Summer Ghoul: Tales From Lovecraft Middle School #5

Untitled Part 16

They were at the motel on Highway One. The summer sun had reluctantly set, and night had moved in.

An empty pizza box and soda cans sat on the bed. The motel had an old TV with an antenna. Robert fiddled around with it and got the snow to dissipate.

Finally there was a news report on both the Sheriff's death and the missing man. The report said it seemed both were attacked by a pack of feral dogs. It also said the beaches were closed indefinitely. The camera panned to the usually bustling wharf. Almost all the storefronts were shuttered.

"Mr. Arthur did this," said Glenn. "He had to have. The Sheriff was mean to him ever since he arrived in town. And the incident at the seafood restaurant tonight pushed him over the edge."

"He's just the latest in a series of monster teachers. Teachers that seem human but aren't. Glenn and me figured it out, and ever since, they've been after us."

"Don't you remember how he picked up that washing machine like it was nothing?"

"Don't you remember the professor and the librarian just not working there anymore one day?"

"It's all connected."

The boys finished talking. The two women fell silent. The silence was awful. Would they believe them? Would they tell them they were crazy?

"I believe you, son," said Beth. "But I know Arthur is not involved in this. He can't be."

Ellen took a piece of paper out of her purse and passed it to Beth. Beth looked at it and turned pale. Glenn took it from her hand and read aloud: "Summer School Roster: Glenn Torkells; Robert Arthur. There's no other students on the roster. Robert, she believes us."

"I had suspicions but didn't want to believe them. I had the temp print me a list of students for the summer schedule. It wasn't easy, but I told her since I was the nurse I needed to know."

There was a loud scraping sound outside the door. They turned off the TV and the lights. They could see a shadow moving in the hallway.

BANG!

BANG!

Someone was banging on the door.

Everyone huddled together on the floor. Glenn frantically went through the duffle and pulled out a screwdriver. He flattened himself in back of the door.

Robert walked steathily to the door and on Glenn's count of three, yanked it open.

"YAAAAAAAAH!"

"AAAAAAAAAH!"

It was Warren Lavinia! "Oh, you're all right. Thank God. I was afraid something had happened to you."

"How the heck . . ."

"I wouldn't be worth my salt if I couldn't track a couple of students and their moms. No offense, ladies."

"Why are you here?"

"It's Mr. Arthur. He's not who you think he is."

"No duh! Tell that to my mom," said Glenn.

"No, he's not not  who you think he is. He came here by mistake. He is the prince of an underwater ocean kingdom!"

TO BE CONTINUED