2. Another Eerie!

ANOTHER EERIE?! 2 Sam's heart was beating like a drum. He read the name on the board over and over. Each time, he hoped it would be different. But no. The substitute teacher's name was Mr. Eerie. Could this guy be related to Orson Eerie? Sam wondered.

Orson Eerie was the architect who designed Eerie Elementary almost one hundred years ago. He was also a mad scientist. Orson Eerie found a way to live forever— he became the school. Eerie Elementary was Orson Eerie. Sam and his friends had battled Eerie Elementary many times. A few weeks earlier, they made a bone-chilling discovery: Orson Eerie was trying to come back to life— as a real, flesh-and-blood person! Sam's mind was racing. Could this guy be Orson Eerie? Did he actually come back to life? Sam turned to Antonio and Lucy. He saw fear splashed across their faces. CLAP! Mr. Eerie clapped. The entire class sat up, at attention.

"Class," the substitute said, "please open your science books to Chapter Eight: Basic Tools and Building—" "Argh, can't we just watch a movie today?" one student asked. "Or have silent drawing time?" another student asked. "Open your books," Mr. Eerie repeated. Sam glanced at his friends as he opened his textbook. They needed to talk, but couldn't! Sam tried to pay attention, but that name kept running through his head: Mr. Eerie, Mr. Eerie, Mr. Eerie... RIIIIING!

Finally, the lunch bell rang. Mr. Eerie was the first to leave. He scooped up his bag and rushed out of the classroom. He nearly knocked over two chairs and one student! "It's really good that all three of us have hall monitor duty now," Sam said as he followed Antonio and Lucy into the hall. "So we can talk about this weirdness before we're at lunch with everyone else!" The three friends whispered as they walked the halls. "This new substitute looks so much like Orson Eerie," Sam said. "As soon as I saw him, I got the creeps."

"Let's not freak out yet," Lucy replied. "He is probably a relative of Orson's. Like his great-great-nephew or something." "You're right," Sam agreed. Antonio threw up his hands. "Were you guys born yesterday?!" he exclaimed. "Our substitute teacher is a ZOMBIE! Orson Eerie came back to life as a zombie!" Lucy and Sam stopped in their tracks. Could Antonio be right? Sam wondered.