Goosebumps 2

Chapter 2

     Katie groaned. Why did this have to happen every time she tried to get him up? He had passed out four times already, this time making it the fifth. Why did Stine have to assign her to watch him until he woke up? She facepalmed. 

'And I hate ventriloquist dummies too...' She thought. And what did Slappy used to be? A ventriloquist dummy of course... 'But now he's human,' Katie told herself, 'you don't need to be afraid of him now. He's human, just like you.' Though deep, deep down in her heart, she knew the truth. She knew that Slappy truly was a ventriloquist dummy at heart, and that he still had a purely evil soul inside of his human body.

'Oh, Katie...why did you say yes to watching over him?' She scolded herself. 'That was a terrible move. What if he tries to attack you, or somehow even finds a way to turn himself back into a ventriloquist dummy!?' Katie shuddered at the thought of having an un-human Slappy near her. 'Just remember what Stine told you, OK? You'll be just fine if you do what he said...'

Katie thought back to when she had talked with Stine a couple nights ago...

~(Flashback)~

"Katie, will you please come speak with me for a moment?" R.L. Stine politely asked. Zach glanced at him and raised his eyebrows in question. "...in private please." He added, glaring at Zach. 

Katie shrugged. "Sure, why not." Stine beckoned her to follow him, casually waving his hand in her direction.

The two of them, including Zach, Hannah, and Champ, were currently in R.L. Stine's (new and renovated) house, enjoying a horror movie marathon. While Zach and Hannah were cuddling under a soft blanket, absorbed in the movie, Stine, Champ, and Katie were chatting quietly about the Goosebumps books. That was, until, Stine had pulled Katie out of the conversation.

"So, Mr. Stine. What did you need to tell me?" She paused. "No, wait! Let me guess. All of the Goosebumps monsters have unlocked themselves from their books, and are beginning to attack Madison with Slappy as their brave leader?" She giggled at her own joke, sarcasm heavy in her voice.

"Well..." R.L. Stine began, uncomfortably rolling his shoulders. "Something similar, but...different."

Katie's jaw dropped. "Y-your kidding me. You're joking, right? This has all got to be one big joke!" She whimpered. "The monsters just can't be back, Mr. Stine! You destroyed the book, remember!?"

"Hush!" Stine whispered harshly at Katie, putting his finger to his lips, motioning for her to be quiet. "You don't want the others to hear, do you? They don't have very pleasant memories of that day...And especially of Slappy."

"Well, why are you telling me this? And what exactly do you mean by 'different'?" She said, her voice tinged with fear. 

Stine tried out a small smile, trying to help Katie calm down. "What I mean by different is..." He paused, and waited an excruciatingly long time for Katie, then said, "...Slappy got out. I don't know how, but he's back. Slappy's back, Katie; and I need you to help me find him."