Dataset Viewer
book_name
stringclasses 1
value | blurb
stringclasses 1
value | plot
stringclasses 1
value | path
sequencelengths 4
7
| ending
stringclasses 3
values | conversations
listlengths 11
17
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Escape from the Carnival of Horrors | TAKE A RIDE IF YOU DARE...
Late one night you and your friends visit the old fairgrounds. They're putting up rides and booths for the annual carnival. But this year things look really different. Really odd. Really scary.
The place is lit up by a hundred fiery torches. And spooky music is coming from the main tent. Then you meet Big Al, the creepy carnival manager. He's invited you in to test some of the rides.
Will you brave the terrifying Supersonic Space Coaster? Risk the horrors of the Reptile Petting Zoo? Slice through the oily waters of Booger Bog? Or confront the evil Snake Lady? The choice is your in this scary GOOSEBUMPS adventure that's packed with over 20 super spooky endings. | You sneak into the closed annual carnival with your friends, Patty and Brad. But then you need to escape, because the carnival is evil. It is owned by a man who traps you and your friends inside the carnival. He forces you all to "test" out the rides, before the carnival opens and traps the entire city's population inside. The reader can decide to fight the monster of Booger Bog, face the psychotic carnival's freak, the evil Snake Lady, brave the Supersonic Space Coaster, risk the attack of every reptile in the Petting Zoo, become slaves to Slappy or Mr. Wood, or ride the Doom Slide.
# Story A
You decide to try out the carnival's rides. Having been separated from Patty and Brad (which happens no matter what choice you make), you then have to find them and escape the carnival.
# Story B
You visit the sideshows, and are told that you have to play carnival games. But if you lose, you'll pay with your life...
# Side Story C
From Story B, you get involved with the freak show, whose inhabitants are being held prisoner by an evil fortune-teller. You try to save the freaks as well as finding a way for you and your friends to escape. | [
6,
77,
59,
11,
48,
12
] | You, Patty, and Brad get trapped in a "Reptile's Petting Zoo", but it turns out the petting zoo is for the reptile. You all become an alligator's new pets. | [
{
"from": "gpt",
"page": [
1,
2
],
"value": "“What do you want to do?”\n\n“I don’t know, Patty. What do you want to do?”\n\n“Not fair, Brad. I asked you first.”\n\nPatty and Brad. Your two best friends. Arguing. As usual.\n\nIt’s the last week of August. And Patty and Brad haven’t stopped fighting since your summer vacation started.\n\nPatty likes being bossy. You don’t mind, though. It’s no big deal.\n\nIt’s hard to win a fight with her anyway. You don’t know why Brad even tries. You guess it’s because he doesn’t want to look like a wimp in front of a girl.\n\n“There’s nothing to do. I guess I’ll just go home,” Brad says. He shoves his hands in his pockets. Then his shoulders slump and he sort of shrivels up. You guess Brad is kind of a wimp — even if he is your best friend.\n\n“You’re so boring, Brad,” Patty complains. Whenever Patty complains, her freckles really pop out. Now there are about a million of them spread across her face.\n\n“Hey! I know what we should do!” Patty suddenly bursts out.\n\n“Let’s bike over to Bennet’s Field and watch them set up the carnival!”\n\n“I don’t know,” you answer. “It’s getting dark, and Mom said I have to be in by nine.”\n\n“It’s only a quick bike ride,” Brad says. “Are you some kind of wimp?”\n\nBrad calling you a wimp? You can’t believe it!\n\n“Okay. Okay,” you agree. “But if it’s as bad as last year, there won’t be much to see. Don’t you remember the main attraction?” you remind them. “The ride they called Terror Track? It turned out to be a baby choo-choo train that circled around and around and around.”\n\nIt doesn’t matter what you say. Patty’s made up her mind. You’re going to ride over to the carnival.\n\nA hot, humid breeze blows in your face as you pedal along. Patty’s in the lead. No surprise. And Brad’s puffing behind you.\n\nIt’s dark by the time you reach Bennet’s Field.\n\nYou and your friends drop your bikes in the grass and race across the moonlit field, toward the huge wooden fence that surrounds the carnival."
},
{
"from": "human",
"page": [
2
],
"value": "Take a closer look."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"page": [
3
],
"value": "As you reach the carnival entrance, you hear music coming from inside. Not the usual corny organ stuff they always play. But some really strange music. It sounds familiar and totally new at the same time.\n\nBrad stretches his neck to try to peer over the fence. But no luck. The fence is way too high.\n\nPatty jiggles the padlock on the gate. It’s sealed shut.\n\n“I guess we’ll have to wait until tomorrow night when the carnival opens,” Brad says.\n\n“No way,” Patty says. “Let’s climb the fence. Now!”\n\n“Are you crazy?” Brad says. “We’ll get caught!”\n\n“Come on. There’s probably no one in there,” Patty replies.\n\nYour friends turn to you to cast the deciding vote. You glance at your watch. It’s almost 9:00 P.M. If you’re going to get home in time, you should start back now."
