The Haunted Hayride had begun!
The wagon began to circle the field. Corey glanced up at the sky. Dark clouds slid across the moon. The only other light came from the row of paper-bag lanterns the Pony Tails had placed along the wagon’s route.
“Look at that!” Amie shouted. She pointed to a tombstone about fifty feet ahead.
May, Corey, and Jasmine grinned.
“It looks great, Jasmine,” May whispered.
And it did. The tombstone was made out of cardboard and painted neon green. Eerie shadows from a nearby lantern flickered across it.
Amie and the other riders gasped as they read the words painted there.
HERE LIES THE BODY OF
JOEY DUTTON
VICTIM OF A VAMPIRE BAT
“Hey, that’s me!” Joey said, jumping up from his seat. He pulled off his pirate’s eye patch so that he could see better.
“Guess you got pushed overboard, matey,” Liam said, chuckling.
“Very funny,” Joey said back.
A second later, the two boys were throwing hay again.
The wagon drew close to another tombstone glowing in the dark. This time Jackie read the words painted on it aloud.
HERE LIES LIAM O’NEILL
PONY CLUB RIDER
FRIEND OF ALL ANIMALS
—ESPECIALLY THE
LION THAT ATE HIM
“I think you spoke too soon, Liam,” May said.
“That’s right,” Joey said, throwing more hay at his friend.
The group passed a few more tombstones; then Mr. Grover turned the wagon into the woods at the far end of the field.
A cloud covered the moon. Suddenly the dark night grew even blacker. The riders’ voices dropped to whispers as they looked around nervously.
“What’s happening?” Erin Mosley murmured.
Corey flicked on the CD player that was hidden near her feet.
A low moan filled the air, growing louder and louder.
Amie clutched Jackie’s arm, and Natalie’s eyes looked as round as a full moon.
“Aaaaahhhhh!”
Erin Mosley’s scream ripped through the dark night.
The other riders screamed, too, as an enormous ghost swooped down over the wagon, grazing their heads.
“That was perfect!” May whispered to Corey and Jasmine. “Dottie did it right on time!”
Over their heads, May’s sister Dottie was perched in the branches of an oak tree. Her latest boyfriend, Peter, was with her. He dangled another ghost over the riders’ heads.
The riders screamed at the top of their lungs, loving every minute of it.
“Look over there!” Billy shouted a few seconds later. “A body’s hanging from a noose!”
The wagon continued around the field, encountering horror after horror.
Corey couldn’t believe how calm and steady Hank remained. Lots of other horses would have been upset by all the spooky surprises—and a wagon full of shrieking kids. But Hank didn’t seem to notice. Instead he plodded along, obediently following Mr. Grover’s instructions.
Corey sat under the heavy blankets between Jasmine and May. She sighed happily. It was fun to be out here, terrifying all her friends.
Jasmine was thinking the same thing. “I’m glad you thought of a hayride, Corey.”
“It’s almost as fun as trick-or-treating on horseback,” May teased her.
“Ponyback, not horseback, May,” Corey teased back. “And we’ll be doing that two days from now—remember?”
“I can’t wait!” May declared.
Finally the hay wagon came to the last fright on the Haunted Hayride.
“Hey!” Liam yelled. “A headless horseman!” Everybody turned to see the dummy the Pony Tails had made and stuck on top of May’s old rocking horse.
It wore Mr. Grover’s jeans, an old flannel shirt, and a straw hat. The Pony Tails had spilled ketchup all over the top of his shirt, where the missing head was supposed to be.
“Cool,” Joey cried. “Blood!”
A few minutes later, the wagon turned into the Takamuras’ yard.
The riders groaned.
“The hayride is over already?” Amie said.
“Not yet,” Corey reminded her friends. “We still have the bonfire and ghost stories.”
Suddenly there was a low, faraway rumble. It was thunder.
10 Ghost Stories
In the Takamuras’ yard a bonfire glowed brightly.
“Whoa, Hank,” Mr. Grover called, and the wagon came to a stop.
“Welcome back!” Doc Tock called to the riders. “Did you have a good time?”
