15. Bad Hair Night

CHAPTER 15 BAD HAIR NIGHT That night, George and Harold camped out in George's tree house. "I have to drive your mother to work early tomorrow morning," said George's dad. "So you boys are responsible for getting yourselves to school on time." "OK, Pop," said George. "We'll be there bright and early, Mr. Beard," said Harold.

It had been a tough day for George and Harold, and now it was time to relax. George rolled out the sleeping bags, while Harold unpacked a box of chocolate donuts, four cans of orange cream soda, and a big bowl of Bar-B-Q potato chips. Believe it or not, there was even a cool Japanese monster movie playing on TV. "You know," said George, "life doesn't get any better than this!" "Yep," said Harold. "But do you think the Hypno-Ring actually worked on Ms. Ribble? She looked a little weird when she came out of her trance." "Aaah, she was probably just sleepy," said George. "Teachers have very stressful jobs, you know." "I wonder why?" said Harold.

After the movie, George and Harold brushed the crumbs out of their sleeping bags and got ready for bed. "Let's sleep in our school clothes tonight," said George. "That way we won't have to wake up early to get dressed." "Good idea," said Harold. So George turned out the light, and soon the two boys were drifting off to sleep. After a few minutes, Harold sat up quickly and looked around. "Hey!" he whispered. "What's that noise?" "I didn't hear anything," said George.

They listened closely. "Shhh!" said Harold. "There it is again!" George heard it this time. He reached over and opened the tree house door a crack. All they could hear was the sound of crickets chirping in the night. George opened the door wider, and the boys peeked down.

"AAAUUGH!" roared an evil-looking woman dressed in tight purple vinyl and a mangy-looking fake-fur boa. George and Harold screamed in horror! The snarling woman climbed from the ladder into the tree house. George and Harold recognized her immediately in the moonlight.

"Ms. Ribble," George gasped. "What a lovely, uh, outfit you have on." "Who's Ms. Ribble?" the angry lady growled. "My name is Wedgie Woman!!!" George and Harold looked at each other and swallowed hard. "I understand that you boys have information about Captain Underpants," said Wedgie Woman. "What makes you say that?" asked Harold. "I've read your comic books," said the evil villain. "You boys know his strengths, his weaknesses, and I'll bet you even know his SECRET IDENTITY!" "No way!" said George. "Captain Underpants isn't real... He—he's just a cartoon!" "We'll see about that," Wedgie Woman scoffed.