},
{
"from": "human",
"page": [
3
],
"value": "Climb the fence to get inside."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"page": [
6,
7,
87,
4
],
"value": "“Let’s do it!” you say to your friends. “Let’s climb the fence!”\n\nPatty is halfway up before you finish speaking. You let Brad go next. You’re last.\n\nIt’s a hard climb up. There’s really no place on the fence to get a good grip. But you make it to the top, swing your legs over, and tumble down. You land on the grass. You’re inside!\n\nYou and your friends gaze around. It’s pretty dark — the only light comes from torches. At first the carnival looks the same as it always does. Dinky rides. Hot dog wagons. Then the lights start to flicker on in every corner of the field — the rides start to move. It’s as if the whole place is magically coming to life.\n\n“Hey! Look at that giant roller coaster!” you exclaim, pointing up ahead. “They never had a roller coaster before!”\n\n“Yeah,” Brad agrees. “And the whole place is a lot bigger than last year!”\n\n“This is awesome!” Patty says as she sprints toward the rides.\n\nYou and Brad take off after Patty. You all stop in front of the roller coaster.\n\n“Wow!” Patty says as she gazes up at it. “It’s like a rocket to outer space!”\n\nBeyond the roller coaster, you spy a castle surrounded by a moat. And a spooky-looking haunted house sitting high atop a hill.\n\n“These are the coolest rides I’ve ever seen!” you say. “They still have that dumb choo-choo train over there,” you point out, “but we could ride this stuff all night and never go near it!”\n\nPatty grabs your arm and tugs you over to the other side of the carnival — to the midway. Brad races after you.\n\n“Hey! Where are all those dinky wooden booths from last year?” you ask as you gawk at the amazing games of chance.\n\nThey’re gone. And in their place are giant video games and huge spinning wheels studded with hundreds of blinking colored lights!\n\n“Get a load of that!” Brad suddenly cries out.\n\nYou and Patty spin around.\n\nYou can’t believe what you see!\n\nYou’re staring at a sign that reads: WORLD’S FREAKIEST FREAK SHOW! The three of you gape at the pictures.\n\nThere’s the Three-Headed Man with the ugliest collection of faces you’ve ever seen. And the Snake Lady — a young blond girl with a beautiful face and the body of a slithering snake.\n\n“This is, uh — uh —” you start to say. But you don’t finish. Because a large hand has come down on your shoulder. Hard.\n\nYou slowly turn and gaze up at a huge man with shoulders wider than a refrigerator. He has coal-black eyes with a thick mustache to match. He looks strong enough — and mean enough — to pitch you over the fence with one hand.\n\n“What are you doing?” his deep voice booms. “You’re not allowed in here,” he says, pointing directly at you.\n\n“We’re sorry,” you say, hoping you appear sorry and not just scared. “We wanted to look around. That’s all. But we’ll leave. Right now.”\n\nHis eyes stare into yours. He clamps both hands down on your shoulders and says, “You’re not going anywhere!”\n\n“Wh-what do you mean?” Brad asks, trembling all over.\n\n“I just had an idea. A great idea,” the man replies. “I want you kids to stay and try out the rides before the grand opening tomorrow.”\n\nPatty’s eyes open wide. “Cool!” she says.\n\n“Are you sure it’s all right with the owner?” you ask.\n\n“I’m Big Al, the manager. And what I say around here goes.”\n\nBig Al digs around in his checkered jacket and pulls out three maps. He hands one to each of you.\n\n“Study them carefully,” he says. “If you have any questions, ask them now.”\n\nYour eyes fall upon the map. You have a question. But when you gaze up, Big Al is gone. He’s vanished!\n\n“A whole carnival to ourselves!” Patty exclaims. “Where should we start?”\n\nYou stare down at your map once again. You notice that the carnival is split in half. On one side are the rides. Tons of them. On the other side is the midway, packed with games of chance and the Freak Show."
},
{
"from": "human",
"page": [
4
],
"value": "Check out the midway."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"page": [
77,
78
],
"value": "“Let’s head for the midway and play some games!” you say.\n\nYou, Patty, and Brad jog down a wide avenue. Tents of every color line the street. Carnival music blares from loudspeakers.\n\nYou spot a green neon sign flashing above a yellow-striped tent. The sign reads: MADAME ZENO — FORTUNE-TELLER.\n\n“Excellent!” you exclaim. “I’m going in!”\n\nYou tell your friends you’ll catch up with them in a minute.\n\nYou lift the tent flap. Inside, one small candle flickers in the dark. You hear a low voice call out, “Enter my chamber.”\n\nThere is Madame Zeno, sitting in the shadows. She wears a long red dress dotted with brightly colored gems. They shimmer in the candlelight. Her black hair tumbles to her shoulders as she bends over a large crystal ball.\n\n“Welcome,” she whispers. Then she reaches out and gently lifts your hand. “Let me tell you your future.”\n\nMadame Zeno studies your hand closely. She traces the lines in your hand with her soft fingers.\n\n“I see horror in your future. In your immediate future,” she warns.\n\n“Wh-what kind of horror?” you stammer. “What do you mean?”\n\nMadame Zeno releases your hand. She picks up a strange deck of cards. She spreads them out on the table. You notice the cards have pictures — a headless man, a bloody sword, a large, evil eye.\n\nShe gathers up all the cards and flips the deck over. Then she deals out a red card and a blue card.\n\n“Turn one over,” she commands. “Learn your fate.”"
},
{
"from": "human",
"page": [
78
],
"value": "Pick blue."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"page": [
59
],
"value": "Blue is your favorite color. You turn the blue card over.\n\nThere is a message: Help us! You are our only hope. Hurry to the back door of the freak show. Signed, The Freaks.\n\n“What does this mean?” you ask Madame Zeno. She stares deep into your eyes. Her lips tremble. She leans forward. She’s about to speak.\n\nAnd then the lights go out — and a blood-curdling scream rips through the dark!\n\nYou start to bolt for the door when a dim light suddenly flickers. You stare across the table. Madame Zeno is gone!\n\nYou reach out to take the card. And it bursts into red-hot flames! In seconds, the entire tent fills with thick smoke. Flames shoot across the floor. You run for the door.\n\nOutside, you gulp the fresh air. Whew! You made it.\n\nYou glance back. No smoke. No fire. No tent! Everything has disappeared!"
