by R. L. Stine
And a drooling, three-headed beast was not looking back at them.
“LUCIA!” I screamed, throwing the glasses onto the floor. “You—you’re—”
“I’m what?” She cocked her head and smiled. She was so beautiful. Again.
But she was one of them. A leak.
Lucia!
Did she know? Did leaks into our world know they were . . . like that? Hadron had never explained that, and Lucia wasn’t giving me any clues. She was looking at me with a big, radiant smile.
I decided in that moment that she didn’t know. She couldn’t have known. Here in this world she looked like a human and felt like a human. And I never wanted to see her like that again. I would definitely, unquestionably, destroy those glasses.
“Honey, where did you get these?” my mom called out from behind me.
I turned. She was bending down, picking up the sunglasses from the carpet. She rose with an amused smile and began lifting them to her face.
“No!” I shouted.
She put them on and struck a pose. As her friends laughed she glanced around the room.
I raced toward her. I didn’t want her to see Lucia. But as she turned to us, the smile disappeared from her face. Her jaw dropped. Her skin turned a ghostly white.
I stopped in my tracks.
No. It couldn’t be. It was impossible.
Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Lucia halfway across the room, leaning over a bowl of M&M’s. My mom wasn’t looking at her at all.
As she let out a shrill, piercing scream, she was staring directly at me.
About the Authors
RAY DANIEL is an award-winning author of Boston-based crime fiction and is the author of the Tucker Mystery series. Hacked is the fourth novel in the series. His short story “Give Me a Dollar” won the 2014 Derringer Award for Best Long Story, and “Driving Miss Rachel” was chosen as a 2013 distinguished short story by Otto Penzler, editor of The Best American Mystery Stories 2013. For more information visit him online at www.raydanielmystery.com and follow him on Twitter @raydanielmystry.
BETH FANTASKEY is the author of several novels for teens and preteens, including Jessica’s Guide to Dating on the Dark Side; Jekel Loves Hyde; Buzz Kill; and Isabel Feeney, Star Reporter. She lives in rural Pennsylvania with her husband, three daughters, and an entire menagerie of pets. Her favorite ice cream flavor is chocolate chip. Visit her at www.bethfantaskeyauthor.com or on Twitter @bethfantaskey.
CHRIS GRABENSTEIN is a #1 New York Times bestselling author. His books for kids include Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library, Mr. Lemoncello’s Library Olympics, The Island of Dr. Libris, and Welcome to Wonderland: Home Sweet Motel. He is also the coauthor with James Patterson of numerous fun and funny page-turners, including I Funny, House of Robots, Treasure Hunters, Jacky Ha-Ha, and Word of Mouse. Visit him at www.chrisgrabenstein.com or on Twitter @CGrabenstein.
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author HEATHER GRAHAM majored in theater arts at the University of South Florida. After several years in dinner theater, backup vocals, and bartending, she stayed home after the birth of her third child and began to write. Her first book was with Dell Publishing, and since then, she has written over two hundred fifty novels and novellas, including suspense, historical romance, vampire fiction, time travel, occult, and Christmas family fare. She has been published in approximately twenty languages and been honored with awards from Walden Books, B. Dalton, Georgia Romance Writers, Affaire de Coeur, Romantic Times, and more. She is the proud recipient of the Silver Bullet from International Thriller Writers, and was ThrillerMaster in 2016. Visit Heather at www.eheathergraham.com or on Twitter @heathergraham.
Edgar Award–nominated author-illustrator BRUCE HALE is passionate about inspiring reluctant readers to open books (and read them). He has written over forty seriously funny books for children, including the award-winning Chet Gecko Mystery series, Snoring Beauty (one of Oprah’s Recommended Reads for Kids), and the Clark the Shark books, one of which ended up in a McDonald’s Happy Meal (not the way you think). His newest, The Curse of the Were-Hyena, is based on a story he wrote in second grade. An actor and Fulbright Scholar in storytelling, Bruce is in demand as a speaker, having presented internationally at conferences, universities, and schools. Visit him at www.brucehale.com or on Twitter @storyguy1.
STEVE HOCKENSMITH is the author of more than a dozen mystery novels, including the Edgar Award finalists Holmes on the Range and Nick and Tesla’s Secret Agent Gadget Battle. His most recent books are the tarot-themed mystery Give the Devil His Due (with Lisa Falco) and the graphic novel Secret Smithsonian Adventures: Claws and Effect (with Chris Kientz). Like the trick-or-treaters in his story, he’s never been fond of Whoppers. You can learn more about him, his candy preferences, and his books at www.stevehockensmith.com or on Twitter @MrHockensmith.
