7

cottages.

"Cool!" Luke declared.

A sign proclaimed: WELCOME TO WEREWOLF VILLAGE. DO NOT FEED THE WEREWOLVES. IF YOU CAN HELP IT.

The frightening howls grew louder.

Luke and I laughed at the sign.

I saw a green monster, one of the Horrors, staring out at us through a dark window in the cottage across the narrow street. Another Horror walked past carrying a very real-looking human head. He grasped it by its long, blond hair and bounced it up and down, sort of like a yo-yo, as he walked.

"Cool!" Luke proclaimed again. It seemed to be his word of the day.

We walked along the cobbled street. The sound of our thudding sneakers echoed off the cottage walls.

"Ohh!" We all let out cries of surprise as a long, low, gray wolf ran in front of us. It disappeared around the side of a cottage before we really got a good look at it.

"Was that a real wolf?" Clay asked, his voice shaking.

"Of course not," I told him. "It was probably a dog. Or else it was mechanical."

"Well, they certainly keep this park clean," Mom said, trying to sound cheerful. "There isn't a piece of trash or dirt anywhere. Of course, it isn't very crowded."

Dad lingered behind. "I — I've got to find a phone," he said fretfully. "I can't enjoy this until I know we have a way to get home."

"But, dear — " Mom started.

"There's got to be a phone somewhere," Dad interrupted. "Go on without me."

"No. I'll come with you," Mom said. "You're in such a frantic state. You'll need me to make the calls for you. The kids will have a better time without us hanging around anyway."

"Leave them?" Dad cried. "You mean, let them go on their own?"

"Of course," Mom said, hurrying back to him. "They'll be perfectly fine. This looks like a very nice place. What could happen?"

What could happen?

With those words, Mom and Dad rushed off to find a phone.

"Meet back here!" Mom called to us.

Luke, Clay, and I were suddenly on our own.

I turned to watch Mom and Dad hurry away.

I turned back in time to see a gray wolf edging out from behind the cottage. It lowered its head and let out a rumbling warning growl.

All three of us froze as we realized its hungry red eyes were locked on us.I cried out and pulled Luke and Clay back.

The wolf slithered out, holding its head low, glaring up at us with wide red eyes, its mouth open hungrily.

"It — it's real!" Clay declared, swallowing hard. I had my hand on his shoulder. I could feel him trembling.

The wolf let out a low growl.

Then it slid back behind the cottage wall.

"I think it's some kind of robot or something," I told Clay.

"Let's go somewhere else," Clay replied, suddenly very pale.

"What does that sign up there say?" Luke asked. He went running over the dark cobblestones to the sign, and Clay and I followed.

The sign read: NO PINCHING.

Luke laughed. "That's stupid."

"What a dumb sign!" Clay agreed.

"That sign was meant just for you, Luke!" I exclaimed. I gave him a hard pinch on the arm.

"Hey! Can't you read?" he shouted angrily, pointing to the sign.

I saw a green Horror watching us from down the street. Then I saw a family making its way behind the row of cottages. There was a mother, a father, and a little girl. The little girl was crying, for some reason. The parents had their hands on her shoulders and looked very upset.

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