},
{
"from": "human",
"page": [
59
],
"value": "Help the freaks."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"page": [
11,
35,
13
],
"value": "You’ve decided to help the freaks. As you race down the midway, you spot Brad and Patty.\n\n“Listen, guys,” you tell them, lowering your voice. “We’ve got a problem. A big problem.”\n\nYou take a deep breath and tell them all about Madame Zeno and the blue card.\n\n“So,” you finish saying, “somebody might need our help in the back of the Freak Show.”\n\n“What’s a freak?” Brad asks nervously.\n\n“Remember the poster we saw when we came in? The one with the three-headed man and the lady with the snake body?” you remind him.\n\nBrad bites down on his lip. “Are they really real?”\n\n“Sure they’re real,” Patty chimes in. “I once saw a bearded lady at the circus.”\n\n“I don’t know,” Brad says. “It sounds kind of creepy.”\n\n“Well, Madame Zeno said this was my fate. I’m going to help them — whatever they are. Are you guys in?”\n\n“You bet,” Patty answers, her eyes shining with excitement.\n\n“Okay, okay. I’ll go,” Brad mumbles.\n\n“Then let’s hurry!” you exclaim.\n\nFive minutes later, the three of you are sneaking down a dark alley. Brad is so frightened, he’s practically walking on top of you.\n\nThe alley is littered with large cardboard boxes and overflowing trash cans. And it smells like dead fish.\n\n“Hey! Quit stepping on my shoe,” you say to Brad.\n\n“I’m not stepping on your shoe,” he shoots back. “I’m not anywhere near your stupid shoe.”\n\nYou glance down. And nearly scream.\n\nBrad’s right. He’s not stepping on you. But about a dozen rats are.\n\nYou shake your foot wildly. The rats scurry off.\n\nBrad catches sight of the rats and tries to bolt.\n\nYou and Patty quickly pull him back.\n\n“Hey! Look!” Patty says, pointing up ahead. “A door!”\n\nOn the door you see a big sign that reads KEEP OUT, so … you go in.\n\nThe room is dark, but all around you, you hear hushed moans. “Help us! Help us!”\n\n“We’re in a prison,” Patty says. “And look at the prisoners! They’re weird!”\n\nPatty is right. As your eyes grow accustomed to the darkness, you see cell after cell. Each one holds a strange-looking prisoner. There’s an enormous fat lady who’s nearly busting out of the bars. A giant. A dwarf. A young lady with boa constrictors wrapped around her waist. And a woman with a long black beard!\n\n“We’re the freakssss,” the Snake Lady says. “Every night when the sssshow endssss, the masssster lockssss ussss up.”\n\n“The master? You mean Big Al is —” you start to say.\n\n“You must help us!” the giant interrupts.\n\n“Sssssssh,” the Snake Lady says. “The master’sssss coming — you musssstn’t be here! Go! That way!” She points to a door down the hall."
},
{
"from": "human",
"page": [
13
],
"value": "Escape through the door down the hall."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"page": [
48,
60
],
"value": "“Come on!” Patty cries. “Come on!”\n\nThen, without another word, she races off. You and Brad dash after her.\n\nI hope Patty knows what she’s doing, you think as you try to catch up. Because right now, it doesn’t look that way.\n\nPatty leads you through a maze of underground passageways. Then, just as you’re about to yell, “Stop!” — she does. And you find yourself standing outside, in front of a barbed-wire fence!\n\nUp ahead, you spot an opening.\n\n“Let’s go in!” Patty says.\n\nThe three of you creep through the fence and trudge through some tall, wet grass. You gaze around. It’s way too dark to see.\n\nBut you can hear perfectly. And the sounds that reach your ears make your skin crawl.\n\nSlithering. You definitely hear slithering.\n\nAnd hissing.\n\nYou want to leave. You spin around, but you can’t find the opening in the fence! You do see something else. A sign!\n\n“There’s a sign!” you call out to Patty and Brad. “Let’s see what it says.”\n\nThe three of you race through the wet grass. Your socks are drenched. And your sneakers squeak as you run. But that’s not the sound that’s sending chills down your spine.\n\nIt’s the hissing. It’s growing louder.\n\n“I’m not sure I want to read that sign,” you call out to Patty and Brad.\n\n“I know what you mean!” Patty shouts back. “I have a feeling we’re not going to like what it says.”\n\nAnd you don’t. You reach the sign and read it aloud. “Reptile Petting Zoo! Whoever heard of a Reptile Petting Zoo! What kind of carnival is this anyway?”\n\n“This carnival is e-evil,” Brad stammers.\n\nYou’re about to agree when you notice the grass in front of you is swaying. Something is slithering through it. Something big. And then it comes into view.\n\n“Snake!” Brad cries.\n\nYou know you have to run — but which way? Left or right?"
