Why I'm Not Afraid of Ghosts by R.L. Stine Page A

over his head.
    His stomach rumbled. Not from hunger.
    His chest began to tighten. He tucked his book under his arm and prepared to sprint out the door.
    Something cold brushed the back of his neck.
    Icy cold!
    Frigid fingers crept around his neck!

15

    O liver almost leapt out of his skin!
    He whirled, his heart pounding, his breath coming in gasps. His science book fell to the floor.
    Shawn stood in front of him, blinking through his glasses. He looked surprised.
    It was only Shawn!
    Oliver felt like an idiot.
    â€œDon’t do that!” he snapped, rubbing his neck.
    â€œSorry. I—I didn’t mean to scare you.”
    â€œScare me? You didn’t scare me,” Oliver bluffed. “It’s just that your hands are freezing cold!”
    â€œSorry,” Shawn said again. He tucked his hands into his jeans pockets.
    Oliver’s heartbeat finally slowed down to normal. “What are you doing here anyway?” he asked as hepicked up his book. “You don’t go to Shadyside Middle School.”
    â€œI was looking for you,” Shawn explained. “I need to talk to you.”
    â€œYou need to talk to me? About what?” Oliver asked.
    Shawn studied the ground. Then he glanced up at Oliver again. He blinked faster now.
    â€œGhosts,” he mumbled at last.
    â€œGhosts? Man!” Oliver pushed the glass front door open. They stepped out into a dark, blustery afternoon. A few cold raindrops spattered on Oliver’s windbreaker.
    â€œAnybody ever tell you you have a one-track mind?” he asked.
    â€œNo,” Shawn said, trailing after him.
    â€œWell, you do. Ghosts this, ghosts that. Get a life!”
    Oliver glanced toward the school yard. He waved to a few kids from class. One or two waved back. Mostly they just stared.
    They must have heard about the pencils. And the spinning, Oliver thought.
    Together, he and Shawn headed for Shadyside Elementary.
    â€œOliver?” Shawn began.
    â€œHuh?” Oliver grunted. He had nearly forgotten about Shawn. He was distracted, wondering what tomorrow would be like in school.
    â€œI have to tell you about the ghosts,” Shawninsisted as they reached Nell’s school. “This isn’t just some dumb story. I have to warn you!”
    â€œHey!” Nell jumped up from the bottom step, twirling her pink umbrella. “Where have you been? I’ve been waiting. You promised to walk me to Tracy’s house!”
    Oliver clapped a hand to his forehead. “I forgot,” he said.
    â€œYeah, well, remember it now,” Nell insisted. “Come on!”
    â€œNell, Shawn and I were—”
    â€œShawn can come too, but he’s got to come now. Tracy said we’d have ice cream. Let’s go!” Nell tugged on Oliver’s arm.
    â€œFor Pete’s sake! Why didn’t you just go home with Tracy?”
    â€œYou promised you’d walk me! Mom said you have to walk me! And you have to come back to Tracy’s house at five and walk me home!”
    â€œOh, brother,” Oliver muttered.
    Nell grabbed his hand, something she almost never did unless she really wanted him to do something, or she wanted to embarrass him. “Come on. She lives on Melinda Lane. Hurry up.”
    Oliver glanced at Shawn.
    Shawn looked terminally depressed. He shrugged and walked away. “Later,” he called over his shoulder.
    Oliver let Nell pull him toward the street, but hestill watched Shawn fading into the shadows of the dark day.
    What was so important?
    What did Shawn want to tell him about ghosts that he hadn’t already said?
    What was going on?

16

    R ain poured down for real now.
    Robbie sat by the attic window and watched the street. He was still worn out from his trick with the Bunsen burner, but Dora was pretty perky now that they were back in the attic.
    Robbie gazed at Oliver trudging up the street through the rain. His hair was plastered to his head, and his jacket looked sopping