going online a lot more,” Aimee told her girlfriends.
“You have?” Fiona replied. She swallowed her last bite of chocolate pudding.
“Since I got my screen name, anyway,” Aimee said. “It’s fun going into chat rooms and surfing around for stuff I like. You were right.”
Fiona and Madison smiled at Aimee. Finally she was getting wired.
“But I’m still a newbie.” Aimee sighed.
“Don’t worry, you won’t be for long!” Fiona said, rubbing her friend’s shoulder. “Hey, did you both ask your moms about going to the mall Saturday before our sleepover?”
“Yes!” Madison chirped. “Mom said yes as long as I clean my room.”
“My mother said yes, too! She even said she’d take us! She needs to go to the health food outlet and run some other errands.”
“This is going to be so cool.” Fiona grinned.
Going to the mall was an event. Not only did it mean trying on and perhaps even buying clothes, it also meant eating tacos at the food court, being parent-free, and spying on cute boys across the atrium or on the escalators. The three girls started making a list of what stores they would visit.
“So now that you’re online, are you going to enter the Caught in the Web contest?” Madison asked.
“Nah,” Aimee said. “I’m just not a good writer like you, Maddie.”
“Me neither,” Fiona said.
“Well, thanks, but the truth is, I’m a little stuck for ideas,” Madison finally admitted. “Do you think you could help?”
“Write about ghosts,” Fiona said. “Ghosts are the traditional—”
“Duh! Ghosts aren’t scary enough anymore, Fiona,” Aimee interrupted. “How about zombies? They’re like ghosts, only they eat people. Now, that’s scary.”
“And gross.” Madison laughed. “Once upon a time there was a flesh-eating zombie named Aimee. …”
“Why don’t you ask my brother for a good idea?” Fiona suggested as they returned to the orange table. “I mean, Chet’s a big, fat, lazy zombie!”
The girls laughed loudly. Chet turned around when he heard his name, but he hadn’t caught the insult.
Brrrrring.
The lunchroom bell finally rang. All the boys bolted out of the cafeteria without saying good-bye to the girls. It was the usual routine. The girls headed for the door.
Madison walked out slowly, waiting for a flash of brilliance. She was so impatient. She needed a perfect story idea right now.
What was scarier: today’s meat loaf or Poison Ivy?
Phinnie was waiting behind the front door when Madison came home that afternoon. He pounced on her with his scratchy claws. She had to take him for a long walk. Mom was busy writing.
Madison looped around the neighborhood and wandered over to Ridge Road. Without even thinking, she turned down Fiona’s block. Phin liked this street because so many other dogs lived nearby. His little pug nose was snorting and sniffling at each tree. Madison couldn’t imagine what it would be like to smell so many things at one time.
She looked around at houses on the street, mostly old Victorians with front porches and wide front yards. There was no one else around moving—no cars, no people, not even another dog.
As they passed Fiona’s house, Madison glanced up. She thought about how last year Fiona and her family didn’t live there. So much had changed.
Madison stopped short and yanked back on Phinnie’s leash. Even though Fiona’s family had repainted, restored, and added on to the side of the old house, it still reminded Madison of stories she’d once heard about the family who used to live there. People always said the old Martin place was haunted.
“Rowrrroooo!” Phinnie barked and tugged, and Madison nearly fell over. She pulled back on the leash, but he still took off down the street to say hello to a neighbor’s poodle.
Madison glanced back at the house and then quickly ran after Phin.
Chapter 7
Caught in the Web
IT WAS A DARK AND STORMY NIGHT. THE HOUSE WAS DEAD QUIET, EXCEPT FOR
“You have?” Fiona replied. She swallowed her last bite of chocolate pudding.
“Since I got my screen name, anyway,” Aimee said. “It’s fun going into chat rooms and surfing around for stuff I like. You were right.”
Fiona and Madison smiled at Aimee. Finally she was getting wired.
“But I’m still a newbie.” Aimee sighed.
“Don’t worry, you won’t be for long!” Fiona said, rubbing her friend’s shoulder. “Hey, did you both ask your moms about going to the mall Saturday before our sleepover?”
“Yes!” Madison chirped. “Mom said yes as long as I clean my room.”
“My mother said yes, too! She even said she’d take us! She needs to go to the health food outlet and run some other errands.”
“This is going to be so cool.” Fiona grinned.
Going to the mall was an event. Not only did it mean trying on and perhaps even buying clothes, it also meant eating tacos at the food court, being parent-free, and spying on cute boys across the atrium or on the escalators. The three girls started making a list of what stores they would visit.
“So now that you’re online, are you going to enter the Caught in the Web contest?” Madison asked.
“Nah,” Aimee said. “I’m just not a good writer like you, Maddie.”
“Me neither,” Fiona said.
“Well, thanks, but the truth is, I’m a little stuck for ideas,” Madison finally admitted. “Do you think you could help?”
“Write about ghosts,” Fiona said. “Ghosts are the traditional—”
“Duh! Ghosts aren’t scary enough anymore, Fiona,” Aimee interrupted. “How about zombies? They’re like ghosts, only they eat people. Now, that’s scary.”
“And gross.” Madison laughed. “Once upon a time there was a flesh-eating zombie named Aimee. …”
“Why don’t you ask my brother for a good idea?” Fiona suggested as they returned to the orange table. “I mean, Chet’s a big, fat, lazy zombie!”
The girls laughed loudly. Chet turned around when he heard his name, but he hadn’t caught the insult.
Brrrrring.
The lunchroom bell finally rang. All the boys bolted out of the cafeteria without saying good-bye to the girls. It was the usual routine. The girls headed for the door.
Madison walked out slowly, waiting for a flash of brilliance. She was so impatient. She needed a perfect story idea right now.
What was scarier: today’s meat loaf or Poison Ivy?
Phinnie was waiting behind the front door when Madison came home that afternoon. He pounced on her with his scratchy claws. She had to take him for a long walk. Mom was busy writing.
Madison looped around the neighborhood and wandered over to Ridge Road. Without even thinking, she turned down Fiona’s block. Phin liked this street because so many other dogs lived nearby. His little pug nose was snorting and sniffling at each tree. Madison couldn’t imagine what it would be like to smell so many things at one time.
She looked around at houses on the street, mostly old Victorians with front porches and wide front yards. There was no one else around moving—no cars, no people, not even another dog.
As they passed Fiona’s house, Madison glanced up. She thought about how last year Fiona and her family didn’t live there. So much had changed.
Madison stopped short and yanked back on Phinnie’s leash. Even though Fiona’s family had repainted, restored, and added on to the side of the old house, it still reminded Madison of stories she’d once heard about the family who used to live there. People always said the old Martin place was haunted.
“Rowrrroooo!” Phinnie barked and tugged, and Madison nearly fell over. She pulled back on the leash, but he still took off down the street to say hello to a neighbor’s poodle.
Madison glanced back at the house and then quickly ran after Phin.
Chapter 7
Caught in the Web
IT WAS A DARK AND STORMY NIGHT. THE HOUSE WAS DEAD QUIET, EXCEPT FOR
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