},
{
"from": "human",
"page": [
60
],
"value": "Run to the right."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"page": [
12
],
"value": "You run to the right. “Follow me!” you cry out to Patty and Brad.\n\nYou run faster than you’ve ever run in your life. Your sides ache, but you keep on going.\n\nWhen your chest feels as if it’s about to burst, you finally stop. And hear a crash behind you. Then at both sides of you. Then in front of you. Trapping you.\n\n“Welcome to the Reptile’s Petting Zoo,” a deep voice echoes through the darkness.\n\nReptile’s Petting Zoo? You thought the sign said Reptile Petting Zoo.\n\n“Our alligator has been so lonely,” the deep voice continues. “Waiting and waiting — for his new pets to arrive. And here you are — finally.”\n\n**THE END**"
}
]
|
Escape from the Carnival of Horrors | TAKE A RIDE IF YOU DARE...
Late one night you and your friends visit the old fairgrounds. They're putting up rides and booths for the annual carnival. But this year things look really different. Really odd. Really scary.
The place is lit up by a hundred fiery torches. And spooky music is coming from the main tent. Then you meet Big Al, the creepy carnival manager. He's invited you in to test some of the rides.
Will you brave the terrifying Supersonic Space Coaster? Risk the horrors of the Reptile Petting Zoo? Slice through the oily waters of Booger Bog? Or confront the evil Snake Lady? The choice is your in this scary GOOSEBUMPS adventure that's packed with over 20 super spooky endings. | You sneak into the closed annual carnival with your friends, Patty and Brad. But then you need to escape, because the carnival is evil. It is owned by a man who traps you and your friends inside the carnival. He forces you all to "test" out the rides, before the carnival opens and traps the entire city's population inside. The reader can decide to fight the monster of Booger Bog, face the psychotic carnival's freak, the evil Snake Lady, brave the Supersonic Space Coaster, risk the attack of every reptile in the Petting Zoo, become slaves to Slappy or Mr. Wood, or ride the Doom Slide.
# Story A
You decide to try out the carnival's rides. Having been separated from Patty and Brad (which happens no matter what choice you make), you then have to find them and escape the carnival.
# Story B
You visit the sideshows, and are told that you have to play carnival games. But if you lose, you'll pay with your life...
# Side Story C
From Story B, you get involved with the freak show, whose inhabitants are being held prisoner by an evil fortune-teller. You try to save the freaks as well as finding a way for you and your friends to escape. | [
6,
77,
59,
113,
8,
9,
15
] | The Wheel of Chance lands on NO CHANCE, meaning you have no chance at escaping the carnival. | [
{
"from": "gpt",
"page": [
1,
2
],
"value": "“What do you want to do?”\n\n“I don’t know, Patty. What do you want to do?”\n\n“Not fair, Brad. I asked you first.”\n\nPatty and Brad. Your two best friends. Arguing. As usual.\n\nIt’s the last week of August. And Patty and Brad haven’t stopped fighting since your summer vacation started.\n\nPatty likes being bossy. You don’t mind, though. It’s no big deal.\n\nIt’s hard to win a fight with her anyway. You don’t know why Brad even tries. You guess it’s because he doesn’t want to look like a wimp in front of a girl.\n\n“There’s nothing to do. I guess I’ll just go home,” Brad says. He shoves his hands in his pockets. Then his shoulders slump and he sort of shrivels up. You guess Brad is kind of a wimp — even if he is your best friend.\n\n“You’re so boring, Brad,” Patty complains. Whenever Patty complains, her freckles really pop out. Now there are about a million of them spread across her face.\n\n“Hey! I know what we should do!” Patty suddenly bursts out.\n\n“Let’s bike over to Bennet’s Field and watch them set up the carnival!”\n\n“I don’t know,” you answer. “It’s getting dark, and Mom said I have to be in by nine.”\n\n“It’s only a quick bike ride,” Brad says. “Are you some kind of wimp?”\n\nBrad calling you a wimp? You can’t believe it!\n\n“Okay. Okay,” you agree. “But if it’s as bad as last year, there won’t be much to see. Don’t you remember the main attraction?” you remind them. “The ride they called Terror Track? It turned out to be a baby choo-choo train that circled around and around and around.”\n\nIt doesn’t matter what you say. Patty’s made up her mind. You’re going to ride over to the carnival.\n\nA hot, humid breeze blows in your face as you pedal along. Patty’s in the lead. No surprise. And Brad’s puffing behind you.\n\nIt’s dark by the time you reach Bennet’s Field.\n\nYou and your friends drop your bikes in the grass and race across the moonlit field, toward the huge wooden fence that surrounds the carnival."
},
{
"from": "human",
"page": [
2
],
"value": "Take a closer look."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"page": [
3
],
"value": "As you reach the carnival entrance, you hear music coming from inside. Not the usual corny organ stuff they always play. But some really strange music. It sounds familiar and totally new at the same time.\n\nBrad stretches his neck to try to peer over the fence. But no luck. The fence is way too high.\n\nPatty jiggles the padlock on the gate. It’s sealed shut.\n\n“I guess we’ll have to wait until tomorrow night when the carnival opens,” Brad says.\n\n“No way,” Patty says. “Let’s climb the fence. Now!”\n\n“Are you crazy?” Brad says. “We’ll get caught!”\n\n“Come on. There’s probably no one in there,” Patty replies.\n\nYour friends turn to you to cast the deciding vote. You glance at your watch. It’s almost 9:00 P.M. If you’re going to get home in time, you should start back now."
