Spell of the Screaming Jokers Read Online Free PDF Page A

Davidson said soothingly. “Nothing bad is going to happen to you.”
    We stared silently at Mrs. Davidson. We all looked pretty scared. All except Jeff. He still looked smug. Like he wanted to say “I told you so.”
    â€œListen.” Mrs. Davidson broke the silence. “Why don’t I phone Mrs. Marder and tell her you’re very sorry for ruining her plant? I’ll tell her how nice you’ve been to Max. She won’t stay mad long.”
    â€œOh, would you?” I cried with relief.
    â€œI’ll do it right now.” Mrs. Davidson stood up and went into the kitchen, closing the door behind her.
    Soon I heard her talking. I couldn’t make out what she was saying. But the sound of her voice on the phone made me feel better.
    Mrs. Davidson returned, smiling. “I told Mrs. Marder you didn’t mean any harm,” she reported. “And I told her how much your visits have helped Max.”
    â€œIs—is she still angry at us?” I stammered.
    â€œWell, yes,” Mrs. Davidson admitted. “But don’t worry. She’ll calm down. I offered to pay for the plant—but she said no. Then I promised her that you wouldn’t do anything like this again. Now, run on down the hall. Max is waiting!”
    I followed my friends to Max’s room, thankful that Mrs. Davidson had called Mrs. Marder. Even though Mrs. Marder was still angry, I felt a little better. At least she knew we were sorry.
    Max sat at the table shuffling the cards. When we walked into his room, he glanced up. The circles under his eyes seemed darker than ever.
    â€œHi, Max!” I slid into a chair next to his. I leaned toward him. “Listen,” I whispered, “you think we could play something besides cards today?”
    Max stared at me with his pale blue eyes. Then he shook his head. “No. Let’s play cards,” he said. “That’s why you’re here.”
    â€œWe’re not here to play cards, Max. We’re here to visit you because you’re sick,” I told him. “Can’t we play something else? I don’t really like cards.”
    A smile appeared on Max’s lips. But he onlyshoved the cards toward me so I could cut them.
    As he began dealing, I thought I heard him whisper, “I don’t either.” But when I glanced over at him, he was staring straight ahead, dealing.
    We didn’t pick up our cards until they were all dealt. Mrs. Davidson said that was good card manners.
    I opened my hand one card at a time. I’d looked at about half of my cards, when I heard it.
    A piercing scream.
    So loud, I dropped my cards and covered my ears.
    The scream went on and on, louder and louder.
    And then it stopped. Suddenly.
    Now all I could hear was Louisa.
    â€œNo!” she was yelling. “Get it away!”
    She flung a card out of her hand.
    It landed on the table, faceup.
    We all stared at it.
    It was the face of another hideous joker! But this one was different from the one Frankie had been dealt. This one had green skin and small, bloodshot eyes. Its mouth turned down in a frown.
    It wore the same green hat with bells at the tip. And it held the same stick—a skull at the top, with awful, gleaming eyes!
    I couldn’t take my eyes off the joker’s hideous face.
    As I stared at it—the mouth suddenly began to move!
    The joker’s frown widened into a cruel snarl. The joker’s little eyes twirled around and around in their sockets.
    And the joker opened its mouth in another horrifying wail.

10

    M rs. Davidson burst into Max’s room.
    â€œWhat’s the matter?” she cried. “Who screamed?”
    â€œIt was this!” Louisa wailed. She pointed to the card.
    â€œThe joker?” Mrs. Davidson gasped. “You mean the card screamed?”
    Louisa nodded.
    â€œNonsense!” Mrs. Davidson exclaimed. “You know that’s impossible. You’re all upset because the card is so