R. L. Stine_Mostly Ghostly 06 by Let's Get This Party Haunted! Page B

didn't want to look. But I had to. I had to know if my two ghost friends were okay.
    I held my breath. I bent my head and started to peek out.
    And two strong arms grabbed me roughly from behind.

3
    W ITH A GROAN, I twisted around —and stared into the face of my older brother, Colin. Colin, Mr. Good-Looking. Smart, Great Bod, Popular —the Golden Boy. Mr. Perfect.
    Except when it comes to me. Then he's not exactly the perfect older brother. Why not? You'll see.…
    “Hey, Blubber Butt, what's up?” he said, his perfect teeth flashing in the sunlight as he grinned at me.
    “I'm kinda busy,” I said, spinning back to the window. “And don't call me Blubber Butt.”
    “That's your real name. Blubber Butt. I saw your birth certificate.”
    “You don't
have
a birth certificate,” I said. “You were hatched. From a dodo egg.”
    “Good one, Blubber Butt,” he said. He slapped me on the butt —so hard that I went crashing into the wall.
    “That's one thing you're getting from me on your birthday,” he said.
    My butt really stung. I tried to shake the pain away. “That's a birthday present?” I choked out.
    He shook his blond head. “No. That's what I
won't
do on your birthday. I won't slap your butt on your birthday. As a special present.”
    “Gee, thanks,” I said.
    “And here's something else for your birthday,” Colin said. He pulled back his fist, then gave me a stomach punch that made me double over and drop to my knees.
    “Hee heeee heeee.” I made a strange wheezing sound. I figured I'd have to walk around on all fours for the rest of my life.
    “You won't be getting that on your birthday either,” Colin said.
    Nice guy.
    He wrapped his arm around my neck and pulled me down in a headlock. Then he dug his knuckles into my head and started rubbing them back and forth until my scalp was raw.
    “And as a special treat, I won't be doing that to you on your birthday,” he said.
    The top of my head felt soft and mushy, as if a truck had run over it. I knew I wouldn't be able to brush my hair —what was left of it —for weeks!
    I was desperate to get to the window and see what was happening outside with Nicky and Tara. But Colin wouldn't let go of me. He was having a nice workout —and showing me whatI
wouldn't
be getting for my birthday at the
    same time.
    “Colin, please —” I begged.
    “For your birthday, I won't pull your nose out like this,” he said. He jammed two fingers up my nostrils and stretched my nose out …stretched it out until I howled in pain.
    Finally, Dad poked his head into my room. “Max!” he boomed. “Stop teasing Colin!”
    Colin laughed and took his fingers out of my nostrils. My long, limp nose dropped down over my chin.
    Colin jumped to his feet and took off after Dad. “I was just talking to Blubber Butt about his birthday presents,” Colin said. “His birthday is going to be
totally
special.”
    “If I let him
live
that long!” Dad boomed. They both laughed, and I heard them slapping each other high fives.
    Guess which one of us is Dad's favorite?
    Well, I didn't have time to worry about that. I pushed my nose back into place. Then I hurried to the window to see what had happened to Nicky and Tara.
    I grasped the windowsill and pushed my head out. I stared down into the wooded lot.
    No one there.
    I shielded my eyes from the sun with one hand and scanned the area. A fat blue jay on a low treelimb squawked at me. The trees all shimmered with fresh spring-green leaves.
    But no sign of the two ghosts. Or of the boy in black.
    A cold feeling swept down my body. What had happened to them?
    And then, from behind me out in the hall, I heard a low moan.
    A groan.
    Another long moan —of pain!
    Nicky and Tara!
    “Help me …I can't walk!” I heard Tara whisper.
    Another groan. And then Nicky called, “Help us! Somebody —help us!”

4
    M Y HEART SKIPPED A beat. What have I done? I thought. Why did I send them out there?
    I stumbled to the doorway and jumped