},
{
"from": "human",
"page": [
3
],
"value": "Climb the fence to get inside."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"page": [
6,
7,
87,
4
],
"value": "“Let’s do it!” you say to your friends. “Let’s climb the fence!”\n\nPatty is halfway up before you finish speaking. You let Brad go next. You’re last.\n\nIt’s a hard climb up. There’s really no place on the fence to get a good grip. But you make it to the top, swing your legs over, and tumble down. You land on the grass. You’re inside!\n\nYou and your friends gaze around. It’s pretty dark — the only light comes from torches. At first the carnival looks the same as it always does. Dinky rides. Hot dog wagons. Then the lights start to flicker on in every corner of the field — the rides start to move. It’s as if the whole place is magically coming to life.\n\n“Hey! Look at that giant roller coaster!” you exclaim, pointing up ahead. “They never had a roller coaster before!”\n\n“Yeah,” Brad agrees. “And the whole place is a lot bigger than last year!”\n\n“This is awesome!” Patty says as she sprints toward the rides.\n\nYou and Brad take off after Patty. You all stop in front of the roller coaster.\n\n“Wow!” Patty says as she gazes up at it. “It’s like a rocket to outer space!”\n\nBeyond the roller coaster, you spy a castle surrounded by a moat. And a spooky-looking haunted house sitting high atop a hill.\n\n“These are the coolest rides I’ve ever seen!” you say. “They still have that dumb choo-choo train over there,” you point out, “but we could ride this stuff all night and never go near it!”\n\nPatty grabs your arm and tugs you over to the other side of the carnival — to the midway. Brad races after you.\n\n“Hey! Where are all those dinky wooden booths from last year?” you ask as you gawk at the amazing games of chance.\n\nThey’re gone. And in their place are giant video games and huge spinning wheels studded with hundreds of blinking colored lights!\n\n“Get a load of that!” Brad suddenly cries out.\n\nYou and Patty spin around.\n\nYou can’t believe what you see!\n\nYou’re staring at a sign that reads: WORLD’S FREAKIEST FREAK SHOW! The three of you gape at the pictures.\n\nThere’s the Three-Headed Man with the ugliest collection of faces you’ve ever seen. And the Snake Lady — a young blond girl with a beautiful face and the body of a slithering snake.\n\n“This is, uh — uh —” you start to say. But you don’t finish. Because a large hand has come down on your shoulder. Hard.\n\nYou slowly turn and gaze up at a huge man with shoulders wider than a refrigerator. He has coal-black eyes with a thick mustache to match. He looks strong enough — and mean enough — to pitch you over the fence with one hand.\n\n“What are you doing?” his deep voice booms. “You’re not allowed in here,” he says, pointing directly at you.\n\n“We’re sorry,” you say, hoping you appear sorry and not just scared. “We wanted to look around. That’s all. But we’ll leave. Right now.”\n\nHis eyes stare into yours. He clamps both hands down on your shoulders and says, “You’re not going anywhere!”\n\n“Wh-what do you mean?” Brad asks, trembling all over.\n\n“I just had an idea. A great idea,” the man replies. “I want you kids to stay and try out the rides before the grand opening tomorrow.”\n\nPatty’s eyes open wide. “Cool!” she says.\n\n“Are you sure it’s all right with the owner?” you ask.\n\n“I’m Big Al, the manager. And what I say around here goes.”\n\nBig Al digs around in his checkered jacket and pulls out three maps. He hands one to each of you.\n\n“Study them carefully,” he says. “If you have any questions, ask them now.”\n\nYour eyes fall upon the map. You have a question. But when you gaze up, Big Al is gone. He’s vanished!\n\n“A whole carnival to ourselves!” Patty exclaims. “Where should we start?”\n\nYou stare down at your map once again. You notice that the carnival is split in half. On one side are the rides. Tons of them. On the other side is the midway, packed with games of chance and the Freak Show."
},
{
"from": "human",
"page": [
4
],
"value": "Check out the midway."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"page": [
77,
78
],
"value": "“Let’s head for the midway and play some games!” you say.\n\nYou, Patty, and Brad jog down a wide avenue. Tents of every color line the street. Carnival music blares from loudspeakers.\n\nYou spot a green neon sign flashing above a yellow-striped tent. The sign reads: MADAME ZENO — FORTUNE-TELLER.\n\n“Excellent!” you exclaim. “I’m going in!”\n\nYou tell your friends you’ll catch up with them in a minute.\n\nYou lift the tent flap. Inside, one small candle flickers in the dark. You hear a low voice call out, “Enter my chamber.”\n\nThere is Madame Zeno, sitting in the shadows. She wears a long red dress dotted with brightly colored gems. They shimmer in the candlelight. Her black hair tumbles to her shoulders as she bends over a large crystal ball.\n\n“Welcome,” she whispers. Then she reaches out and gently lifts your hand. “Let me tell you your future.”\n\nMadame Zeno studies your hand closely. She traces the lines in your hand with her soft fingers.\n\n“I see horror in your future. In your immediate future,” she warns.\n\n“Wh-what kind of horror?” you stammer. “What do you mean?”\n\nMadame Zeno releases your hand. She picks up a strange deck of cards. She spreads them out on the table. You notice the cards have pictures — a headless man, a bloody sword, a large, evil eye.\n\nShe gathers up all the cards and flips the deck over. Then she deals out a red card and a blue card.\n\n“Turn one over,” she commands. “Learn your fate.”"
