Don't Scream! by R. L. Stine Page A

the bus. Behind the wheel, Charlene shook her head.
    I slumped back in the seat and struggled to catch my breath. But before I could calm myself, I heard the whispery voice from the cell phone rising up from my pocket.
    â€œHi, Jack.”
    â€œLeave me alone,” I snapped. “You made me look like a jerk in class this morning.”
    â€œThat was just a test,” she said. “That was to show you who is boss.”
    I didn’t reply. I pictured myself standing on my head while everyone laughed at me, including the teacher.
    â€œThat was a simple test, Jack,” Emmy said. “But tomorrow it’s time to prove what a good friend you are.”
    â€œHuh? What do you mean?” I demanded.
    â€œTomorrow you’re going to sneak into the computer lab and steal that laptop,” she said.
    I took a deep breath. “No way,” I said. “Tomorrow I’m not taking you to school. Tomorrow I’m going to leave you in my room.”
    â€œBetter not,” she whispered. “I can hurt your sister. I can hurt the babysitter. I can do very bad things if you leave me behind.”
    Those words sent a chill down my back.
    â€œAnd if I do it?” I said. “If I steal the laptop from school, will you go away and not come back?”
    â€œIf you find me a digital friend,” Emmy replied, “I’ll go away. I’ll leave you alone. I promise.”
    â€œOkay,” I said. “I’ll steal the laptop.”

22
    The next day, I kept the cell phone in my backpack and didn’t take it out. I didn’t hear a word from Emmy.
    Miss Rush and some kids kept glancing back at me. I know they wondered if I would leap out of my chair and scream or stand on my head or do something else totally insane.
    But the voice in the phone was silent. I crossed my fingers.
    Please … please let her be gone. Gone somewhere far away
.
    Of course, that was too much to wish for.
    The final bell rang at three o’clock. I packed up my backpack. Took my jacket from my locker. And started outside to get the school bus.
    â€œNot so fast,” a voice said.
    I jumped. I knew it was Emmy. Inside my backpack.
    â€œTake out the phone, Jack,” she ordered. “Iwant to be closer to you. You know we have something to do.”
    â€œThe … the bus,” I stuttered.
    â€œAfraid you’ll miss the bus today,” she said.
    â€œBut how will I get home?” I asked.
    She didn’t answer.
    â€œTake out the phone,” she said finally. “Turn around. Act normal. Smile at everyone.”
    â€œAct normal? How can I act normal?” I cried. “If it was
normal
, I’d be climbing on the bus. Instead, you want me to be a thief. That’s normal to you?”
    â€œPlease be my friend, Jack,” she said. “Do this for me, and I’ll go away. I promised you.”
    With a sigh, I pulled the silvery cell phone from my pack. I saw Mick and Darryl bump through a crowd of kids, heading to the bus.
    At least I’ll escape THEM today,
I thought.
    â€œFind a place to hide,” she said. Her voice made the phone vibrate on my hand.
    â€œHide? What do you mean?” I asked. My heart started to pound. I couldn’t think straight.
    â€œI mean find a place where you won’t be seen,” she snapped. “Do I have to explain everything to you?”
    â€œWell …” I gazed around the crowded hall. Where could I hide?
    â€œWe have to wait for the school to clear out,” she said. “You don’t want to be caught.”
    I hid in the back of the music room. I hunched on a stool behind a bass drum and listened to the kids leaving school. They were talking and laughing and joking.
    Some kids were happy. I wasn’t in that group.
    I heard a girl shout from the doorway. “Anyone in here? Mr. Brock?”
    Mr. Brock is the band teacher. I held my breath till the girl went away.
    I shook my head. “I