“I think it’s safe to assume that she’s talking to Wydowna,” Rochelle whispered.
“And why do you suppose she’s so angry at Wydowna?” Robecca asked with Penny cradled in her metallic arms.
“I suspect that being caught in CeeCee’s pictures was not part of their plan,” Rochelle said as they heard the soft sound of a door opening.
Moving faster than fire on a dried-out fern, Venus darted to the door and cracked it open a sliver. The green ghoul then positioned her head so she could see Wydowna standing in the hall. However, try as she did to catch a glimpse of Miss Flapper, Venus could only hear her.
“Never forget that you are but a servant executing a plan, Wydowna. Your loyalty is to your master. You are not to question what they have asked us to do,” Miss Flapper whispered softly, and then closed the door on Wydowna.
Standing alone in the hallway with hunched shoulders, Wydowna had such sad eyes that even Venus felt pangs of sorrow and empathy. For in that moment she appeared very much like a little girl lost, far away from home, with neither friends nor family. Overwhelmed with compassion for the ghoul, Venus momentarily contemplated saying something. But then she remembered Headmistress Bloodgood, and her empathy instantly disappeared.
“I don’t like the sound of servant or master,” Robecca mumbled after Venus closed the door.
“Madame Flapper seems concerned about Wydowna’s allegiance. Why else would she remind her about staying loyal to her master? And not questioning the plan?” Rochelle assessed as she tapped her sharp claws against Roux’s back.
“Even the smallest break in Wydowna’s loyalty gives us an opening, a chance to gain her confidence and sway her allegiance. Then we can ask her about Asome and the plan,” Venus suggested as Robecca flung her right index finger in the air.
“And where Headmistress Bloodgood is; Monster High needs her back!”
Crack and Shield Day’s Opening Scaremony was quite the affair. The shrill team shrieked in formation as the band played and the Fear Squad cheered. Then, immediately following the performances, Superintendent Petra took to the field with a torch in her right hand. Miss Sue Nami had thought she would stand in for Headmistress Bloodgood, but Superintendent Petra wouldn’t hear of it. Apparently she liked the attention that came with being a torchbearer too much. Not that anyone could tell, since her overuse of Crowtox had left her incapable of showing any emotion.
After making her way halfway around the field, Superintendent Petra passed the torch to Frankie Stein. The well-sewn ghoul then toured around the other half of the field as the student body cheered, delighted that Crack and Shield Day was finally upon them. And not simply because they loved to watch students participate in the Blood Curdling Hurdles or Fifty Eater Sprint, but because the weeks of relentless uncertainty had left everyone desperate for something to celebrate.
As the Opening Scaremony came to an end, the band set up along the edge of the field, where they literally scored the soundtrack to the games. When athletes broke records, horns sounded. When they grew frustrated, violins squeaked. And when they lost, the baritone bass comforted them.
The first race of the day was the Ghoul’s Cry Jump, a competition to see who could simultaneously jump the highest while shrieking the loudest. On the field, ready to participate, were Venus, Robecca, Rochelle, Scarah Screams, Cleo, and Toralei, all of whom were wearing matching Monster High helmets.
“Welcome to Monster High’s Twelfth Annual Crack and Shield Day,” Miss Sue Nami yelled into a bullhorn. “First up in the Ghoul’s Cry Jump is Rochelle Goyle.”
Rochelle raised her right hand and waved to the cheering crowd as if she were a visiting dignitary as opposed to an athlete preparing to compete. Seconds later, she was poised at the line, waiting for the starting gun to fire. And when it did, she took off running as fast as she could, before jumping into the air and screaming at the top of her lungs.
“Holy mackerel, who knew Rochelle had those kind of pipes?” Robecca muttered to Venus, impressed by their friend’s shriek.
“I know, right? If only she could get her granite body a little higher in the air,” Venus responded.
Next up was Cleo, who along with Toralei was immediately disqualified for refusing to unlink arms. Then came Venus, who proved a surprising front-runner after both shrieking loudly and jumping high. Immediately after Venus, Robecca stepped up to the starting line. However, she concentrated so strongly on her jump that she forgot to scream entirely.
