Every school in the Scary community had soon heard about how the Scary School students had not only survived but had also saved Scream Academy from destruction. From Bloodington to Witchbrook to Wolfsbane to Zombie Tech School for the Mostly Dead, every school was clamoring to be the next one to host Scary School exchange students.
When the students arrived back at Scary School, they were greeted with a spectacular parade. The third and fourth graders had built a gigantic float of the Ice Dragon. It traveled down the street as the Scary School band marched beneath it, playing the Scary School song, which I’m sure you’ve heard if you’ve visited the Scary School website.
After the float, the six exchange students made their entrance. Jason and Fred were riding atop Ms. T the T. rex, waving to the adoring crowd. Wendy and Petunia followed behind them on the back of the nine-headed monitor lizard, Ms. Hydra.
“Yay! Go Petunia!” shouted Frank, which is pronounced “Rachel.”
A bat appeared next to the two girls and transformed into Wendy’s friend, Count Checkula Jr. He rode next to Wendy on one of Ms. Hydra’s necks.
“Hi, Wendy,” Count Checkula Jr. said. “I transferred to Scary School because I could not stand to be away from you a moment longer.”
Wendy couldn’t stop giggling for days.
Finally, Charles and Lattie swooped over the crowd, riding on the back of Dr. Dragonbreath.
Dr. Dragonbreath turned to Charles and said, “I am very pleased you survived your battle with the Ice Dragon. If any dragon is going to eat you, it’s going to be me. As soon as I catch you breaking a rule, of course.”
“Well,” said Charles, patting Dr. Dragonbreath on his scaly back, “if any monster makes a meal of me, I hope it’s you.”
As a gift of gratitude, Charles was allowed to keep the Sword of Fire. He held it high as he flew over the crowd, hearing the cheers of the students and teachers. Charles had no interest in keeping the sword. He planned on sticking it under a rock somewhere as soon as he could, so as not to tempt any more trouble.
Charles searched for Penny in the crowd to see if she was cheering, but he didn’t see her. Lattie was sitting behind Charles, holding on to his waist, but he wasn’t feeling the same feeling as when Penny held him while flying to Monster Kingdom.
Mr. Acidbath shouted from below, “Wowzy-woozy! Show us the sword!” Charles held the sword up, but he didn’t notice that the Ice Dragon float was directly above him. He punctured a hole right in the float’s belly, and it deflated on top of the crowd like melted cheese.
The parade came to an end much sooner than expected.
So much for his hero status.
King Khufu pointed at him and snarled, “Death shall come upon swift wings to he who ruins a parade for a king!”
The students crawled out from under the float, and Principal Headcrusher gathered everyone around her. She raised her hands to her mouth.
“Everybody, listen!” Principal Headcrusher exclaimed. She was so loud they couldn’t not listen if they wanted to. “We were going to have our closing ceremonies inside the world’s largest toy store, and you were all going to get free toys, but I guess we’ll have to make do right here.”
Everyone grumbled.
“First off, let us all congratulate Wendy, Fred, Jason, Petunia, Lattie, and Charles for making us so proud by surviving Scream Academy and stopping the mighty Ice Dragon from reducing the school to rubble. And we mustn’t forget the bravery of Johnny, Ramon, Peter, Cy, Rory, and Penny for helping out their friends in need. They saved not only Scream Academy but also Scary School and every school in the Scary community.”
There was tepid applause. Everyone was still thinking about the toys they weren’t going to get.
“I think we have all learned that bravery and the bonds of friendship can overcome even the most frightening monstrosities the world can throw at us.”
The students cheered much more loudly.
“And lastly, I have a big surprise for you.”
The cheering ceased immediately.
“To celebrate our glorious victory, we will be having a dance party in Petrified Pavilion right now. I’m calling it the Dance of Destiny. That is all.”
Charles saw Penny pop out of the crowd from behind Mr. Grump. He ran as fast as he could to her. When he reached her, he was so out of breath that he could barely speak.
“Penny . . . would you . . . would you . . . sorry, I just need . . . a second . . . to catch . . . okay . . . would you like to go to the—”
Charles was knocked away by the thick arm of Lebok the Troll. “Get out of here, Toothpick,” growled Lebok. “Penny, you go to Dance of Destiny with Lebok.”
Picking himself off the ground, Charles said, “But you pushed her into the mud!”
“Yeah. That’s how trolls show they like someone. Penny goes with me.”
Penny was shaking her head furiously.
“Hey, Lebok not asking. Lebok telling.” Lebok lifted Penny off the ground and carried her over his shoulder. Penny was hitting his back, trying to squirm free.
Charles shouted, “Hey, Lebok!”
Lebok turned to him and snarled.
“Looks like you win again. But we should be friends. You want a piece of candy?”
“Candy? Yes!”
Charles handed Lebok a piece of candy, and he popped it in his mouth. But of course it wasn’t a piece of candy. It was a death pepper.
Lebok dropped Penny and ran in circles screaming, “Waahhhh!” before diving face-first into the town fountain. Which only made it worse.
“So,” said Charles, helping Penny up. “Would you like to go to the dance with me?”
Penny said yes as softly as she could, but the force still knocked Charles backward onto his bottom. Penny lifted him up and gave him a big hug.
He had been through an awful lot to finally get that hug, but it was totally worth it.
As soon as Penny let go, Charles suddenly found himself being lifted up again and suspended hundreds of feet in the air. He looked up and saw he was clutched in the grasp of some hideous flying monster.
When he felt the furry paw and smelled the putrid smell, he knew exactly what had snatched him—a bearodactyl. The half-bear, half-pterodactyl monster that had it in for him since last semester.
“Are you going to eat me?” Charles asked the bearodactyl.
The bearodactyl answered in a voice that sounded like a parrot’s. “Eat you? Not today. I’m taking you to Monster Kingdom.”
“Monster Kingdom? But why?”
“Because, young human, you defeated the Monster King in battle. That means you’re the new Monster King!”
“Me? The Monster King?”
As the bearodactyl soared into the distance, Charles couldn’t believe he was about to be taken on yet another horrifying adventure.
