Have You Met My Ghoulfriend? Read Online Free PDF

Colin jerked my shirt up out of my jeans, and the string beans tumbled out onto the floor.
    “Those are
Colin's
string beans!” I cried.
    Dad frowned at me. “Why did you put
Colin's
string beans down your shirt?” he asked.
    Before I could answer, the cat meowed again.
    And now everyone jumped up from the table and hurried to the stairs. “Hey, wait—” I called after them.
    I shoved my chair back and climbed to my feet. Something crunched under my shoes. String beans. I ignored it and chased after my family.
    Dad led the way up the stairs to my room. He clicked on the ceiling light, and we all jammed into the room.
    “This is totally stupid,” I said. “I don't know where those meows are coming from, but I don't have a cat. I swear.”
    “He's lying. He's definitely got a cat,” Colin said, glancing around. “It has to be up here somewhere.”
    “I don't have a cat up here!” I cried. “I can't believe—”
    Another
meow
.
    We all turned toward the sound. Dad stepped up to my dresser. He pulled out the top drawer …
    All four of us gasped as a black cat leaped out of the dresser.

11
    W ITH A SHRILL CRY , the cat jumped onto Dad's chest.
    Startled, Dad staggered back. The cat let out a shriek and jumped to the floor. It ran through Mom's legs and darted under my bed.
    Colin grinned. “Told you.”
    I recognized the cat instantly. It was Edgar, the Swansons' black cat from next door.
    How did Edgar get in my dresser drawer? Hello. That wasn't hard to figure out.
    Colin.
    Had to be Big Fat Sneak Colin.
    But how could I prove it?
    I turned to Dad. He was steaming. Smoke didn't come out of his ears. But his face was an angry red, the color of raw hamburger. His big chest was heaving up and down like a bomb about to explode.
    “Uh …,” I started.
    Mom suddenly looked very pale. She had her hands pressed to the sides of her face. “It … itbrushed against me,” she said to Dad. “Did you see? It brushed against my legs.”
    Then she turned to me. “Isn't that the neighbors' cat?”
    “Yes,” I said. “It's Edgar. I'm sure Colin—”
    Mom sneezed.
    Dad stormed toward me. “I don't care what its name is. Get that cat out from under your bed.”
    “Okay. No problem.”
    I dropped to my knees and pushed my head under the bed. “Edgar, it's okay. Come here,” I said softly. I tried coaxing him for a while, but he didn't budge. “Edgar,
psst psst psst
. Come here, kitty. Nice kitty. You know me—right, Edgar?”
    I stretched out my hands to grab him, but he was all the way back against the wall.
    I heard Mom sneeze again.
    And again. Loud sneezes that shook the whole bedroom.
    I slid further under the bed. “Come here, Edgar. It's okay, fella. Come to Max.”
    I made a grab for him—and he sprang away, out into the room.
    Mom let out a cry. I climbed to my feet and saw Edgar on top of my dresser. Mom opened her mouth in a violent sneeze. Her cheeks and forehead were bright red and swollen.
    “Get that cat!”
Dad screamed.
    Colin moved quickly across the room. He picked up Edgar in both hands and held him against his chest. “That's a good cat,” he whispered, petting Edgar's back. “What did that bad Max do to you?”
    “This isn't fair!” I shouted.
    Mom sneezed so hard, both of her contact lenses flew out.
    Colin carried Edgar to the door. “I'll take him back where he belongs,” he said. “Then I'll vacuum around here, Mom, so you'll feel better soon. I'm sure Max didn't mean to make you so sick.” He disappeared down the stairs.
    “But—but—but—” I sputtered.
    Mom and Dad were on their hands and knees searching for Mom's contacts. “Colin is a take-charge kinda guy,” Dad said to Mom.
    “Colin is a take-the-cat kinda guy!” I cried. “I know you won't believe me, but he's the one who hid Edgar in my dresser drawer.”
    “Keeping a cat in a drawer is really cruel,” Dad said. “You're grounded for life, Max. No arguments. Maybe you can go out again when you're thirty.