The Creepy Sleep-Over Read Free Page B

chocolate,” Dunkum said.
    â€œWrong again!” Jason teased. “I need a bathroom.”
    Dunkum opened every door in the hallway. Even a broom closet.
    Then . . . surprise! He found a walk-in closet.
    He recognized certain clothes hanging there. “Look at this! I think I found Miss Hershey’s closet.”
    Eric and Jason rushed over. “Let’s see,” said Eric.
    â€œAny pj’s?” Jason whispered.
    â€œAre the clothes arranged from A to Z?” Eric teased.
    â€œWhat about chalk? Or apples?” Jason said. “Maybe she stores apples for the teacher in there.”
    Dunkum turned around. “Stop it!” he said. He slammed the door behind him.
    Jason frowned. “Wait! I was just getting started.”
    â€œI was afraid of that,” Dunkum said. He shooed the boys back. “This is totally uncool. Miss Hershey oughta have some privacy.”
    Eric glanced at Jason. “Dunkum’s right,” he muttered.
    But Jason dashed off. He darted here and there, looking for the bathroom.
    Together they all searched. And found nothing.
    Dunkum wasn’t too surprised. “See? Told you!” he said. “Teachers don’t have bathrooms!”

SEVEN
    Dunkum and Miss Hershey blew out the candles in the living room.
    Soon, the lights were turned back on. “Who wants to play hide-and-seek?” asked Miss Hershey.
    Abby and Stacy looked surprised. “ Here? In your house?” Abby said.
    â€œAbsolutely! You’ll discover some wonderful places to hide,” the teacher said.
    Dunkum looked around.
    Uh-oh! Jason was missing.
    Eric waved his hand up. “Can I be ‘it’ first?” he asked.
    Stacy said, “Don’t say ‘can’—we know you can.” She was always correcting speech. “You should say ‘may I be it first?’ ”
    Eric shrugged like he didn’t care. “Well? Can I?”
    Miss Hershey agreed. “But you must count to one hundred very slowly.”
    â€œWhy?” Eric asked.
    â€œBecause there are eight of us hiding,” she said.
    â€œ You’re gonna hide?” Eric said.
    Dunkum was surprised, too.
    â€œI love playing games,” Miss Hershey said. “I’m still a kid way down deep.” She chuckled.
    For a moment Dunkum believed her. He saw the wink of adventure in her eyes.
    Just then Jason came downstairs. He was grinning.
    â€œWe’re going to play hide-and-seek,” Miss Hershey told him.
    â€œYes!” Jason said. He looked right atDunkum. “I know where I’m gonna hide!” And he disappeared again.
    Eric began to count. “One . . . two . . . three . . . four . . .”
    â€œSlow down,” Miss Hershey said. “This is a very big house, you know.”
    Dunkum, Miss Hershey, and the others hurried to hide.
    The sleep-over party was going great.
    So far!

    Dunkum ended up in the library. He found a secret panel next to a set of encyclopedias. He leaned against the wall.
    Squeak! The panel door opened.
    â€œHey, cool,” he whispered.
    Quietly, he crept in. It was dark as chocolate inside.
    He sat on the floor and pulled the panel door shut. “Eric will never find me here,” he said to himself.
    He wondered if Miss Hershey knew about the wall panel. What a secret, secret place!
    Slowly, he counted to one hundred. Just like Eric was downstairs. Counting might help pass the time. Because he didn’t want to stay here too long. Not in this dark and dreary place behind the library wall.
    Suddenly, he thought of the Poe poem. Miss Hershey’s favorite. Once upon a midnight dreary . . .
    Shivering, he wished he hadn’t remembered. Not the gloomy midnight part. Not the raven part. This hiding place was way too creepy!
    He waited a bit longer, listening. But he heard nothing. No sounds of Eric finding the others.
    Nothing.
    Maybe if he cracked the door, he’d hear better. Maybe even Eric’s