به سرزمین وحشت وارد شو فصل 01

Enter Horror Land - Chapter 01

Red-eyed bats shrieked as they darted and swooped over us. I ducked as a bat whistled past my head, then soared up to the rafters of the barn.

Kids screamed and covered their faces. I swung both arms hard and swatted a bat off a girl’s shoulder.

“The bats are REAL!” someone screamed.

“It’s supposed to be a JOKE!” a boy cried.

A fat creature thudded into my chest, wings flapping furiously. Sharp claws dug into my T-shirt. I gripped the bat with both hands and flung it off me.

My new friend, Abby Martin, pressed her hands over her face. She screamed as a bat danced on her head, pulling at her hair. With a loud cry, I slapped it away.

My second day as a Very Special Guest at HorrorLand. It wasn’t exactly what I had imagined.

Where was that Horror, Byron? The tall one with the yellow horns? He told us to meet him here.

We didn’t have time to think about him. The screeching, glowing-eyed bats were out for blood.

The barn was big and dark. The doors had closed behind us. The only light came from a narrow window high in the roof of the barn.

In the darkness, it seemed like a thousand wings were beating around us. A thousand shrill creatures zooming low, tearing and biting at us.

Abby screamed again. I lurched toward her and stumbled over a pile of straw. Suddenly, I had an idea. Could I stop the bat attack?

The kids back home call me Monster. Believe me, I know a lot about monsters — because I WAS one! My parents and I would still be monsters. But I led them to Mr. Wong’s house. Talk about luck! There was enough of the disgusting egg yolk left to turn us back to humans.

It’s a long story. But ever since, I always carry my lucky dog whistle with me. I pulled it out of my jeans pocket and raised it to my mouth.

Would it be lucky now?

Yes! Seconds later, the shrill bat cries stopped. A strange hush fell over the barn.

The bats appeared to freeze in midair. They stopped their furious flapping. They glided up to the rafters.

They didn’t come back down.

The other kids were blinking, shaking and shivering, gazing around in confusion. Carly Beth and Sabrina dropped to their knees in the straw. Robby spun around in a circle, hands raised. The bats were gone, but he was still fighting them off.

“Hey, Michael —” Matt strode up to me. “How did you do that? How did you stop the bats?” I raised my dog whistle. “Had this in my jeans,” I said. “Thought I’d give it a try. I guess the sound hurt them or confused them or something.” “Good work, Michael,” Abby said. Her hands trembled as she tugged at her long black hair, trying to smooth it down. She slapped me a high five. “That was scary.” Billy Deep and his sister, Sheena, stared at the rafters. “They’re still up there,” Sheena murmured. “Think they’ll attack again?” “We’re outta here,” Matt said. He pushed past me and led the way to the barn doors. He shoved one open.

Late afternoon sunlight poured in. We followed him to a small grassy field beside the barn.

Sabrina gazed around. “Where is Byron?” she asked. “He was supposed to meet us here.” “Must’ve gotten hung up,” Robby said.

“What if it was an ambush?” I said. I tapped the dog whistle against my palm. My skin still tingled from the touch of the bat claws.

“What if this dude Byron planned the whole thing?” I asked.

“You mean he told us to come here knowing the bats would attack?” Abby asked.

“No way!” Matt replied, shaking his head. “Byron is our only friend here.”

“Matt’s right,” Billy said. “He’s the only Horror who told us the truth. Byron warned us we were all invited here for a reason. He told us we were all in danger.” “But Byron is the one who gave us those tokens, right?” I said. “And they turned out to be tracking devices. He wanted to spy on us.” I pointed to the Bat Barn. “And now he sent us here to be creamed by screaming bats!”

“Don’t accuse Byron,” Matt said, narrowing his eyes at me.

I started to lose it. “Sorry if Byron is your hero — but I’ll accuse whoever I want!” I snapped.

Matt clenched his hands into fists. He was a big dude, almost as big as me. “You just got here, Michael,” he said, sneering. “You don’t know enough to start mouthing off.” I should’ve just shut up. But that would be a first.

“I know enough to fight back when I’m in trouble,” I said. “I don’t just stand around like you — shaking like a wimp, waiting for someone to come help me!” “Stop it, you two!” Sabrina cried. “We don’t have time —”

Too late.

Matt rushed at me. I timed it just right — and gave him a hard BUMP with my chest.

His eyes went wide with surprise. He stumbled back. And landed on his butt in a wide patch of mud.

With a furious cry, he leaped to his feet. Grabbed me by the shoulders. Pulled me down into the mud. And we started wrestling.

“Stop it! Stop it!” Sabrina grabbed my shoulders and tried to pull me off Matt. But she wasn’t strong enough.

I grabbed Matt’s head and pushed his face into the mud.

He came up sputtering.

“What are you fighting for?” Abby cried. “We’re in danger! We have to stay on the same side!” Matt spit a mouthful of mud in my face. I pushed his shoulders down and pinned him to the ground.

“Stop! Stop the fight!”

I heard two voices I didn’t recognize.

I raised my head. Turned — and saw two black-and-orange-uniformed Monster Police running toward us, swinging wooden clubs.

“Dudes — RUN!” Billy screamed.