Wanted by R. L. Stine Page B

haunted house.
    I scolded myself for thinking like that. “Come on, Devin. You’re only going to be living here for a week. What could happen in a week?”
    I heard my sisters giggling in their room. It was nearly midnight and they were still awake. They were so excited about living on this farm and in this creaky old house, they could barely sit still. And they stayed up till all hours making up pumpkin games and songs.
    Why couldn’t I enjoy it like them?
    Pumpkins don’t breathe. And vines don’t slither like snakes.
    Why did I have to imagine these things?
    Just relax, Devin.
    â€œOhh!” I uttered a cry as a large figure stepped into the dim hall.
    It took me a few seconds to recognize Mrs. Barnes. She stepped toward me with a smile on her round face. Her long braids fell down the back of her heavy gray nightgown.
    â€œTrouble sleeping, Devin?” Her silvery eyes studied me.
    â€œUh … kinda,” I said.
    â€œYou’re probably just excited. Farm life is more exciting than people think.”
    â€œExciting?” I said.
    She nodded. “All the creatures in the outdoors and things growing everywhere. It’s a world apart from city life.”
    â€œYou got that right,” I muttered.
    â€œI have just the thing for you,” she said, motioning with one finger for me to follow her. “A nice hot cup of pumpkin tea.”
    Huh?
    â€œPumpkin tea?” My stomach did a quick flip-flop.
    â€œJust the thing to relax you, dearie.” Her silvery eyes didn’t blink. I knew she was trying to be nice. But she was starting to freak me out.
    â€œUh … no thanks,” I said. “I’m fine.”
    Her face fell. She looked disappointed. I said good night, stepped into my room, and closed the door behind me.
    Pumpkin tea?
    A few seconds later, I climbed into bed and pulled the covers up. The bedroom window rattled, and I felt a cold wind blowing over the room.
    I shut my eyes and tried not to think about the farm. Instead, I thought about Polly Martin’s Halloween party, and Lu-Ann and my friends scheming to make it more exciting.
    I opened my eyes and gazed into the darkness. It took a while but I finally started to feel sleepy. Yes. I was about to fall asleep. My eyelids felt heavy … heavy …
    The last thing I saw was an orange glow on the bedroom window glass.
    Â 
    Next morning, bright sunlight poured into the bedroom window. It warmed my face and woke me up. I sat up straight, instantly alert.
    During the night, I had a bad dream about scarecrows. Scarecrows in my house. No, wait. In the dream, my mom and dad and two sisters — they were chasing me through a farm field. And as they ran, they all turned into scarecrows.
    Crazy.
    I yawned loudly. I stretched my hands high above my head.
    The sunlight felt nice on my face. Today is going to be better , I told myself.
    Today I’m putting on my new face. A whole new attitude. I’m going to be like my sisters. I’m going to make the most of my two weeks here. I’m going to have FUN.
    I had a smile on my face as I turned, pushed back the covers, and lowered my feet to the floor.
    â€œAaaaack.”
    I expected to feel the hard floorboards. But instead, my bare feet sank into something warm and squishy.
    I jerked my feet up in surprise. “Oh, yuck!”
    They were covered in some kind of drippy orange-yellow goo.
    Slowly, I peered down.
    â€œOh, wow.”
    Leaning forward, I saw the round puddle of orange glop on the floor beside my bed. I quickly recognized the sour smell.
    Pumpkin meat. Pulpy, sticky pumpkin meat.
    I was staring down at a pile of it, a huge puddle of pumpkin guts.
    How did it get there?

Someone dropped the puddle of pumpkin guts beside my bed. But who?
    It had to be a joke, a mean joke. Someone knew I would step in it and be totally grossed out.
    Dale and Dolly didn’t do this, I decided. It just wasn’t their style. Their jokes were