Spell of the Screaming Jokers Read Online Free Page B

now.”
    â€œYou’re not!” a voice screamed behind us.
    I gave a yelp of surprise.
    I whipped my head around.
    Mrs. Marder!
    â€œI warned you!” she shrieked. “Now you’ll pay!”

9

    M rs. Marder took a step toward us. The green bandanna on her head fluttered in the wind.
    â€œYou!” she screamed.
    Was she pointing at me?
    â€œRun!” I cried. “Let’s get out of here!”
    Louisa, Frankie, and I charged out of the yard. We didn’t stop running until we reached Max’s house.
    I put out my hands and stopped myself on a tree trunk, gasping for breath.
    â€œDid you see the awful look in her eyes?” I cried.
    â€œI did.” Louisa’s voice shook. “I’m scared, Brit! Maybe we should tell Mrs. Davidson what happened.”
    Jeff stood on the front steps, looking smug. When he saw us, he turned and rang the bell.
    Mrs. Davidson opened the door wearing a jade-green T-shirt and dark jeans. “Hi, kids!” she greeted us. “Come in! Max can’t wait to get started today. He has the cards all shuffled.”
    â€œMrs. Davidson, we have to talk to you,” Louisa declared.
    â€œOf course.” A look of concern came over Mrs. Davidson’s face. “Is something wrong?”
    â€œYou know the house right behind yours?” Louisa asked as we entered the living room.
    Mrs. Davidson nodded. “The Marder house.”
    â€œMrs. Marder is evil!” I blurted out. “She’s a witch!”
    â€œOh, that poor woman!” Mrs. Davidson said. “She isn’t evil! She doesn’t take much time with her appearance, that’s all.”
    â€œBut all those stories about her—” I began.
    Mrs. Davidson shook her head. “You mustn’t believe those stories. They are so silly! Especially the one about the kids who trespassed in her yard.”
    â€œWhat kids?” Louisa asked. “I never heard that story.”
    â€œOh, it’s nothing. Just a ridiculous rumor.” Mrs. Davidson frowned slightly. “I shouldn’t repeat it. These kinds of rumors are so mean.”
    â€œPlease tell us,” I begged. “Please!”
    â€œOh, all right.” Mrs. Davidson sighed. “But remember—it’s just a story. A silly story.”
    I wasn’t so sure about that. Not at all.
    â€œOne day,” Mrs. Davidson began, “four children supposedly wandered into Mrs. Marder’s backyard. They were only seven or eight years old. Too young to know any better. They stepped on one of her plants or something. When she saw what they’d done—so the story goes—she got really angry and put a spell on them.”
    â€œA spell?” My heart was racing. “What kind of spell?”
    â€œOh, it’s too silly to tell.” Mrs. Davidson started to leave the room. “Let’s go see Max.”
    â€œNo!” I yelled. “I mean, please tell us the rest of the story. Please.”
    Mrs. Davidson’s glance moved across each of our faces. “Oh, all right. I suppose everyone likes a scary story now and then. But remember—it’s just a story.”
    We all nodded, eager to hear the rest. And dreading it at the same time.
    â€œShe chased the children out of her yard,” Mrs. Davidson went on. “But from that moment on, the children complained that little creatures followed them everywhere. Attacking them when they least expected it.”
    Blood drained from Frankie’s face. He looked scared to death.
    I gasped.
    â€œOh, kids! It’s only a silly story.” Mrs. Davidson shook her head. “You don’t have anything to worry about.”
    â€œYes, we do!” Louisa cried. “We ran through her garden. And Frankie dumped over her wheelbarrow and smashed a big plant in her birdbath!”
    I glanced at Frankie. Now he had a strange grin on his face.
    â€œI told you—it was just a silly story,” Mrs.