},
{
"from": "human",
"page": [
78
],
"value": "Pick blue."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"page": [
59
],
"value": "Blue is your favorite color. You turn the blue card over.\n\nThere is a message: Help us! You are our only hope. Hurry to the back door of the freak show. Signed, The Freaks.\n\n“What does this mean?” you ask Madame Zeno. She stares deep into your eyes. Her lips tremble. She leans forward. She’s about to speak.\n\nAnd then the lights go out — and a blood-curdling scream rips through the dark!\n\nYou start to bolt for the door when a dim light suddenly flickers. You stare across the table. Madame Zeno is gone!\n\nYou reach out to take the card. And it bursts into red-hot flames! In seconds, the entire tent fills with thick smoke. Flames shoot across the floor. You run for the door.\n\nOutside, you gulp the fresh air. Whew! You made it.\n\nYou glance back. No smoke. No fire. No tent! Everything has disappeared!"
},
{
"from": "human",
"page": [
59
],
"value": "Don't help the freaks."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"page": [
113,
16
],
"value": "Help some freaks? That’s a good one! You laugh.\n\nYou think about Madame Zeno, the fire, and the disappearing tent. Totally cool! You wonder who thought up such awesome special effects.\n\nYou can’t wait to tell Brad and Patty all about it.\n\nYou search for your friends in the big wooden booths that line the midway. Instead, you find incredible games of chance. Some test your eye-hand coordination. Others require pure luck. But they all offer the most amazing prizes you’ve ever seen — phones, video games, fifteen-speed mountain bikes. You can’t wait to play!\n\nYou spot a booth across the midway with a crowd gathered in front. That’s odd, you think. Didn’t Big Al say we were the only people at the carnival tonight? You wonder if your friends are in the crowd. You move closer.\n\n“Oh. I get it,” you say aloud. “These people must work at the carnival.”\n\nYou’re about to call out to them. Until you see their eyes. Strange, haunted eyes.\n\n“Hi!” you say to Big Al. “Who are all those people?”\n\nHe doesn’t really answer your question.\n\n“Welcome to the Carnival of Horrors,” he says. “You must play or pay. We have many games on our midway. You must play two.” He practically spits the word must out. “If you succeed, you can win prizes. But if you lose, you pay with your life!”\n\nBoy, he’s really laying it on thick, you think. But it’s a pretty cool gimmick. “Okay, I’ll play a game. Then I’ve got to go home.”\n\n“No one goes home,” Big Al says, “until they play. You must play two games. And survive.”\n\n“Okay. Okay,” you mutter to yourself.\n\nYou glance around the midway at the two closest games. Guess Your Weight on Mars and the Wheel of Chance. You have to pick one to start, or you’ll never get out of here."
},
{
"from": "human",
"page": [
16
],
"value": "Play Wheel of Chance."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"page": [
8
],
"value": "You wander over to the Wheel of Chance and immediately notice two strange things.\n\nFirst, you read the sign on the booth. It says “Wheel of No Chance.” Then you hear the barker’s voice calling, “Step right up!” But there’s no one there.\n\nNo one but a green-and-yellow parrot.\n\n“Excuse me,” you say, hoping someone will answer. “Is this game open?”\n\n“No, I’m standing by this wheel for my health,” the parrot cracks. “Now, do you want to spin or what?”\n\nThe parrot is obviously annoyed. “Mammals,” he mutters. “Can’t live with them, can’t live without them.”\n\nYou steal a glance around. Maybe you should skip this game. But Big Al sneaks up behind you.\n\n“Spin,” he says. “You must earn enough points to win.”\n\n“But how will I know if I have enough points?” you ask.\n\n“Spin!” It’s his final word.\n\nThe wheel has eight slices. Two slices are blank, two slices are “SPIN AGAIN”, two slices are “DOUBLE OR NOTHING”, one slice is “FREE SPIN”, and one slice is “NO CHANCE”."
},
{
"from": "human",
"page": [
10
],
"value": "Spin and land on NO CHANCE."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"page": [
15
],
"value": "Round and round the wheel spins. It finally lands on NO CHANCE.\n\nNo chance. Does that mean what you think it means?\n\nNo chance at all.\n\nZip.\n\nZero.\n\nNothing.\n\nNada.\n\nNegatory.\n\nYes. That’s exactly what it means. You have met …\n\n**THE END**"
}
]
|
Escape from the Carnival of Horrors | TAKE A RIDE IF YOU DARE...
Late one night you and your friends visit the old fairgrounds. They're putting up rides and booths for the annual carnival. But this year things look really different. Really odd. Really scary.
The place is lit up by a hundred fiery torches. And spooky music is coming from the main tent. Then you meet Big Al, the creepy carnival manager. He's invited you in to test some of the rides.
Will you brave the terrifying Supersonic Space Coaster? Risk the horrors of the Reptile Petting Zoo? Slice through the oily waters of Booger Bog? Or confront the evil Snake Lady? The choice is your in this scary GOOSEBUMPS adventure that's packed with over 20 super spooky endings. | You sneak into the closed annual carnival with your friends, Patty and Brad. But then you need to escape, because the carnival is evil. It is owned by a man who traps you and your friends inside the carnival. He forces you all to "test" out the rides, before the carnival opens and traps the entire city's population inside. The reader can decide to fight the monster of Booger Bog, face the psychotic carnival's freak, the evil Snake Lady, brave the Supersonic Space Coaster, risk the attack of every reptile in the Petting Zoo, become slaves to Slappy or Mr. Wood, or ride the Doom Slide.
# Story A
You decide to try out the carnival's rides. Having been separated from Patty and Brad (which happens no matter what choice you make), you then have to find them and escape the carnival.
# Story B
You visit the sideshows, and are told that you have to play carnival games. But if you lose, you'll pay with your life...
