Teacher Screecher by Peter Bently

Chapter 1
    Bat Flu

    One evening, Lee Price’s mom walked into his bedroom and stopped. The bedroom looked empty.
    â€œHurry up, you three—wherever you are,” said Mrs. Price. “It’s twenty to nine. You’ll be late for school!”
    â€œWe’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.

    â€œWe 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.
    â€œRight,” 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.

    â€œFrances 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.
    â€œVouldn’t you like to know, eh?” he droned. “Nosy little vampire brats!”
    â€œEr—good morning, Mr. Gore,” said Lee as politely as he could.

    â€œYe-e-e-s!” groaned Mr. Gore, patting the crate. “Oh yes. A very good mornink indeed!”

    He opened his mouth and made a weird noise like someone coughing, gargling, and throwing up all at the same time.
    â€œHrurgh! Hrurgh! Hrurgh!”
    â€œGood grief,” whispered Lee. “Old Gore’s actually laughing!”
    â€œWow!” said Billy. “Do you think he’s sick? There’s a lot of bat flu about.”
    â€œDon’t be silly,” said Bella. “Only vampires get bat flu. And bats, of course.”

    â€œSo why is he so cheerful?” said Billy. “Old Gore doesn’t do cheerful.”
    â€œI bet it’s something to do with that crate,” said Lee. “Maybe it’s a new floor polisher. He’s always moaning about the old one.”
    Lee was right. It was something to do with the crate. But it wasn’t a new floor polisher. Inside the crate was something much, much worse.

Chapter 2
    Miss Fitt

    Lee, Bella, and Billy entered their classroom to see Mrs. Garlick, the school principal.
    â€œSettle down, please, Miss Gargoyle’s class!” said Mrs. Garlick. “I am afraid Miss Gargoyle has a nasty case of bat flu. She will be off school for at least two weeks.”

    â€œOh, poor Miss Gargoyle!” said Bella.
    â€œWhile Miss Gargoyle is away, you will have a substitute teacher,” said Mrs Batty. “She has also worked at Chaney Street Elementary School and Mr. Savage, the principal, tells me that she is very nice.” Chaney Street was the werewolf elementary school down the road. “In fact, she should be here any min—”
    She was interrupted by a noise in the corridor.
    STOMP!
    STOMP!
    STOMP!
    STOMP!
    â€œYikes!” said Lee, as the whole classroom shook. “What on earth is that?”
    STOMP!
    STOMP!
    STOMP!

    The heavy stomping sound was getting louder and louder. And closer and closer.

    STOMP!
    STOMP!
    STOMP!
    Tables wobbled and windows rattled. Pencils and crayons jumped out of pots.

    Mrs. Garlick’s glasses fell off her nose. The Monster Munches that Big Herb was secretly eating bounced out of the packet and onto the floor.

    STOMP!
    STOMP!
    STOMP!
    The noise stopped. Everyone held their breath.