Spooky Buddies Junior Novel Read Online Free

five puppies.
    His spooky eyes narrowed as he watched the Buddies hurry off. “That must be them,” he growled.

A few blocks away, Warwick walked down a different street. A group of trick-or-treaters came toward him. Most of the kids were dressed as goblins, skeletons, or other scary creatures. One girl was dressed as a fairy princess. “Hurry up!” the fairy princess called to her dad, who was walking behind the group of kids she was with. “The best candy is on the next street!”
    The kids hurried forward, with the girl’s dad rushing to keep up.
    Warwick shuddered. “That pink goblin was hideous!” he said. “This is dreadful. Evil creatures are roaming the streets and controlling the townsfolk. Someone has beaten us to it—this town has already been taken over!”
    Warwick couldn’t believe it. He’d spent more than seventy years looking forward to taking over Fernfield himself.
    But maybe he still could. He knew he would first have to find Hoot and the Hound—and then act fast.
    Hoot was soaring above the town, watching for the glow of his master’s staff. Finally he spotted it. Yes! The Warlock would be pleased with him.
    Billy and his friends didn’t notice the owl landing in a tree nearby. They’d just stopped in front of a darkened house. It was the only one on the block without any decorations.
    â€œRemind me never to come trick-or-treating here,” Bartleby said. He peered at the address on the house. “At…1114 Pine Lane. Talk about no Halloween spirit!”
    â€œ1114 Pine Lane?” Billy repeated. He pulled out the photograph he had stuck in his pocket. “Hey! The boy from the story lived here. This was Joseph’s house!”
    â€œGo knock on the door, Billy,” Alice urged. “Maybe he still lives here.”
    â€œHe’d be, like, a thousand years old,” Billy replied. But he walked up to the house and rang the doorbell anyway.
    Nobody answered. Billy turned back toward the others, who were waiting on the sidewalk.
    â€œI guess nobody’s home,” Billy told them.
    But just then, the door opened behind him. The other kids gasped as someone stepped out. It was Mr. Johnson, the spooky old man from the cemetery!
    â€œLook behind you!” Sam whispered loudly, pointing.
    â€œHa-ha, good one,” Billy said. “I’m not falling for…”
    He trailed off when he noticed his friends’ faces. They all looked pretty scared. What if they weren’t joking?
    Slowly, he turned around. Mr. Johnson glared down at him.
    Billy gulped. “Um…hello…sir,” he stammered. “I was wondering if this boy still lives here.”
    His hand shook as he held up the photo of Joseph. Mr. Johnson looked at it.
    â€œNo,” Mr. Johnson said sharply. “This boy hasn’t lived here in quite some time. Every year a kid like you comes asking about that story. Why can’t you leave it alone? Now go away!”
    â€œOkay,” Billy said immediately. “Sorry, sir.”
    As he backed away, Mr. Johnson noticed the staff Billy was holding. It glowed softly in the moonlight.
    â€œWhere did you get that, boy?” Mr. Johnson snapped. “Hand it over! It’s very dangerous!”
    He grabbed for the staff, but Billy pulled away just in time.
    â€œAaaaah!” Billy yelled. “Run!”
    He and his friends raced away as fast as they could.
    Hoot observed the scene for a moment more. Then he flapped his wings and took off, the full moon lighting his way.
    Warwick was still wandering around town. “Where is that useless owl?” he muttered.
    He watched as a group of kids went to the door of Mrs. Carroll’s house. Mr. Carroll, dressed as Frankendude, answered and passed out candy.
    â€œAll the goblins and ghouls are flocking to his door,” Warwick noted. That must mean there was some evil going on at the house. Warwick needed to find