The Teacher from Heck by R.L. Stine

Chapter 1
M EET M R . S KRULOOSE
    My name is Bernie Bridges, and you might wonder why I’m running so hard.
    Normally I’d take time to enjoy the morning sunshine on the Great Lawn—to smell the sweet trees and flowers, to feel the warm breeze on my handsome face.
    But this morning I am running full speed across the Rotten School campus.
    I don’t want to be late.
    We have a new teacher. He is taking the place of our old teacher, Mrs. Heinie, and I want to be thereearly to welcome him. And to let him know that, yes, I’m a leader at this school. But I’m a leader who is willing to listen to my teacher once in a while.
    In other words, I want to suck up to the new guy before Sherman Oaks and his pals get there.
    You see, the Rotten School is a boarding school. We all live here on the campus.
    I live with my friends in the coolest dorm—an old house called Rotten House. That rich, spoiled brat, Sherman Oaks, lives in the dorm called Nyce House.
    Yuck. Who would want to live in a place called Nyce House? We hate every kid who lives there!
    My feet pounded the grass. The School House rose up in front of me. That’s what we call our classroom building.
    A few seconds later, I slipped into my fourth-grade class.
    Uh-oh. The room was full. Kids were already in their seats. They turned to watch me as I closed the door behind me.
    I stared at the new teacher. Whoa! The dude was a monster ! Give me a break! He was at least eight feet tall and built like a truck on top of a truck!
    His Rotten School blazer stretched tightly across his massive chest. It looked ready to pop its buttons. I could see muscles rippling up and down his arms.
    His name was written in chalk behind him.
    MR. SKRULOOSE.
    Skruloose?
    I flashed him my best smile, the one with the adorable dimples. “Welcome, sir,” I said. “I know I speak for everyone when I say how happy we are—”
    â€œSHUT UP!”he boomed, so loudly the windows rattled.

    I swallowed my gum. He was kinda rude , don’t you think?
    His steel blue eyes narrowed in a hard stare. “You’re in trouble,” he growled.
    I glanced all around. “Huh? Are you talking to me? I’m in trouble?”
    What was his problem ? What did I do ?!

Chapter 2
T HE T EACHER FROM H ECK
    He glared at me. “You’re ALMOST late to class.”
    â€œAlmost?” I whimpered. “ Almost late?”
    Was this dude a little weird ?
    Mr. Skruloose pointed to the floor in front of me. “Soldier, drop down and give me ten,” he ordered.
    â€œSoldier? But my name is Bernie!”
    He pointed to the floor. “Drop down and give me ten.”
    I blinked. “Ten what ?”
    â€œSoldier, give me ten push-ups.”
    â€œI was afraid of that,” I said. I turned to my friendBelzer at the next desk. “Belzer,” I whispered, “drop down and give him ten push-ups for me.”
    â€œNo problem,” Belzer said.
    Where would I be without good ol’ Belzer?
    The kid does everything for me. Brings me breakfast in bed…carries my backpack to class…It took weeks to put Belzer through his obedience-training. But it was worth it.
    Belzer hit the floor and began straining to push his chunky body up. “One…uh…one and a half…one and three-quarters…”
    â€œGET UP!” Mr. Skruloose boomed at Belzer. Two of his blazer buttons popped off and flew across the room. He gave me a cold stare. “In my class we do our own push-ups,” he snarled.
    I had no choice. I dropped to the floor. “It’s kinda dusty down here, sir,” I said. “Maybe I’d better not do this. Dust always makes me sneeze.”

    he roared again. “Give me ten!”
    â€œCould we compromise on three ?” I asked.
    He didn’t answer in words. Just growled.
    I took that for a no. I dropped down and started giving him ten.
    Skruloose marched back to his desk. Some kids