1. The Storm

Erie Elementary School FREEZES Over! By Jack Chabert Illustrated by Sam Ricks

THE STORM 1 "I can't even see outside!" Sam Graves said to his best friends, Antonio and Lucy. It was morning in Ms. Grinker's third-grade class and Sam and his friends were at their desks. A huge snowstorm was blowing outside. "I've never seen so much snow!" Lucy said. Antonio groaned. "I can't believe we didn't get a snow day. I should be at home on my couch!"

But Sam wasn't at all worried about the weather. He was too busy looking forward to afterschool hockey practice. Sam was terrible at most sports but not hockey. He was one of the best skaters on the team. Ms. Grinker and some of Sam's classmates stood at the window. Lucy leaned across her desk and whispered, "While everyone's watching the storm, let's look at Orson Eerie's notes." Sam nodded. "Good idea."

Orson Eerie was a mad scientist. He was also the architect who designed Eerie Elementary almost one hundred years ago. Orson Eerie found a way to live forever— he became the school. Orson Eerie was the school, and the school was Orson Eerie! Eerie Elementary was a living, breathing thing that fed on students. Sam was the school hall monitor, and Lucy and Antonio were assistant hall monitors. It was their job to protect everyone. They were the only students who knew the awful truth about the school.

A few weeks earlier, the three friends had found Orson Eerie's old science book. The mad scientist hadn't wanted them to see the book. He had tried to get it back by attacking the science fair! After defeating a giant volcano, Sam and his friends found out why Orson Eerie didn't want them reading the book: It was filled with his notes! Sam and his friends couldn't bring the actual book to school. It was too dangerous. Instead, they took photos of the book's pages using Antonio's phone. Antonio made sure no one was looking, and then slipped out his phone. "Orson must have written about his creepy plans in here," he whispered, as Sam and Lucy peered over his shoulder. Suddenly, he said, "Look at this! Orson wrote, 'Ways I Could Return.'"

"Return?" Lucy said. "What could that mean?" Good question, Sam thought. Orson already cheated death by becoming the school. So what could "return" mean? Before Sam could respond to Lucy, the wind howled. It sounded like thunder. The windows rattled and the walls shook. WHOOSHH! BOOM! WHAM! The windows flew open. Thick snow blew into the classroom! The storm was now a full- on blizzard!