# Side Story C
From Story B, you get involved with the freak show, whose inhabitants are being held prisoner by an evil fortune-teller. You try to save the freaks as well as finding a way for you and your friends to escape. | [
6,
34,
26,
92
] | You are immobilized by perfume and taken away by carnival workers as a dummy for a space display. | [
{
"from": "gpt",
"page": [
1,
2
],
"value": "“What do you want to do?”\n\n“I don’t know, Patty. What do you want to do?”\n\n“Not fair, Brad. I asked you first.”\n\nPatty and Brad. Your two best friends. Arguing. As usual.\n\nIt’s the last week of August. And Patty and Brad haven’t stopped fighting since your summer vacation started.\n\nPatty likes being bossy. You don’t mind, though. It’s no big deal.\n\nIt’s hard to win a fight with her anyway. You don’t know why Brad even tries. You guess it’s because he doesn’t want to look like a wimp in front of a girl.\n\n“There’s nothing to do. I guess I’ll just go home,” Brad says. He shoves his hands in his pockets. Then his shoulders slump and he sort of shrivels up. You guess Brad is kind of a wimp — even if he is your best friend.\n\n“You’re so boring, Brad,” Patty complains. Whenever Patty complains, her freckles really pop out. Now there are about a million of them spread across her face.\n\n“Hey! I know what we should do!” Patty suddenly bursts out.\n\n“Let’s bike over to Bennet’s Field and watch them set up the carnival!”\n\n“I don’t know,” you answer. “It’s getting dark, and Mom said I have to be in by nine.”\n\n“It’s only a quick bike ride,” Brad says. “Are you some kind of wimp?”\n\nBrad calling you a wimp? You can’t believe it!\n\n“Okay. Okay,” you agree. “But if it’s as bad as last year, there won’t be much to see. Don’t you remember the main attraction?” you remind them. “The ride they called Terror Track? It turned out to be a baby choo-choo train that circled around and around and around.”\n\nIt doesn’t matter what you say. Patty’s made up her mind. You’re going to ride over to the carnival.\n\nA hot, humid breeze blows in your face as you pedal along. Patty’s in the lead. No surprise. And Brad’s puffing behind you.\n\nIt’s dark by the time you reach Bennet’s Field.\n\nYou and your friends drop your bikes in the grass and race across the moonlit field, toward the huge wooden fence that surrounds the carnival."
},
{
"from": "human",
"page": [
2
],
"value": "Take a closer look."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"page": [
3
],
"value": "As you reach the carnival entrance, you hear music coming from inside. Not the usual corny organ stuff they always play. But some really strange music. It sounds familiar and totally new at the same time.\n\nBrad stretches his neck to try to peer over the fence. But no luck. The fence is way too high.\n\nPatty jiggles the padlock on the gate. It’s sealed shut.\n\n“I guess we’ll have to wait until tomorrow night when the carnival opens,” Brad says.\n\n“No way,” Patty says. “Let’s climb the fence. Now!”\n\n“Are you crazy?” Brad says. “We’ll get caught!”\n\n“Come on. There’s probably no one in there,” Patty replies.\n\nYour friends turn to you to cast the deciding vote. You glance at your watch. It’s almost 9:00 P.M. If you’re going to get home in time, you should start back now."
},
{
"from": "human",
"page": [
3
],
"value": "Climb the fence to get inside."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"page": [
6,
7,
87,
4
],
"value": "“Let’s do it!” you say to your friends. “Let’s climb the fence!”\n\nPatty is halfway up before you finish speaking. You let Brad go next. You’re last.\n\nIt’s a hard climb up. There’s really no place on the fence to get a good grip. But you make it to the top, swing your legs over, and tumble down. You land on the grass. You’re inside!\n\nYou and your friends gaze around. It’s pretty dark — the only light comes from torches. At first the carnival looks the same as it always does. Dinky rides. Hot dog wagons. Then the lights start to flicker on in every corner of the field — the rides start to move. It’s as if the whole place is magically coming to life.\n\n“Hey! Look at that giant roller coaster!” you exclaim, pointing up ahead. “They never had a roller coaster before!”\n\n“Yeah,” Brad agrees. “And the whole place is a lot bigger than last year!”\n\n“This is awesome!” Patty says as she sprints toward the rides.\n\nYou and Brad take off after Patty. You all stop in front of the roller coaster.\n\n“Wow!” Patty says as she gazes up at it. “It’s like a rocket to outer space!”\n\nBeyond the roller coaster, you spy a castle surrounded by a moat. And a spooky-looking haunted house sitting high atop a hill.\n\n“These are the coolest rides I’ve ever seen!” you say. “They still have that dumb choo-choo train over there,” you point out, “but we could ride this stuff all night and never go near it!”\n\nPatty grabs your arm and tugs you over to the other side of the carnival — to the midway. Brad races after you.\n\n“Hey! Where are all those dinky wooden booths from last year?” you ask as you gawk at the amazing games of chance.\n\nThey’re gone. And in their place are giant video games and huge spinning wheels studded with hundreds of blinking colored lights!\n\n“Get a load of that!” Brad suddenly cries out.\n\nYou and Patty spin around.\n\nYou can’t believe what you see!\n\nYou’re staring at a sign that reads: WORLD’S FREAKIEST FREAK SHOW! The three of you gape at the pictures.\n\nThere’s the Three-Headed Man with the ugliest collection of faces you’ve ever seen. And the Snake Lady — a young blond girl with a beautiful face and the body of a slithering snake.\n\n“This is, uh — uh —” you start to say. But you don’t finish. Because a large hand has come down on your shoulder. Hard.\n\nYou slowly turn and gaze up at a huge man with shoulders wider than a refrigerator. He has coal-black eyes with a thick mustache to match. He looks strong enough — and mean enough — to pitch you over the fence with one hand.\n\n“What are you doing?” his deep voice booms. “You’re not allowed in here,” he says, pointing directly at you.\n\n“We’re sorry,” you say, hoping you appear sorry and not just scared. “We wanted to look around. That’s all. But we’ll leave. Right now.”\n\nHis eyes stare into yours. He clamps both hands down on your shoulders and says, “You’re not going anywhere!”\n\n“Wh-what do you mean?” Brad asks, trembling all over.\n\n“I just had an idea. A great idea,” the man replies. “I want you kids to stay and try out the rides before the grand opening tomorrow.”\n\nPatty’s eyes open wide. “Cool!” she says.\n\n“Are you sure it’s all right with the owner?” you ask.\n\n“I’m Big Al, the manager. And what I say around here goes.”\n\nBig Al digs around in his checkered jacket and pulls out three maps. He hands one to each of you.\n\n“Study them carefully,” he says. “If you have any questions, ask them now.”\n\nYour eyes fall upon the map. You have a question. But when you gaze up, Big Al is gone. He’s vanished!\n\n“A whole carnival to ourselves!” Patty exclaims. “Where should we start?”\n\nYou stare down at your map once again. You notice that the carnival is split in half. On one side are the rides. Tons of them. On the other side is the midway, packed with games of chance and the Freak Show."
