Goosebumps: Alternate

Chapter 7: Slappy's Nightmare

I didn't see the security guard when I got to the candy store, which means my trick is still working so I won't have any distractions.

I went up to the door of Bone Chilling Books, only to remember it was locked. And I don't have a key for this door. So I took out the Work Order, reading it again. Please complete the removal of the door between Cavity City and Bone Chilling Books. It's blocked off and hidden at the moment, but can be opened from the register in Cavity City.

Putting it away, I went over to the cash register, looking for a button or a switch, but couldn't find anything.

Confused, I stretched my arms out onto the counter top, placing my head between them. "How do I get the door open?" I muttered in question. "Use a bag of candy?" I picked my head back up. "Not a bad idea... And the receipt I picked up earlier did say that somebody bought seven dollars and thirty cents of candy." I wasn't sure about my theory being able to work, except I have to try.

I went over to where the clear, plastic bags are at, hanging on the wall where all the sweets are at, the ones I have to use to fill with candy. Lots and lots of candy. My mouth watered at the thought of the sugary goodness.

I took one of the bags. Candy, prepare to meet me - Arielle. Let's see... The receipt said the person bought seven dollars and thirty cents of candy... Ugh. I'm no good with math. I'm just gonna fill the bag up with random types of candies, place it on the scale next to the register, and see if the price from the receipt shows on there as well.

The first ones are the sour belts. Sour belts have the largest surface-to-sour ratio of any sour candy. Plus, I love sour candies. I grabbed a good handful of sour candy, tucking a few into my bag as I went over to where the fruit caps are. I like these fruit candies enough to hike over spikes.

I have no idea what I mean by what I said. Also, pill-shaped fruit candy might just be the best medicine - into the bag!

The next thing on the candy display is fruit orbs. Basically, these are hard-shelled, chewy-centered sweets, tasting like the full spectrum of...fruit.

I scoop a generous portion of shelled fruit chews into my baggy, my mouth overflowing with saliva. I hadn't noticed right away when a small amount came slipping over my bottom lip since I had my mouth a bit open.

"Ew, I'm drooling." I used my shirt to clean the spit off of me, swallowing the saliva back down my throat. "Now..." I looked on the candy stand. "The next thing I want is... chocolate pretzels!" I proclaimed softly, dumping more than a few chocolate pretzels in the bag of mine.

Of course, the classic peanut butter cups are the absolute best in the whole candy world and they do belong in every candy bag from the peanut buttery and chocolate delightness. They're my dad's favorite candy, also.

Scooping three PB cups into my bag, I can already taste their perfect blend of savory sweetness.

On the second shelf, there are sugar caps with those chocolate domes with big, white sugar sprinkles.

Since these sugar caps are small, I can scoop up a considerable amount into my collection of sugary goodness into my bag.

With my plastic bag full of all types of candies, I went back over to the register, standing where the scale is to where the candy is weighed.

I placed my bag of candy on the thing, resulting in eighty-one pounds of this stuff and wait...

Nothing happens... I guess I need to put in a few more of these sweets into my bag in order to get the mystery door open.

I went back to the candy stand, tucking in more sour belts and dump even more chocolate pretzels, and went back to the scale.

Eighty-two pounds, it says. Not enough to make the door open. Man, this is so hard!