“Venus, I think you might actually take this one!” Robecca squealed with delight after finishing her jump.
“I am very sorry to say, chérie, but I do not think that will happen,” Rochelle interrupted. “Scarah Screams is a banshee; she can shriek better than anyone. Plus, I have it on very good authority that she is rather light on her feet.”
And as Robecca saw seconds later, Rochelle was most definitely correct in her assessment.
“Sorry, Venus, I know how much second place can sting,” Robecca offered sympathetically as they walked off the field.
“We’re here to befriend Wydowna, not become the next Usain Thunderbolt,” Venus replied as the ghouls made their way over to the timid-looking spider ghoul, standing alone at the edge of the grass.
“Hey, Wydowna!” Robecca called out cheerfully.
“Hi,” Wydowna said while keeping her eyes trained on her feet.
“What are you doing over here by yourself?” Rochelle inquired while doing her best to hide her suspicions.
“I’m waiting for the Fifty Eater Sprint while also trying to avoid Cleo and Toralei,” Wydowna replied honestly.
“Those two are such a pain. Listening to all that bickering gives me such a headache,” Venus commiserated.
“I don’t mind that so much, but I do mind some of their remarks,” Wydowna explained.
“Oh dear! What have they been saying now?” Robecca asked with genuine concern before reminding herself that Wydowna was supposed to be one of the bad ghouls responsible for Headmistress Bloodgood’s kidnapping.
“Well,” Wydowna started to explain, and then paused at the sight of Toralei and Cleo fast approaching.
“Hey, Cleo,” Toralei said with a smirk after stopping a few feet from Robecca, Rochelle, Venus, and Wydowna.
“Hey, Toralei.”
“Did you hear about that new ghoul? The one who’s been leeching off our school, living in the attic, and eavesdropping on us?” Toralei said, staring down Wydowna.
“Aunty Neferia always said that spider ghouls are not to be trusted. That with six hands, they’re always doing something behind your back,” Cleo sneered.
“Ghouls, cut it out! Stop acting like such mullies!” Venus shot back.
Robecca instinctively covered Rochelle’s mouth as the granite ghoul prepared to once again tell Venus that mully was not an actual word.
“This has nothing to do with you, weed, so why don’t you just buzz off,” Toralei snapped.
“That’s where you’re wrong,” Robecca jumped in. “If we just stand by and let you treat her like this, then we’re no better than you two.”
“C’est vrai. We are all monsters. We are all created equal. And we all deserve to be treated with respect,” Rochelle said after pushing Robecca’s hand off of her mouth.
Cleo actually started to look ashamed, but before she could say anything, Toralei jumped in. “You ghouls are wrong about this webbed weirdo,” the werecat snapped. “And mark my words, you’ll be sorry.…”
And with that Toralei jerked Cleo’s arm, and the two sauntered away.
“You ghouls really shouldn’t have gotten involved. It’s only going to bring more headaches to the three of you,” Wydowna mumbled sadly.
“Don’t worry about it; we can handle it,” Venus replied firmly.
“I really should get going. I need to stretch out my mouth before the Fifty Eater Sprint.” Wydowna said while looking at one of the many watches on her arms.
The Fifty Eater Sprint w
as one of Crack and Shield’s hardest events. It required not only speed on the track but a high-functioning digestive system, for after each ten-foot interval, participants had to down a bagel with scream cheese.
“Is everything okay over here, ghouls?” Miss Flapper asked after floating over to the group. “I certainly hope our students are making you feel at home here at Monster High, Wydowna.”
“Oh yes,” Wydowna replied without even looking up at Miss Flapper.
“You know it’s almost time for your race. Don’t you want to stretch out your mouth?” Miss Flapper asked Wydowna pointedly.
“Yes, that’s exactly what I want to do,” Wydowna responded before wandering off.
It was nearly the end of Crack and Shield Day before Robecca, Rochelle, and Venus were able to locate Wydowna again. Hiding behind the concession stand with Shoo, the flame-haired ghoul busied herself by weaving a scarf.
