by R. L. Stine
A motorboat hums toward the dock. You’ve arranged for a ride to a nearby reef. You grin when you recognize the boy steering. It’s Kala, the resort owner’s son. He was your best buddy last year. “Hey, Kala!” you shout with a wave.
Kala ignores your greeting. And as the boat gets closer, you can see his face looks grim.
Turn to PAGE 2.
Kala noses the boat into the dock. He still hasn’t said hello or even smiled at you.
“Kala!” you cry. “Don’t you recognize me?”
Kala doesn’t answer.
This is not the boy you remember. Last year he was a total goofball — always laughing and pulling pranks. Why is he so unfriendly now?
“What’s up, Kala?” you ask. “Why are you acting so weird?”
Kala gazes at you a moment. “A curse has fallen on Tiki Island,” he replies slowly. “No one is safe.”
You stare at him. Then a wide grin spreads across your face. This must be one of Kala’s practical jokes!
“Ignore him,” you whisper to Gina. “He’s just trying to scare us.”
Gina rolls her eyes. “Whatever,” she says. “Let’s go check out the reef!”
You grab your snorkeling gear and jump into Kala’s boat. “Oooh, I’m so scared of the curse,” you tease him. “But I’ll try to be brave.”
“Don’t make jokes,” Kala says, frowning. “You may regret it.”
Go to PAGE 3.
Kala turns his back on you and starts the motor.
As the boat flies over the crystal-clear water, you try to forget about Kala’s odd behavior. Minutes later, you arrive at the reef and Kala cuts the engine.
“Take care to make wise choices while you are here,” he warns you. “The curse of Tiki Island affects these surrounding waters. People have been known to … disappear.”
“Maybe they disappear because you’re so unfriendly!” you grumble. “Come on, Gina. The vacation officially begins now!”
Kala drops anchor. You and Gina put on your diving masks and snorkel mouthpieces and jump overboard. Both of you are good swimmers. You head toward the farthest point of the reef.
You glance back at Kala in the boat. His last words worry you. Could there really be a curse? You have noticed there are fewer tourists on Tiki Island this year. And people at the resort have been acting strangely. You hate to admit it, but you feel a little scared. “We should stick together,” you tell Gina.
“Deal,” she agrees.
You feel better.
Sort of.
Go to PAGE 27.
R.L. Stine’s books are read all over the world. So far, his books have sold more than 300 million copies, making him one of the most popular children’s authors in history. Besides Goosebumps, R.L. Stine has written the teen series Fear Street and the funny series Rotten School, as well as the Mostly Ghostly series, The Nightmare Room series, and the two-book thriller Dangerous Girls. R.L. Stine lives in New York with his wife, Jane, and Minnie, his King Charles spaniel. You can learn more about him at www.RLStine.com.
Goosebumps book series created by Parachute Press, Inc.
Copyright © 1997 by Scholastic Inc.
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First edition, April 1997
e-ISBN 978-0-545-84178-8