7 FLIPPED LID

CHAPTER 7 FLIPPED LID At lunchtime, the students gathered near Pillow Mountain. Dr. Tallow counted heads, and recounted heads. She frowned. "Hmm..." she said. "Everyone's here but Mr. Hoarsely and Dottie." "Maybe Count Chad made them disappear," said Rip, in a fake-spooky voice. Dr. Tallow chuckled. "Well, I'm sure they'll be here soon. Let's start eating."

She turned to Nikki. "Sweetie, could you pass out the lunches? They're in the cooler." "Uh, okay," said Nikki. She walked over to pick up the cooler. KERPLOF! The lid snapped in half. Dr. Tallow scowled. "What did you do?" "I—I don't know!" Nikki said. "The lid was just—sliced down the middle!" Alexander's eyes widened. "All right, Nikki," said Dr. Tallow. "Have a seat." Nikki grumbled as she sat between Rip and Alexander.

Dr. Tallow passed out the lunches. There were mini-menus stapled to the bags. Rip chomped a corn chip. "I don't have super-strength," said Nikki, wadding up her paper bag. "That cooler was already broken!" "Just like Joan's costume," added Alexander, "and Count Chad's curtain. And the teacup chain!" "I don't know about that," said Rip. "I think you're starting to imagine monsters because this a-snooze-ment park is booooring."

"It's too bad the roller coaster is busted," said Nikki. Alexander sipped his juice. "Wait a minute," he said. "Maybe a ghost broke the coaster! Didn't the crystal ball warn us about a coaster ghost?" "Ha!" said Nikki. "You mean the fake crystal ball?" "Good point," said Alexander. "But still, I saw spooky eyes in the ball." "Oh geez, Salamander!" Rip snorted. "First, monsters. Now, ghosts? You're a bigger weenie than Hoarsely today!" Alexander stuck out his blue tongue at Rip. But he kept thinking about those eyes. They seemed so real—almost like I've seen them before...