The Haunting Hour by R.L. Stine Page B

had worked. He had turned Sir Darkwind into a Gorsel bush.
    The dragons all roared happily. Tears the size of raindrops, tears of joy, poured from their ancient eyes.
    â€œMy mission was to destroy the Dragon Master and free the dragons,” Ned said. “But first I had to trick him into leaving the house! As you can see, I have succeeded.”
    â€œYou have kept your bargain with me,” Ulrick said. It gazed down at the Gorsel bush. “How long will your spell last?”
    â€œI don’t know,” Ned replied. “It doesn’t really matter—does it?”
    â€œNo. Not really,” Ulrick replied.
    And then Ulrick bent its head low and began to devour the bush and its tasty berries.

The Mummy’s Dream
    INTRODUCTION
    ILLUSTRATED BY J OHN J UDE P ALENCAR
    T he museum in my hometown was very small. When we visited there on school trips, my friends and I always headed to the same place—the mummy room.
    I’d lean over the big stone case and stare down at the ancient mummy. He seemed to stare back at me through the layers of gauze and tar. His arms were crossed over his slender chest. The gauze wrapped around his body was stained and torn.
    One day our fourth-grade class visited the museum. I headed straight for the mummy room. I was staring down at the ancient figure when a few of my friends decided to be funny.
    As I leaned over the case, they grabbed me. They lifted me off the floor—and started to drop me headfirst into the case.
    I let out a scream. I didn’t want to fall on top of that mummy. I didn’t want to touch him.
    Luckily my friends saw a guard approaching. They quickly pulled me out and stood me on my feet.
    Ever since that close call, I’ve always wondered what it would be like to lie on the bottom of a cold, ancient mummy case.
    This is a story about a boy who finds out.
    I gazed over Joanna Levin’s shoulder into the glass display case. A small sign above the case read: ANCIENT EGYPTIAN ART. Bracelets and necklaces and long golden earrings gleamed under the bright lights.
    â€œWow. They’re incredible!” Joanna declared. She poked her finger against the glass. “I want that one and that one.”
    I shook my head. “They’re from four thousand years ago, Joanna. They probably cost millions.”
    Joanna shoved me away. “It’s my birthday,” she said. “Why can’t I pick out a few presents?”
    â€œIt’s not a gift shop. It’s a museum,” I replied.
    She shoved me again. “Connor, you’re about as much fun as a toothache.”
    â€œThis is a cool party, Joanna!” Abbey Foreman called from across the room.
    â€œWhat a great idea,” Debra said. “Having your birthday party at the science museum.”
    â€œAnd we have the whole museum to ourselves,” Joanna said.
    My friend Josh tugged my arm. “Check it out, Connor. The mummy room. Over there.”
    Josh and I made our way to the next room, our shoes clicking on the hard tile floors.
    The mummy room was small and dimly lit. It had a low green ceiling, which made the room seem even darker.
    Photographs of the pyramids in Egypt hung on one wall. In front of the photos stood a pile of crumbling yellow bricks. A sign said they were actual stones from King Tut’s burial tomb.
    Two big stone mummy cases sat a few feet apart in the middle of the room. The cases were open, their stone lids propped against the wall opposite the photos.
    Josh and I ran up to the first case. It was tall and deep. We had to stand on tiptoe to see into it.
    I leaned on the case and peered down. The smooth stone felt cold on my hands. “Empty,” I said.
    â€œIt looks like a huge bathtub,” Josh said. “Do you believe that a dead person actually was in here?”
    Joanna and the other kids gathered around the other case. “Oh, gross,” Debra Fair groaned, making a disgusted face.
    Josh and I squeezed in