12-ONE SMELLY CHEESE RIND

ONE SMELLY CHEESE RIND I climbed the WOODEN staircase, lugging my suitcase behind me. It was then that I realized I would be staying in room 313. Three hundred thirteen! HOLEY CHEESE Are you superstitious? I'M NOT REALLY. Well, MAYBE A LITTLE. OK, MAYBE A LOT. My teeth began to chatter just thinking about the number thirteen. How unlucky can you get?! I reached my door and opened it. I switched on the light... ...and almost fainted. I tried to remember the description of the room in the brochure.

...uniquely decorated... ...sea view... ...bathtub with organic hydromassage... ...own fridge... ...own television... I looked around. No fridge. No television. Instead, I found a dark, dingy room painted a sickly green. The one window overlooked an open-air disco. Below, hundreds of rodents were dancing wildly to the rhythm of EAR-PIERCING music. I stumbled to the bathroom, clutching my nose. Did I mention the place melted? Instead of a bathtub there was a large, rusty metal bucket. This is not happening, I told myself. This is all just a bad dream.

I sat down on the WORM-EATEN bed and closed my eyes. Inhale exhale, I chanted. Yes, I was starting to feel a teeny- tiny bit better. Two minutes later, I heard a loud crack. Then the bed collapsed under my weight! I opened my eyes. That's when I spotted the plate on my bedside table. It held a piece of STALE bread and one smelly cheese rind. A plastic fork with a

BROKEN tine was stuck in the rind. The plate had been decorated with a big lettuce leaf. A snail sat in the middle of the leaf, munching away. There was an olive pit next to the leaf. I guess the snail liked olives, too. I chewed my whiskers in frustration. Was this the "delicious snack"? Was this the "Welcome"? Was this a joke?

At that moment, I noticed a small greasy card by the plate. I read it out loud: for mr. Gerattimo Stilton Room 313 "Gerattimo?!" I squeaked, feeling the blood rush to my fur. "GEPATTIMO? GEPATTIMO?" I repeated, paws clenched. "CHEESE NIBLETS!" I threw the window open and stuck my head out. "My name is Geronimo, Geronimo Stilton!!!" I screeched. The loud music from the disco stopped