Halloween Party by R.L. Stine Page A

would like to accept them for the winning team?”
    â€œI will,” said Alex. He was back in costume, and handsome as ever as he slowly walked up the stairs to meet Justine.
    â€œPerfect,” she said breathily. “Golden chocolates—for a Silver Prince.” She bent down to pick up the gold box, then staggered slightly and caught herself against the banister. Before she could hand the chocolates to Alex, the railing suddenly gave way—and with a bloodcurdling scream, Justine fell forward and plunged to the floor below!

chapter

10
    S he fell so fast, no one could move.
    Her scream echoed off the high ceiling.
    She landed hard on one of the dark crushed-velvet sofas beneath the balcony and didn’t move.
    Terry and the others ran to the sofa, too scared to speak.
    Justine lay across the sofa, her eyes closed, her arm hooked crookedly over the sofa back.
    Alex reached her before anyone else. “Justine!” he cried.
    Her eyes opened and she slowly sat up.
    â€œWhat happened?” she murmured, dazed.
    Terry realized he’d been holding his breath. What can possibly happen next? he wondered.
    â€œYou fell,” Alex told Justine gently. “Are you all right?”
    â€œI think so,” said Justine. “But how—”
    â€œThe banister—it just gave way,” Alex said.
    â€œBut how could it?” said Justine. “It’s solid—we had all the woodwork checked when we moved in here.” She leaned against the cushion and gave a little gasp of pain. “My wrist—” she said.
    â€œIt may be sprained,” said Alex, taking it in his hands. “Do you have an elastic bandage?”
    While Trisha and Angela went for the bandage, the other kids started to climb the stairs to inspect the place where the banister had broken. But Philip was already up there, and despite his sad clown’s mask he looked furious.
    â€œAll right!” he said in a stronger voice than Terry had heard him use all evening. It stopped everyone cold. “Which one of you kids did this?”
    â€œDid what?” asked Murphy. “The banister just—”
    â€œIt was sawed!” said Philip.
    He held up one end of the broken railing, and everyone could see that it had been cleanly cut through.
    â€œThe jocks did it!” Ricky blurted out, backing down the stairs with everyone else. “We heard some of their tricks were going to be dangerous!”
    â€œWe didn’t do anything!” snarled Murphy. “Admit it was you guys—because you can’t stand to lose!”
    â€œAre you totally crazy?” protested Les. “Why would we do such a stupid thing? In fact, why would anyone?”
    â€œI can think of a reason,” said Alex, his face grim.
    â€œOh, yeah?” said Les. “What?”
    â€œTo make our team look bad,” he said, staring directly at Terry.
    â€œAre you accusing me of something?” Terry asked. “If so, say so.”
    â€œI’m not accusing anyone of anything,” said Alex. “I just think it’s funny that right after your team loses the treasure hunt, something bad happens.”
    â€œThat’s ridiculous!” said Terry. “When would we have had the time and privacy to do it? You’re probably just covering up for doing it yourself! Isn’t it enough that you had to cheat to win the treasure hunt? Do you want to kill someone too?”
    Alex came down the last two stairs fast, breathing hard. “If you weren’t an old friend,” he said, “I’d—”
    â€œYeah?” said Terry, angry at himself for letting this dispute happen, but unable to back down. “You’d what?”
    â€œNothing,” muttered Alex, deciding he’d be the one to let things chill out.
    â€œStop it! Can’t you two stop it?” Niki was standing between them and shouting at both of them. “Something terrible has happened and all