“You bet,” Natalie said.
“You should have seen the ghosts, Doc Tock!” Jackie added. “They were so scary.”
“So was that blood, or whatever it was, dripping down the tree,” Erin said. She made a disgusted face. “We didn’t do anything like this at my Halloween party.”
As usual, Erin was jealous of something the Pony Tails had done. Corey did her best to ignore the snooty girl’s comment.
After all the riders had jumped off the wagon, Corey thanked Mr. Grover. “It was lots of fun. You and Hank did a great job.”
Mr. Grover removed his mask and smiled at her. “Hank’s as steady as they come,” he said. “He did the hard work. I just came along for the fun.” He glanced over at the bonfire. The riders were gathering around while Doc Tock handed out cups of steaming cocoa and plates heaped with ghost toast and spider cookies.
“That cocoa sure looks good,” Mr. Grover said. “I think I’ll park old Hank in your barn aisle and get myself a cup.”
Corey took her own cocoa and sat down near the fire next to May and Jasmine. She was chatting with her friends until a sound from the barn sent a shiver up her spine.
It was Sam’s loud whinny.
Corey glanced over at the barn. From where she was sitting, she couldn’t see Sam. Through the open door she could see Midnight poking her head over the top of her stall. She was tacked up for her ride home in the trailer. The pony was looking at Hank. The old horse was standing in the wide aisle, still hitched to the wagon.
Corey reached into the pocket of her coat. Her fingers brushed against the garlic necklace. She hoped she wouldn’t need it. She was ready, just in case.
A few minutes later Doc Tock stood up. “Okay, everybody. It’s time for ghost stories.”
Liam and Joey did a high five.
“All right!” Liam said.
As she watched the two boys, Jasmine looked worried. “I hope they don’t get too carried away,” she said. “I don’t really like scary stories.”
“I do,” May said, eagerly rubbing her hands. “Stevie Lake told me a really good one last week at Pine Hollow.” She jumped to her feet. “I’ve got one, Doc Tock,” she said. “Can I go first?”
“Sure,” Doc Tock answered.
Corey watched May as she began her story in a hushed voice. The light from the fire cast an eerie glow across her face.
Once there was a rider named Cassie who always wore a bandanna around her neck. It was a beautiful purple bandanna, which she wore every day—no matter what.
One day she met another rider named Joe. “Why do you always wear that bandanna around your neck?” he asked. Cassie shook her head. “I’ll tell you when the time is right,” she said.
Eventually the two riders fell in love, and soon they got married.
“Now will you tell me why you wear the bandanna?” Joe asked Cassie.
Again she shook her head. “I’ll tell you when the time is right,” she said.
The two riders grew old together. They rode their horses every day, and every day Cassie still wore the purple bandanna.
One day Cassie grew ill. She knew she was dying. She called her husband to her bedside.
Suddenly May’s voice dropped to a whisper.
“It is time, my love,” she said. Slowly she untied the bandanna and …
May looked up at the group of riders. By now they
were hanging on her every word.
And as Cassie slowly untied the purple bandanna, her head fell off!
Joey and Liam howled with laughter. All the other riders loved May’s story, too. Even Jasmine.
It figures that Stevie Lake told that story to May, Corey thought, smiling. Stevie was an older rider at Pine Hollow with a really weird sense of humor. She was always telling jokes and funny stories to the younger riders.
“Can I go next?” Jackie yelled.
“Sure,” Doc Tock replied.
Jackie started to speak. The wind rustled the trees. A loud whinny came from inside the barn.
Corey thought she’d better check on Sam.
Jasmine reached over to squeeze Corey’s hand. “Stop worrying,” she whispered. “Sam is fine.”
Corey smiled, hoping Jasmine was right. “Okay,” she said. “Thanks.”
Corey didn’t look at the barn again until Jackie was finished with her story. Midnight was still standing calmly in her stall. But Hank didn’t look calm at all. The old gray horse was champing on his bit, and rattling his harness.
“May!” Corey whispered. Her friend was listening to Natalie tell a funny story about a vampire who liked tomato juice.
“May!” Corey whispered again.
