1. Strange New Substitute

Eerie Elementary Sam BATTLES the Machine! By Jack Chabert Illustrated by Sam Ricks

STRANGE NEW SUBSTITUTE 1 "Where's Ms. Grinker?" Sam Graves asked. It was Monday morning, and he was walking into his third grade classroom with his best friends, Antonio and Lucy. "Are you serious, Sam?" Antonio asked. "How could you forget? I've been looking forward to this!" "Looking forward to what?" Sam asked.

"We have a substitute teacher all week!" Lucy exclaimed. "Ms. Grinker is on vacation, remember?" Sam had completely forgotten. As he took his seat, he felt the extreme happiness that only comes with a substitute teacher! Everyone knows a week with a substitute teacher is the best week. "I bet we won't have, like, any classwork!" Antonio said. Sam smiled. A week without schoolwork would be relaxing— and Sam and his friends were in serious need of a relaxing week...

Mr. Nekobi, the man who took care of the school, had chosen Sam to be the school's hall monitor. He had told Sam the truth about Eerie Elementary: It was alive! It was a living, breathing thing! A monster! And this was a secret that Mr. Nekobi had only shared with Sam, Antonio, and Lucy. Nothing about school had been relaxing since Mr. Nekobi told them the truth. "Who do you think our sub will be?" Sam asked his friends. Lucy pointed. "It looks like we're about to find out."

The school principal, Mr. Winik, appeared in the doorway. Principal Winik was tall and sturdy. He wore thick black glasses. "Class," the principal said, "as you know, you have a substitute teacher this week. Please treat him with the same respect you would Ms. Grinker." Mr. Winik left, and the substitute teacher rushed into the room. The substitute moved in short, quick spurts. He was tall, but he was so bone-thin that he almost seemed see-through. Sam thought the man looked familiar, but he wasn't sure why.

The substitute teacher hurried to the white— board, nearly tripping over a chair. Someone giggled. Then he began writing his name on the board. Lucy nudged Sam. "What's he wearing?" "He's dressed like my great-grandpa!" Antonio said, chuckling quietly. But an instant later, Lucy and Antonio stopped laughing. The teacher had finished writing and turned to face the classroom. Sam read the name on the board. It sent a cold chill down his spine. His hands began to tremble, and he felt light-headed. He was terrified. The new substitute teacher's name was: Mr. Eerie