Goosebumps 2

Chapter 10

R. L. STINE

I opened the door of Zach and Hannah's hotel room. Hannah stood by the window. Zach slept on the bed, probably thinking that Hannah is still asleep beside him.

"Dad, what are you doing here?"She asked, not looking away from the window.

"Um, I was supposed to wake you up and Zach, but I guess you could do that since you're awake. We gotta leave now."Zach's eyes opened at the time I said we gotta leave. He's fully awake.

See? I told you he's a light sleeper.

"I'll start getting our stuff ready."He said. He quickly took everything he and Hannah owned and stuffed it inside their backpacks.

He was like in full husband mode. Like when the girl is about to go to labor and the guy runs around getting all the things needed packed.

"What about Aunt Lorraine and Mrs. Cooper?"She asked. Right. Zach stopped in his tracks and paid close attention. "What happened to them?"His voice sounded worried...very worried.

"I found a note in their room. They're headed back to Madison. They can't risk our safety by being extra weights for the trip anymore."I explained.

Zach let humself collapse on the bed, a look of confusion and failure plastered on his face. "They're not extra weights! They're my family!"He defended. Hannah walked to his side and started comofrting him by making circles on his back.

"I understand that they're your family, Zach. But we need to...you know...move now. Slappy's probably on the run, I mean, he csn't catch up anytime soon but, we have to keep a bigger distance."I said.

Zach looked down, not comforted at all by Hannah's sweetness. He thought about it for a second and nodded his head, quietly going back to dumping their clothes in their bags.

Hannah and I looked at each other. It must be a big pain to know your family abandoned you when you need their support and care the most, but at least he still got us.

"Just give him some time, Dad. Go get Champ and tell him we're leaving right now."Hannah turned me and pushed me gently, leading me to the door. Hannah pointed her finger to Champ and Taylor's room. "That's their room, if you don't know."

"Yeah, okay. I know that."I walked to Champ's room. How could Gale and Lorraine do this to us? Just leave us when we're so near to escaping Slappy completely. Maybe, not completely, but still.

Zach needs his family right now! Don't they know that? Can't they understand that this should be the moment they're with him?

I opened the door to Champ's bedroom. He still lay snoring at the couch, Taylor checking her phone and laying on her bed.

"Hi! Do you wanna talk to Chump?"Taylor confidently squeeked. "Yeah."

"Chump!"I shouted a bit. Champ instantly woke up. "It's Champ. Not Chump!"He protested.

"Nevermind. We're leaving."