“Shhh, Corey,” May hissed back. “I want to hear this.”
Then Corey saw something even more frightening. Inside the barn Hank’s eyes were wide with fear, and he was tossing his head.
Oh, no! Corey thought, jumping to her feet.
Midnight hadn’t spooked Sam tonight. She’d spooked Hank!
11 Hank Spooks
Corey raced over to the barn. She had to reach Hank before it was too late!
Hank pawed at the ground frantically. Then he shook the harness again. Corey could see that he wanted to get away from the Takamuras’ barn—and fast!
“Easy, boy,” Corey said. With one hand she stroked the horse’s face. With the other hand she grabbed hold of the garlic necklace in her pocket and tossed it up over Hank’s neck.
“It’s okay now, Hank,” Corey said softly. “The necklace will protect you. Midnight can’t spook you anymore.”
Just then Sarah rushed toward Corey. “Is Hank okay?” she asked. “I saw you put the garlic necklace on him, and I thought—”
“Hank’s fine now,” Corey cut in. “But a few minutes ago he seemed pretty spooked.”
Sarah looked surprised. “Good thing you had the garlic necklace ready,” she said. “I didn’t think you believed me.”
Corey nodded. “I made it for Sam,” she explained. “I wasn’t expecting to use it on Hank.”
Suddenly Sarah’s eyes went wide. She pointed at Hank.
As Corey faced the Grovers’ horse, her heart skipped a beat. Hank was still tossing his mane and trying to shake free of the harness.
Oh, no, Corey thought. What’s happening now?
Boom!
A furious clap of thunder interrupted Corey’s thoughts.
“That’s it, everybody,” Doc Tock called out to the riders gathered around the fire. “Let’s move the party into the barn.”
From the back of the barn, Dracula howled. A strong wind blew. The riders jumped up and began to gather their things. Then rain began to fall.
Hank pawed at the ground. Corey was afraid the horse might rear, when he let out a high-pitched whinny instead. A split second later, the frightened horse bolted. As he tore out of the barn, the empty hay wagon pounded the ground behind him.
“Whoa, Hank!” Mr. Grover shouted as Hank raced past the group of riders. “Come back, boy!”
But the spooked horse didn’t listen. Hank kept on going, running toward the dark field behind Corey’s house as fast as his legs could carry him.
“Go after him, Dad!” May shouted.
Sarah had already thought of that. Without a word, she threw open the stall door, jumped on Midnight’s back, and dug in her heels.
“No, Sarah!” Doc Tock shouted as she realized what was happening. “You can’t ride out there! Not with a thunderstorm coming.”
Sarah didn’t hear Doc Tock. She leaned over her pony, urging her to pick up speed. They raced away from the barn, chasing Hank into the open field behind the Pony Tails’ houses.
Mr. Grover was the next one to spring into action. “I’ll go after her!” he yelled. He ran next door to get Dobbin, another of the Grovers’ horses.
“Everybody into the barn—now!” Corey’s mom ordered again.
Sensing that Doc Tock meant business, the riders quickly followed her instructions.
Jasmine came over and squeezed Corey’s hand. “Don’t worry,” she said. “Hank won’t get very far. He’s an old horse.”
“And the wagon will slow him down,” May added. “Sarah and my dad will catch up to him soon.”
Corey nodded. But she still felt worried—especially when she saw lightning flash in the distance.
12 The Rescue
Rain pounded the roof of the barn.
Corey looked outside for the hundredth time. There was still no sign of Hank, or of Sarah and Mr. Grover. The rain was coming down so hard, she couldn’t imagine how Sarah could see where she was going on Midnight. And how would Mr. Grover ever find the two of them and Hank?
“Thanks so much, Doc Tock and Corey,” Amie Connor’s mother said as she arrived to pick up Amie and Jackie. She held a big golf umbrella over the girls’ heads. “It sounds like everybody had a wonderful time on the hayride.”
“You’re welcome,” Doc Tock replied. “See you soon.”
Corey waved good-bye to the last of the guests. May and Jasmine had gone inside the Takamuras’ house to start cleaning up after the party. Corey and her mother had been waiting in the barn until everyone had gone.
