SpineChillers Mysteries Series: The Phantom of Phys Ed

By Fred Katz

It was bad enough being the new kid at Crider Middle School. But when Caitlin bumps into the locker of Hezekiah Bones - the kid who disappeared over fifty years ago - she thinks she received his curse. Yet if this "phantom of phys ed" isn't real, then why is she breaking out in a rash, her friend turning invisible, and a mysterious person following her?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Thomas Nelson
• Release date: Sep 21, 1997
• ISBN: 9781418560218

Book preview

The Phantom of Phys Ed

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#3 The Venom Versus Me

#4 Pizza with Extra Creeps

#5 The Phantom of Phys Ed

#6 Not a Creature Was Stirring?

#7 Birthday Cake and I Scream

#8 Stay Away from the Swamp

#9 Tuck Me In, Mummy

#10 Stay Tuned for Terror

#11 Hospitals Make Me Sick

#12 A Haunted Mine Is a Terrible Thing to Waste

1

The Phantom of Phys Ed

Fred E. Katz

Phantom_of_Phys_Ed_0003_001

Copyright © 1996, 1997 by Tommy Nelson™.

All rights reserved. Written permission must be secured from the publisher to use or reproduce any part of this book, except for brief quotations in critical reviews or articles.

Published in Nashville, Tennessee, by Tommy Nelson™, a division of Thomas Nelson, Inc. SpineChillers™ Mysteries is a trademark of Thomas Nelson, Inc.

Scripture quoted from the International Children’s Bible, New Century Version, copyright © 1983, 1986, 1988 by Word Publishing, Dallas, Texas. Used by permission.

Storyline: Tim Ayers

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Katz, Fred E.

The phantom of phys ed / Fred E. Katz.

p. cm. — (SpineChillers mysteries ; 5)

Summary: When Caitlin is assigned a school locker next to that of a student who disappeared many years ago, she finds herself under the curse of the vanished boy, even though she knows that Jesus is with her wherever she goes.

ISBN 0–8499–4060–5

[1. Blessing and cursing—Fiction 2. Schools—Fiction 3. Christian life— Fiction 4. Horror stories.] I. Title. II. Series:

Katz, Fred E. SpineChillers mysteries ; 7.

PZ7.K1573Ph 1997

[Fic]—dc21

97–24441

CIP

AC

Printed in the United States of America

97 98 99 00 01 02 QKP 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

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1

High-pitched screeches filled the air. My eyes were wide as kids raced by me.

I stood on the front sidewalk of my new middle school and stared at the worn red brick walls. A mixture of feelings ran through me.

I was still frozen in place when I heard the bell again. It signaled the beginning of my first day at Crider Middle School.

We had just moved from a big city to this small town in the Midwest. My brother, Ben, had a job here as a librarian, and Dad and Mom thought that living in a small town would be ideal.

But now I was alone.

And I was a little frightened.

I knew I had to go in.

The stone steps up to the old wooden doors were worn from all the years and all the kids. I climbed them as slowly as I could, delaying the start of my first day.

The halls were empty by the time I reached the entrance, and it was spooky. As I stepped inside, the high ceilings, old lockers, and linoleum floor made each step echo as if I were in a huge cave. I knew anyone listening would think, She must be that new girl.

That new girl was exactly who I was. I didn’t know anyone. And I didn’t like the idea of being alone in a place where everyone already knew everyone else.

Besides being new, I was tall for my age. My height came in handy for playing basketball, but it made me stand out above the crowd. Literally. Especially when I was trying to melt into the walls.

I stopped in front of the school’s office and sucked in a breath. As I reached for the doorknob, the door flew open in front of me.

Cautiously, I stepped through the doorway into the office and walked toward the office counter.

Several adults moved in a flurry of activity from one desk to another. No one noticed me. I was glad.

Suddenly, the door crashed shut behind me. I turned and saw a tall, heavy man with hair that stuck straight up in the air. His rather large nose was hooked. His long arms nearly reached his knees.

If he hadn’t been between me and the door, I would have been out of there and home in three seconds.

He reached his long, bony fingers toward me and said, You must be our new student.

When I quietly answered that I was, he turned to the milling faculty. Ladies and gentlemen, I would like you to meet Caitlin James.

Every eye turned to fix on me. I felt like a fish in the first-grade aquarium.

Welcome, Caitlin, the staff said in unison. Faces lit up with smiles all around me.

I tried to say hi, but my mouth was so dry that only the i came out in a high-pitched whistle. My face turned red. All I wanted to do was race out of there and never come back.

But the tall man still stood between me and the door. So I cleared my throat and tried it again: Hello. It came out fine that time, and I relaxed.

We’ve been expecting you, the tall man said. Come into my of fice, and I’ll tell you about your schedule."

I followed him into his office—the principal’s office. That was my first clue that he must be Dr. Wiser. He spent the next few minutes shoving papers into my hands and explaining a few things about the school to me.

When he finished, I asked about the topic dear to my heart. Dr. Wiser, can I still try out for the basketball team?

Oh yes, Coach Fancher is expecting you after school, he replied. I hope you brought your practice clothes.

Right in my bag, I said as I lifted my gym bag off the floor.

I think you already know that we don’t have separate girls’ and boys’ basketball teams—our team is co-ed. Three other girls are on the team. From what I hear about your ability, you may end up being one of our star players, the principal informed me.

In my last school, I had been the leading scorer in our division. My height really helped me on the basketball court. But this would be my first co-ed team.

Caitlin, let me show you where your locker is. We got up and headed out the door. As we walked down the long hallway, he spoke in the sort of voice most people reserve for the library.

"Since the school is so old, we barely have enough lockers for our students. In the past, some