TONYA HURLEY is a New York Times and international bestselling author of the ghostgirl series and The Blessed trilogy. Her books are published in over thirty countries and in more than twenty languages around the world. She is the recipient of the Pennsylvania School Librarians Association Award, the Parents’ Choice Gold Award, and is a two-time Bram Stoker Award finalist. Her books received starred reviews from such literary publications as Publishers Weekly, VOYA, School Library Journal, and Kirkus Reviews. Hurley wrote and produced two hit TV series, and wrote and directed acclaimed independent films, music videos, and video games for kids. She was a founding board member of the Morbid Anatomy Museum and is the co-host of the Stories of Strange Women podcast. Her much anticipated novel Feathervein will be published in 2019. Visit Tonya at www.tonyahurley.com and on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter @TonyaHurley.
EMMY LAYBOURNE is a novelist and former character actress. She is the author of the Monument 14 trilogy and the novel Sweet. Before her life as an author, Emmy performed original comedy on Comedy Central, MTV, and VH1 and acted in the movies Superstar, The In-Laws, and Nancy Drew, among others. Emmy lives outside New York City with her husband, two kids, and a flock of six nifty chickens. Sign up for her awesome newsletter at www.emmylaybourne.com or follow her on Twitter @EmmyLaybourne.
PETER LERANGIS is the author of far too many books. Nine of them have been New York Times bestsellers, to his parents’ relief. After writing the Seven Wonders series and several The 39 Clues books, he promises his next work will not contain a number in the title. His friendship with R.L. Stine was forged over a dinner with Vladimir Putin, who kept his shirt on. Ever since, he has been very careful about emails. Peter is now locked away working on a new series called Max Tilt, and he would deeply appreciate it if you sent chocolate. Visit him at www.peterlerangis.com or on Twitter @PeterLerangis.
DOUG LEVIN’S short crime fiction has appeared in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, and two anthologies. He once sold a pen to a Nobel Prize winner, gave a ride to a different Nobel Prize winner, and ghostwrote for yet another Nobel Prize winner. He has also met two astronauts. A lapsed academic, former book critic, and current pug owner, Doug lives and works in Portland, Oregon. He can be found on very rare occasions blogging at www.douglevin.com.
PHIL MATHEWS used to work in an office, at a desk, behind a computer, but tired of that routine, so now he writes . . . in his house . . . at a desk . . . behind a computer. “Bloodstone” is his first published short story, but his first published work might be the book Gumshoe, which features the same characters from “Bloodstone.” If he can finish it up and e-publish it before this anthology comes out.
ALISON MCMAHAN is an award-winning screenwriter, author, and filmmaker. Her books include The Films of Tim Burton: Animating Live Action in Hollywood; the award-winning Alice Guy Blaché: Lost Visionary of the Cinema, which has been translated into Spanish and had the film rights sold; and the historical mystery novel The Saffron Crocus, which won the Rosemary Award for Excellence in Young Adult and New Adult Fiction in 2014 and the Florida Writers Association’s Royal Palm Literary Award in
2015. Her short mystery “The New Score” appeared in Fish Out of Water: A Guppy Anthology, and “The Drive By” appeared in Busted!: Arresting Stories from the Beat anthology. She reviews for The Big Thrill and Publishers Weekly. Visit her at www.AlisonMcMahan.com or on Twitter @AlisonMcMahan.
LISA MORTON is a screenwriter, author of nonfiction books, award-winning prose writer, and Halloween expert whose work was described by the American Library Association’s Readers’ Advisory Guide to Horror as “consistently dark, unsettling, and frightening.” Her most recent releases include Ghosts: A Haunted History and the short-story collection Cemetery Dance Select: Lisa Morton. Lisa lives in the San Fernando Valley and online at www.lisamorton.com or on Twitter @cinriter.
DANIEL PALMER has written eight critically acclaimed suspense novels, including two medical thrillers with Michael Palmer. He published his first novel, Delirious, after a decade-long career in e-commerce, where he helped build major online retailers, including www.barnesandnoble.com. A recording artist, accomplished blues harmonica player, and lifelong Red Sox fan, Daniel lives in New Hampshire with his wife and two children. Visit him at www.danielpalmerbooks.com or on Twitter @danielpalmer.
STEPHEN ROSS is a filmmaker, musician, and mystery writer. He has been nominated for an Edgar Award, a Derringer Award, an International Thriller Writers’ Thriller Award for Best Short Story, and was a 2010 Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine Readers Award finalist. His short stories and novellas have appeared in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, the 2013 Mystery Writers of America Mystery Box anthology, and many other publications. He has lived in Auckland, London, and Frankfurt, and he currently resides on the beautiful Whangaparaoa Peninsula of New Zealand, where his dog, Mycroft, takes him for walks. Visit Stephen at www.StephenRoss.net and on Twitter @_StephenRoss.