Suddenly a pair of headlights shined in the driveway.
Corey blinked. Who could that be? she wondered.
As the car drew closer, Corey saw that it was a pickup truck, towing a horse van. It’s Jack, she realized, coming to pick up Sarah and Midnight.
The truck stopped in front of the barn. Corey got ready to explain what had happened.
Jack rolled down the window. “You’ll never believe who I found riding along Franklin Avenue,” he shouted.
Corey gasped. Sitting beside Jack in the cab of the truck was Mr. Grover. Next to him was Sarah.
Jack jumped out of the truck and went around to open the door for his two passengers. They dashed inside the dry barn.
“Thank goodness you’re back,” Doc Tock said, hugging Sarah. “I’m not going to lecture you, Sarah, but that was a pretty foolish thing you did tonight.”
“I know.” Sarah blushed. “Mr. Grover already told me that.”
May and Jasmine came running out of the house when they saw the headlights. May hugged her father.
“Where are the horses?” Jasmine asked. “And the wagon?”
“The horses are in there.” Jack pointed to the horse trailer. “But we had to leave the wagon by the side of the road. We’ll get it tomorrow.”
“You guys should have seen Hank run,” Sarah said, smiling. “He might be old—but he sure can run fast!”
Mr. Grover chuckled. “I’m starting to think I retired Hank too early. He managed to run all the way to the woods, then find his way to Franklin Avenue. He hasn’t been that far in about five years.”
“You must be a great rider, Sarah,” Jasmine said. “You rode all that way in the pouring rain!”
“It was a pretty crazy ride,” Sarah admitted. “I was really holding on to Midnight’s mane.”
“How did you find Sarah and Hank, Dad?” asked May.
“I just followed the prints in the mud,” Mr. Grover answered. “Once I found Sarah, we got lucky and bumped into Jack on his way to pick up her and Midnight.”
Doc Tock held up a hand. “That’s enough questions for now, everybody. Sarah and Mr. Grover need a hot drink and dry clothes.”
“I’m not going to argue with t
hat,” Mr. Grover said. “But my first order of business is to get Hank home. The storm still has him pretty spooky.”
“Hank’s normally such a calm horse,” May told the other girls. “He spooks during thunderstorms.”
Jack and Mr. Grover began to unload Hank and Dobbin, May’s words echoed in Corey’s mind.
He spooks during thunderstorms.
Slowly Corey turned to May. “Did you mean that Hank always acts like this?”
May nodded. “Well, he doesn’t always bolt,” she said. “But he always acts up. He hates storms.”
“What?” Sarah piped up. “You mean the storm spooked Hank? Not Midnight?”
“Of course it was the storm!” May exclaimed. She grinned as she looked from Sarah to Corey. “Is that what you two thought? That Midnight did it?”
Corey blushed.
“Midnight was the one who rescued Hank,” Jasmine pointed out. “That should prove once and for all that she’s not bad luck.”
The words sank in. Corey felt herself relax. Of course it had been the storm—and not Midnight—that had spooked Hank. Corey was supposed to be the most sensible member of the Pony Tails, but lately she’d been acting like the silliest one!
“Actually, one other thing proves that Midnight’s not bad luck,” May said, her eyes twinkling.
The three girls looked at her.
“Don’t you know what today is, Sarah?” May asked.
“October twenty-ninth …,” Sarah began. “Oh my gosh!” She clapped a hand over her mouth. “I totally forgot about that!”
“About what?” asked Corey.
“It’s an odd day,” Sarah explained. “I rode Midnight on an odd day, and nothing unlucky happened.”
“Actually, something lucky happened,” May said. “You rescued Hank.”
Just then Mr. Grover led Hank down the ramp. “Hey!” he shouted. “Who put this thing on my horse?” He reached over to pull something off Hank’s neck. Then he held it up for the girls to see.
May squinted to get a better look through the driving rain. “Is that a garlic necklace?” She looked at Corey and Sarah. “Did you guys put that on Hank?”
Corey and the Spooky Pony (Pony Tails Book 9) Page 4