“Hey, what are you doing back here? You’re about to miss the Sea Creature Swim-Off,” Robecca called out to Wydowna.
“Spider ghouls aren’t much for water. We’re surprisingly bad swimmers, considering how many arms we have,” Wydowna said with a slight giggle.
“Boo-la-la, Wydowna, you are so talented. I cannot tell you how I envy your ability to create such items,” Rochelle gushed over the scarf.
“Thanks,” Wydowna said quietly. “You ghouls have been really nice to me.”
“Why wouldn’t we be? After all, you’re a new student at Monster High. I’m only sorry that you’ve arrived at such a precarious time,” Venus explained.
“Venus is, of course, referring to the normie threat,” Rochelle clarified while holding Wydowna’s gaze.
“Yeah, the scariff mentioned something about that at the station,” Wydowna mumbled uncomfortably. “It’s terrible what those normies are planning to do.”
“Is it?” Venus asked Wydowna sharply. “Or rather, what I meant to say was, are the normies really planning to do something to us?”
“That’s what the scariff said, but what do I know? I’ve only been here a few weeks,” Wydowna stammered as she stopped weaving and stood up. “Maybe I will catch the Sea Creature Swim-Off, after all.”
Venus, Robecca, and Rochelle stepped closer to the ghoul, effectively stopping her cold in her tracks.
“We know what you’re doing,” Venus pressed Wydowna. “We know who you’re working with. We just don’t understand why you’re doing it.”
“I don’t know what you mean,” Wydowna uttered nervously.
“Stop pretending, Wydowna. It’s more irksome than an empty boiler,” Robecca snapped.
“I’m not pretending.… I don’t know,” Wydowna whispered as she looked down at Shoo.
“You seem so nice, so genuine. I don’t get it. How could you get caught up in something like this? A society that holds some creatures above others? That’s not right and you know it,” Venus chastised the ghoul.
“You don’t understand,” Wydowna babbled as she began to cry. “I thought I was being sent here to help monsters. For the good of the whole monster world. But then I started reading things… things I didn’t like or even understand.…”
“Just tell us who’s behind this! What or who is Asome?” Venus pushed the frightened spider ghoul to confess.
“I can’t tell you.… It’s too dangerous.…”
“You must tell us! The future of every ghoul and guy at Monster High depends on it!” Rochelle pleaded. “S’il ghoul plaît, Wydowna.”
“You don’t understand how powerful they are,” Wydowna stuttered as she started crying louder.
“Just tell us who they are! We can handle them!” Venus screamed, losing her patience.
“You don’t get it. You won’t be able to stop them!” Wydowna screamed back abruptly.
“We stopped Miss Flapper’s Whisper and we’re going to stop this too,” Venus stated assuredly.
“Don’t you see? It’s all part of the same plan.”
“What plan?” Robecca implored, steam pouring out of her ears.
“You don’t have a clue how far up this goes, how long this plan has been in the making,” Wydowna said as a loud siren cut through the air.
Seconds later, Superintendent Petra’s voice boomed over the loudspeakers on the field.
“This is not a drill. Repeat, this is not a drill. All students and staff members are to report immediately to the gym for lockdown.”
“S’il ghoul plaît, Wydowna, tell us before it’s too late,” Rochelle begged as the field erupted in chaos.
“I think it already is.…”
To be continued…
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
As a child Gitty Daneshvari talked and talked and talked. Whether yammering at her sister through a closed door or bombarding her parents with questions while they attempted to sleep, she absolutely refused to stop chattering until finally there was no one left to listen. In need of an outlet for her thoughts, Gitty began writing, and she hasn’t stopped since. Gitty is also the author of the middle-grade series School of Fear.
She currently lives in New York City with her highly literate English bulldog, Harriet. And yes, she still talks too much.
Visit her at www.gittydaneshvari.com.
