The Beast From the East by R. L. Stine Page A

at the sky. The purple was fading to gray. Not much time left. But
enough.
    I wasn’t going to be It again.
    I could hide until dark. But where?
    “Don’t just stand there,” Spork warned. “You could be tagged again.”
    “Never,” I insisted. “I won’t let that happen.”
    Before I could move, Fleg stomped from behind a tree. The flabby skin under
his chin swung from side to side.
    Gleeb crept behind him.
    “She tagged me!” Spork told them.
    “I knew it!” Fleg stared at me. “I knew you played this game before.”
    I balled my hands into fists. I was angry. I’d had enough.
    They forced me to play their stupid game. But I wasn’t going to lose now.
    Fleg waved me away. “You have until I count to trel,” he said. “Then we’re
allowed to come after you again.”
    He turned his back and covered his eyes. “Gling… proo… zee… freen… trel,” he counted.
    I had no choice. I ran.
    Don’t stop, I told myself. Don’t think about anything. Run. Find a place to
hide.
    “Ready or not—here we come!” I heard Fleg cry.
    Behind me, the beasts growled and grunted in excitement.
    I hurled myself off the path and pushed through the tall, scratchy grass
between the trees. I jumped over a clump of cabbage plants.
    My legs ached. My feet burned.
    But I couldn’t stop.
    Not until I reached a hiding place.
    I skidded to a stop when I heard rushing water. I nearly fell into the
stream. A large blue fish leaped out of the water and snapped at my ankles.
    This was no place to hide. I turned back into the woods.
    A cold wind blew in my face. The gourds whistled their strange melody.
    “Here I come!” Spork shouted off to my left.
    I pushed myself faster. No way he was going to tag me.
    I glanced around. Which way?
    The rock tunnel! I saw it only a few feet away.
    I darted into the darkness. Without the beasts yelling and shouting, it was
eerily quiet inside. I slowed down and tiptoed through the tunnel.
    When I reached the other side, I crept into the dense trees. I slumped
against a tree and waited, trying to keep quiet. I was breathing so hard I was
afraid the beasts could hear me!
    A moment passed.
    I felt the trembling that meant the beasts were approaching.
    I held my breath and ducked beneath an umbrella plant.
    Seconds later, Fleg, Spork, and Gleeb burst out of the tunnel and raced down
the path. Four more beasts followed behind them. They passed the bush where I
hid. Crashed into the woods. And kept going.
    I waited to make sure they were gone.
    Silence.
    I breathed a sigh of relief.
    I scrambled to my feet and stretched.
    Something rushed at me from behind.
    “No!” I cried in terror.
    Two arms wrapped around my waist. And a creature threw me to the ground.

 
 
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    I thrashed and kicked wildly.
    “Stop it. Cut it out!” a familiar voice demanded.
    “Nat!” I screamed. I whirled around. “Nat! You’re safe! How did you get out
of the cage?”
    “Cage? What cage?” My brother squinted at me.
    “The penalty cage,” I declared. “Nat—how did you escape? Did they let you
go?”
    “I’m not Nat. It’s me. Pat.”
    “Pat?” I stared at him in confusion. Then I threw my arms around his neck.
I’d never been so happy to see him.
    “Where have you been?” I demanded.
    “Where have I been?” Pat cried. “Where have you been? I’ve been
searching everywhere for you guys. These woods are creepy.”
    He glanced around. “Where’s Nat, anyway?”
    “Trapped.” I started to explain. “See, the beasts got him. After you ran into
the woods, we had to play this game and…”
    “A game?” Pat cried. He shook his head in disbelief. “I was lost in the woods—and you two are playing a game?”
    “It’s not what you think,” I said.
    I checked the trees around us for any sign of the creatures.
    “They forced us to play,” I told Pat, lowering my voice to a whisper. “It’s
like tag—only they play for keeps. I was the Beast from the East