Alec Kerley and the Haunted Christmas: Alec Kerley and the Monster Hunters, #3.5

By Douglas Tanner

Adventure, mystery, and monsters converge in this fast-paced middle grade series perfect for fans of Goosebumps, Cirque du Freak, the Cooper Kids, and the Hardy Boys.

* Includes a SNEAK PEAK from the first book in the Monster Hunters series, Alec Kerley and the Terror of Bigfoot! *

It’s Christmastime and Alec and his friends are off to the country for a spooky visit!

When relatives of Alec’s best friend Ken Gonzalez begin experiencing ghostly happenings and things that go bump in the night, they call asking for help. After Alec and his friends arrive with Ken’s mom and Mrs. Edgar, they find supernatural intruders who were not invited to the party.

Or were they?

Settle in with a cozy blanket and some hot cocoa for this haunted short story.

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Alec Kerley and the Haunted Christmas is a Christian haunted house story. It is legitimately scary and a great read for all ages -- middle graders, teens, and adults. Parental guidance is suggested. 12,000 words, 8 chapters.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Alaban Press
• Release date: Dec 15, 2016
• ISBN: 9781386862581

Book preview

Chapter One

Capital T he world was white; snow and ice spread over the flat and harvested wheat fields and grasslands like creeping death, and jagged icicles hung from the barbed-wire fence beside the road. Mini snow devils whirled across the empty two-lane highway in mad pirouettes before the minivan as it carefully made its way across the icy tundra, well below the posted speed limit. Alec studied the frost on the outside of the window beside him, then focused on the white flakes beyond, fluttering down from the overcast, pasty sky and swirling around the vehicle, engulfing it like fog.

An a cappella version of Carol of the Bells, sung by a children’s choir, flowed gently from the speaker at the floor. The tune melded with the wintry weather outside to effectively set the tone for the season: Christmas, now just two weeks away.

I know, Rita, Mrs. Gonzalez, way up in front, said in an exasperated tone as she leaned forward and stared out the windshield, clutching the steering wheel with one hand and holding her smartphone to her ear with the other. Well, I don’t see it… I don’t think so… oh, hold on! She glanced at Mrs. Edgar next to her. Did you see a turn anywhere back there, Evelyn?

Mrs. Edgar pursed her lips and shook her head. Nope. Her meaty arms were crossed before her in a dubious fashion.

UNO! Ethan Elvis Edgar shouted, elbowing Alec and slapping the card onto the van’s removable table, which stood in the midst of the back seats. He shoved his arms into the air triumphantly. One oversized shirt collar stood out from his neck like an airplane wing.

Mrs. Edgar shot a look back at her son. Ethan! Quiet down!

Alec glanced over at his little friend. The two of them, along with Alec’s best friend Ken Gonzalez, were stuffed into the very back bench seat in the van, shoulder to shoulder; a little too close for comfort, especially because Ethan liked to wiggle in his seat in a little dance every time he thought he was on the verge of winning the game.

Ethan. Chill, dude, karate jock Ken mumbled as he played his card.

Across the table sat freckled Emily Doyle and raven-tressed Sarah Gonzalez, facing them. After Emily took her turn, Sarah raised an eyebrow. Oh, really? She stretched her arm out, ceremoniously laid down a wild card, and beamed at Ethan. Let’s just change the color, shall we? Let’s go with red.

Ethan slapped a hand over his heart and effected a pained expression. Don’t be cruel, baby! The eleven-year-old was obsessed with his namesake, Elvis Presley.

Wait a minute, slow down, Mrs. Edgar said. She pointed. There it is.

Mrs. Gonzalez squealed. Oh! We found it!

The van slowed to a near-stop, then turned onto a frozen country road that was hardly more than a billowy-white path. Skeletal trees reached toward Alec’s window, leaning and swaying in violent gusts of wind.

Are you still with us, Alec?

Alec glanced at Sarah. Tall and athletic, with long black hair, her chocolate-brown eyes twinkled. He focused on the cards on the table and played a red. Yeah, sorry.

Ethan pushed his disorderly brown mop of bangs up and wiggled his eyebrows at Sarah, then pounded his hand on the table, dropping his last card. BAM! I’m out! Whaaaat?

Sarah scowled. You got lucky.

Ken broke out laughing and pointed at his sister. Yer jes mad ’cause yer used tuh winnin’ all the time.

Ethan threw his hands up and wiggled again. "A little less conversation, a little more action, baby!"

You’re breaking up, Rita! Mrs. Gonzalez shouted into her phone. I— I can’t hear you. I think I’m losing reception. A moment later she looked over at Mrs. Edgar. The call dropped. She glanced at her phone. I have no signal out here.

"Great. We’ve left civilization," Ken mumbled.

We did that a long time ago. Emily pushed a lock of shoulder length khaki hair behind her ear as she peered outside.

Alec jumped at a loud scraping sound beside him. A bare tree branch grated against his window in a long, teeth-gritting wail. His heart leapt when he realized the van was nearly in the ditch.

I can’t get any traction here! Mrs. Gonzalez blurted, anxiously twisting the steering wheel.

"We’re all gonna diiiieee!" Ethan screeched.

Mrs. Edgar shot him a look. We are not. Stop that.

The van made its way back to the middle of the snowy road and plodded ahead. Alec felt like he had a rock in his stomach as the anticipation of their arrival increased.

No. Not anticipation.

Dread.

He looked at Sarah. What does this house look like?

Ya mean the ghost house? Ken chimed in.

Alec swallowed and nodded. Ethan’s eyes grew wide as he pulled the crucifix on his necklace out from under his shirt and held it before him like