For more great reads and free samplers, visit
www.LBYRDigitalDeals.com
ALSO BY
GITTY DANESHVARI
Ghoulfriends Forever
Ghoulfriends Just Want to Have Fun
School of Fear
School of Fear: Class Is NOT Dismissed!
School of Fear: The Final Exam
Keep a lurk out for the ghoulfriends’ next adventure, coming soon!
Don’t miss the first two books!
Turn the page for a peek at Ghoulfriends Forever!
Nestled deep within the lush forests of Oregon was a small and seemingly average town. Much like any other town in America, it had shops, restaurants, small family homes, and, of course, schools. So normal was the appearance of the town that it was actually quite forgettable. Every year countless travelers passed through without giving it so much as a second thought, utterly unaware that there was anything extraordinary or unique about the place. But, of course, had anyone stopped for a closer inspection, it would have become readily apparent that the town of Salem catered to a rather specific clientele—monsters!
And while one might think that a town of monsters was terribly intriguing, it wasn’t. Salem had long puttered by with nary a scandal or drama outside of the occasional spat over which cemetery would host the Dance of the Delightfully Dead, a celebration of the happily departed. In fact, so unremarkable was the community that the most exciting thing on the horizon was the start of a new semester at Monster High.
Bright and early Monday morning, the well-worn wrought-iron gates to Monster High creaked open to a fast-approaching blitz of bodies. Amid the throngs of monster students was a petite gray gargoyle outfitted in a delightful pink linen dress with a Scaremès scarf wrapped stylishly around her waist as a belt. Moving carefully through the crowd, the young girl minded her Louis Creton luggage and her pet griffin, Roux, but mostly her own two hands. As gargoyles are crafted of stone, they are burdened with both extreme heaviness and terribly sharp claws. And the last thing she wanted to do was snag her dress on the first day at a new school.
“Pardonnez-moi, madame,” Rochelle Goyle called out in a charming Scarisian accent as she crested the building’s front steps. “I do not wish to impose upon your business, but might you be looking for this?”
Rochelle bent down, picked up a raven-haired head with crimson lips, and handed it to the imposing headless figure standing next to the main doorway.
“Child, thank you! I keep forgetting my head, both figuratively and literally! You see, I was recently struck by lightning, and it’s left me with a spot of what the doctor calls muddled mind. But not to worry, it won’t last forever,” Headmistress Bloodgood said upon remounting her head on her neck. “Now then, do
I know you? In my current condition, I find it hard to remember faces or names or, if I am to be honest, almost anything.”
“No, madame, you definitely do not know me. I am Rochelle Goyle from Scaris, and I shall be living in the new dormitory on campus.”
“I am awfully thrilled that our reputation as the premier monster academy has attracted so many international students. You’ve come from Scaris, have you? However did you get here? I hope not atop the back of your sweet-faced griffin,” Headmistress Bloodgood said while pointing to Rochelle’s peppy little pet.
“Paragraph 11.5 of the Gargoyle Code of Ethics advises against sitting atop furniture, never mind pets! We came via Werewolf Hairlines, a most reliable company; the planes even come equipped with reinforced steel seats for those of us made of stone,” Rochelle said as she looked down at her slim but weighty figure. “Madame, might I bother you for directions to the dormitory?”
Before Headmistress Bloodgood could respond, however, Rochelle was thrown to the ground by what felt like a wall of water. Hard, damp, and extremely cold, an unknown entity instantly covered both Rochelle and Roux in a dense, misty fog. Looking up from the floor, she saw a short, rotund woman with gray hair storming through the crowd like a tsunami, knocking over everything within a five-foot radius.
“Miss Sue Nami?” Headmistress Bloodgood called out as the watery woman rammed an unsuspecting vampire into a wall.
Upon hearing Headmistress Bloodgood’s high-pitched voice, Miss Sue Nami turned and stomped back, leaving a path of puddles in her wake. Up close, Rochelle couldn’t help but notice the woman’s permanently pruned skin, crisp blue eyes, and unflattering stance. With her legs a foot apart and her hands perched on her shapeless hips, the woman very much reminded Rochelle of a wrestler, albeit a male wrestler.