JEFF SOLOWAY won the 2014 Robert L. Fish Memorial Award from the Mystery Writers of America. His Travel Writer mystery series includes The Travel Writer, which takes place in Bolivia, and The Last Descent, which takes place in the Grand Canyon. The latest installment, The Ex-President, set on a cruise ship, is about a former real-estate tycoon who becomes president and then mysteriously quits halfway through his term. Jeff lives in New York City with his wife and two children, Manny and Valerie.
New York Times bestselling author WENDY CORSI STAUB has published more than eighty books since her first, a ghostly thriller called Summer Lightning, won the 1994 RWA RITA Award for Best Young Adult Romance. She is best known for psychological suspense and mysteries such as Bone White and The Dead of Winter. Her paranormal romance Hello, It’s Me—written under her USA Today bestselling pseudonym Wendy Markham—aired as a Hallmark television movie starring Kellie Martin. Visit her on Twitter @WendyCorsiStaub.
R.L. STINE is one of the bestselling children’s authors in history. His Goosebumps and Fear Street series have sold more than 400 million copies around the world. He has had several TV series based on his work, including the 2015 movie Goosebumps, which starred Jack Black as R.L. Stine himself. R.L. Stine lives in New York City with his wife, Jane, an editor and publisher. Visit him at www.rlstine.com or on Twitter @RL_Stine.
JOSEPH S. WALKER lives in Indiana, where he teaches literature courses, cheers for the St. Louis Cardinals, and frequently loses at chess. His stories have previously appeared in Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, The First Line, and other magazines. Cinnamon’s Solace and Cinnamon’s Shadow, the first two installments of a new ebook series of crime stories for adults, are available on Amazon. “The Only Child” is his first story for young readers, and he thanks his wife for a very productive brainstorming session. Follow him on Twitter @JSWalkerAuthor.
USA Today–bestselling thriller author CARTER WILSON is a two-time winner of both the Colorado Book Award and the International Book Award, and his novels have received multiple starred reviews from Publishers Weekly, ALA Booklist, and School Library Journal. His critically acclaimed novel inspired by the Slenderman crime, Mister Tender’s Girl, released in February 2018. He lives in Colorado with his two children. Visit him at www.carterwilson.com.
Discover great authors, exclusive offers, and more at hc.com.
About the Editor
Photo by Dan Nelken
R.L. STINE is one of the bestselling children’s authors in history. His Goosebumps and Fear Street series have sold more than 400 million copies around the world. He has had several TV series based on his work, including the movie Goosebumps, which starred Jack Black as R.L. Stine himself. R.L. Stine lives in New York City with his wife, Jane, an editor and publisher.
Visit him at www.rlstine.com
or on Twitter @RL_Stine.
Copyright
SCREAM AND SCREAM AGAIN!
Copyright © 2018 by Mystery Writers of America, Inc.
Introduction copyright © 2018 by Mystery Writers of America, Inc.
“The Best Revenge” copyright © 2018 by R.L. Stine
“Raw Head and Bloody Bones” copyright © 2018 by Bruce Hale
“Bricks and Bones” copyright © 2018 by Emmy Laybourne
“Ring and Run” copyright © 2018 by Steve Hockensmith
“The Unknown Patriot” copyright © 2018 by Chris Grabenstein
“Summer of Sharks” copyright © 2018 by Lisa Morton
“Rule Seven” copyright © 2018 by Ray Daniel
“Cat Got Your Tongue” copyright © 2018 by Wendy Corsi Staub
“The I Scream Truck” copyright © 2018 by Beth Fantaskey
“The Witch of Byron’s Bayou” copyright © 2018 by Heather Graham
“Bloodstone” copyright © 2018 by Phil Mathews
“Area Code 666” copyright © 2018 by Carter Wilson
“The Trouble with Squirrels” copyright © 2018 by Doug Levin
“The Necklace and the Monster” copyright © 2018 by Jeff Soloway
“The Only Child” copyright © 2018 by Joseph S. Walker
“Kamikaze Iguanas” copyright © 2018 by Alison McMahan
“The Nightmare Express” copyright © 2018 by Daniel Palmer
“The Girl in the Window” copyright © 2018 by Tonya Hurley
“Feed the Birds” copyright © 2018 by Stephen Ross
“The Platform” copyright © 2018 by Peter Lerangis
All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the nonexclusive, nontransferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse-engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books.
www.harpercollinschildrens.com
COVER ART BY LEVENTE SZABO/GOODILLUSTRATION.COM
COVER DESIGN BY JOE MERKEL
Library of Congress Control Number: 2017942897
Digital Edition JULY 2018 ISBN: 978-0-06-249566-2
Print ISBN: 978-0-06-249569-3
1819202122PC/LSCH10987654321
FIRST EDITION
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