come. And the wind stopped howling and swirling. I could see stars in the evening sky and a bright full moon.

I breathed a long sigh of relief.

Nicky tapped knuckles with me. “Way to go, dude,” he said.

Tara was still shaking her head. She brushed tears off her cheeks. “See, Max?” she said in a whisper. “There are so many ghosts and evil creatures out there. So many evil creatures who are our enemies because of the work Mom and Dad did.”

She grabbed my arm. She was so faint, I could barely feel it. “Nicky and I aren't safe,” she said. “We're never safe. And we won't be safe until we know the truth—until we know what happened to us and how we can return to life.”

She faded even more. I could barely see the two of them now. They weren't even shadows. They were wisps of faint color.

“You saw what happened just now. You've got to help us, Max,” Nicky whispered. “You've
got
to!”

I pictured the evil panther creature. I pictured Nicky and Tara trapped in its long claws. My friends … my
best
friends being carried away …

I swallowed. “Okay,” I said. “I'll do it. I'll switch brains with the monkey.”

S
ATURDAY MORNING
I
WOKE
up early. I stared at myself in the dresser mirror. “Max, this could be the best or worst day of your life,” I told my reflection.

The reflection stared back at me and didn't reply.

What a day I had planned. First I'd switch brains with a chimpanzee. Then I'd perform magic in front of one of the world's greatest magicians. Then I'd go to a party with Traci Wayne.

With a day like that, it's no wonder I was talking to myself!

A few hours later, Dr. Smollet met Nicky, Tara, and me at the place where we'd first met and drove us to his lab. He seemed very cheerful. He kept talking about what a great day this would be for Nicky and Tara.

I slumped in the backseat and hardly said a word. I wanted to shove open the car door and run as far as I could.

But I'd made a promise to my friends. And I was going to grit my teeth and keep my promise.

This will all be over soon, I told myself. I forced myself to think about Ballantine and the magic tricks I had planned to show him.

As we walked through the long white halls of the lab, I heard the distant shrieks and wails of animals again. Their cages were hidden away.

Dr. Smollet led us to the same room as before. On the long table, a row of computer monitors blinked and glowed. Machines hummed against the wall.

Two tall stools had been set near the computer table. Dr. Smollet motioned for me to sit on one of them.

My legs were trembling so hard, I had trouble climbing onto the stool.

Dr. Smollet put his hand on my shoulder. “Don't worry, Max,” he said softly. “You'll be fine. You'll see.”

He typed for a few moments on the nearest keyboard. Then he hurried away to bring in Mr. Harvey.

Nicky and Tara had been admiring all the computers. When Dr. Smollet left the room, they rushed over to me.

“This is so awesome of you,” Tara said. “I can't believe you're doing this for us.”

“I can't either,” I muttered.

“We're gonna owe you—big-time,” Nicky said.

“Tell you the
first
thing we're gonna do for
you,” Tara said. “We're gonna stay away from the magic store. Nicky and I are not going to help you with your act.”

“Oh, thank you!” I cried. “That's the best news I've heard all day. And what
else
are you going to do for me?”

They didn't have a chance to answer. Dr. Smollet returned, leading the chimpanzee. “Mr. Harvey is ready to go,” he said. He gave the chimp a gentle head rub.

A big, toothy grin spread over Mr. Harvey's face.

Dr. Smollet sat Mr. Harvey on the stool next to me. The chimp started to chatter and hop up and down. He reached out a big hand and mussed my hair.

“Settle down, Mr. Harvey,” Dr. Smollet scolded. “I mean it. Settle down.”

The chimp seemed to understand. He stopped chattering and dropped limply onto the stool.

“Mr. Harvey was here the day Phears did his dirty work,” Dr. Smollet said to Nicky and Tara. “Once the chimp's brain waves are inside Max, he'll be able to tell us everything he saw.”

He turned to me. “It won't take long,” he said. “As soon as we learn what Mr. Harvey knows, I'll switch the brain waves back. And you'll be back to normal, Max.”

I shoved my hands in my pockets to stop them
from shaking. I don't think I'd ever been this terrified in my life.

The chimp grinned at me, stuck out his tongue, and made a spitting noise.

“Uh … I'm sorry,” I said. “I can't do this. I just remembered something I forgot to do.”

“Max, what did you forget?” Tara asked.

“I forgot to leave!”

Dr. Smollet smiled. “Funny,” he muttered. He slipped a pair of headphones over my head. I saw that they were attached to a maze of wires that ran into the computers.

“Max, don't be so nervous,” he said. “I'm a doctor, remember?”

He turned and put another pair of headphones on the chimp's head. Mr. Harvey made a spitting noise at Dr. Smollet.

“If I start spitting like that, just smack me!” I said.

I was trying to make a joke. But everyone was too tense to laugh.

“Ready for the brain waves transfer,” Dr. Smollet said.

He patted me on the shoulder. “Don't look so worried, Max,” he said. “You won't feel a thing….”

M
Y MOUTH SUDDENLY FELT
dry as cotton. I couldn't swallow. I realized I was breathing hard, gasping for breath even though I was sitting still.

Mr. Harvey sat on the stool beside me. He held on to the headphones and bounced gently up and down.

Dr. Smollet began typing frantically on a computer keyboard. “Max, watch the monitor!” he shouted.

His voice was muffled because of the headphones I was wearing.

Nicky and Tara stepped up beside me. “This is totally awesome of you,” Tara said. “I repeat. We'll owe you big-time.”

“Yes, you will,” I agreed.

On the monitor screen, I saw my profile and the chimp's profile. Leaning over the keyboard, Dr. Smollet kept typing.

I felt a buzzing in my head. Soft at first, then louder.

On the screen, my head and the chimp's head slid closer together.

The headphones began to vibrate. I reached my hands up and pressed against them. The buzz increased to a roar.

Nicky and Tara held me by the shoulders. The three of us stared at the monitor as my head and the chimp's head moved closer … closer together … closer …

Until Mr. Harvey's head covered mine.

I felt a whoosh of wind, as if someone had blown a puff of air inside my head.

It lasted only a second. A strange, frightening feeling that made my whole body shudder.

I gripped the headphones as if holding on to a lifeboat. And suddenly, I felt as if I was underwater. The air seemed to ripple like water. And I felt light, floating.

The monitor screen blurred. The white lab walls gleamed brighter and brighter until they washed everything else from my sight.

I blinked—and everything slowly drifted back into focus.

“Max? Are you okay?”

I could hear Tara's voice. But it sounded very far away.

“Max? Max?”

I blinked a few more times. Then I glanced
around, struggling to see clearly, my head still buzzing.

Mr. Harvey hadn't moved from the stool next to me. He still gripped his headphones and bounced up and down. Dr. Smollet was typing on his keyboard. Nicky and Tara stood next to me, their faces creased with worry.