},
{
"from": "human",
"page": [
4
],
"value": "Go on the rides."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"page": [
34,
47
],
"value": "“Let’s go on the rides first!” you say. “That roller coaster looked awesome!”\n\n“Okay,” Patty agrees. “Over this way!” she yells as she charges over to it.\n\nWhen you reach the rides, you can only stare in amazement. These are the most fantastic rides you’ve ever seen. The towering roller coaster … the soaring speedboats … the twisty slides! Every one is in motion. Whizzing, whirling, doing loop-the-loops. And they’re all empty! No riders. No people in line!\n\n“Cool!” Patty exclaims. “We have the whole place to ourselves.”\n\nBrad’s face turns a little green as his gaze swings from the Supersonic Space Coaster to the Doom Slide. “Do you think they have rides that don’t go upside down?” he asks.\n\n“Come on! Let’s check out the coaster!” Patty calls to you and Brad. Then they run off to its starting gate.\n\nYou stop and crane your neck to gaze up at the coaster’s first hill. And you gasp!\n\nThe tracks stretch up so high that they seem to touch the clouds. Your gaze follows one of the cars speeding around a sharp curve. It looks like the space shuttle. You notice that it has a safety harness that locks over your body — you’ve seen those before. They keep you in when the ride turns upside down. You didn’t want to admit it before, but, like Brad, riding upside down is not your favorite thing.\n\nStill, the coaster does look amazing — one part enters a tunnel — and you can see that the cars go fast. Really Fast!\n\nYou’re just about to walk through the Space Coaster gate when you hear spooky organ music coming from behind you. You turn around. Looming in the distance is a dark and creepy haunted house.\n\nYou gaze down at your map. It’s called the House of Horrors. Hmmm. You love haunted houses. And this one really looks scary.\n\nNow you’re not sure what to do. You won’t have time for everything. The coaster or the haunted house?"
},
{
"from": "human",
"page": [
47
],
"value": "Join Patty and Brad on the Space Coaster."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"page": [
26,
58,
39,
94
],
"value": "“Hey, wait up!” you yell to Brad and Patty as you sprint through the Space Coaster gate.\n\nThey both ignore you and charge straight ahead. You follow them into a narrow tunnel that leads to the boarding area.\n\nYou gaze down at the floor. Black rubber. It makes you walk with a strange bounce.\n\nEvery few feet there is a round porthole window. When you glance out one, you see astronauts planting flags on the moon. You peer out another. Now they’re seated in their capsule. This is amazing, you think. The figures look real. Totally real.\n\nAfter a long climb, you and Patty and Brad finally arrive at the loading area.\n\nA sleek bullet-shaped capsule whooshes up and stops right beside you. It has three sections. Brad climbs defiantly into the last section. You leap into the front. Patty’s left with the middle section.\n\nAnd suddenly you’re trapped!\n\nSteel bars plunge down from above and drop across your lap and chest, pinning you in place. You can’t move at all. Even your head is held by superstrong headphones that clamp over your ears. A voice comes through them announcing: “Five, four, three, two, one, BLAST OFF!”\n\nYou hear a huge bang. Smoke and fireworks fill the air as your car starts up the first big hill. Your head presses back against the seat as you climb higher and higher. That first hill is endless, but the view is awesome. From the top, you can see the midway, the haunted house, and a shadowy swamp. You can’t believe how big the carnival is!\n\n“Neat!” Patty yells. “There’s AHHHH —”\n\nWhatever she was going to say turns into a wild scream as the rocket plunges down the other side of the hill. The wind whips at your face. You are pressed back so hard, you feel like a pancake. Everything passes in a fantastic blur.\n\nAs your car shoots up to the top of the next hill, you’re laughing and screaming at the same time. This is great, you think! But then you make a big mistake.\n\nYou close your eyes. When you open them, your car lunges forward with a burst of speed — and you loop-the-loop. Your mouth drops open to scream, but no sound comes out.\n\nNow your car starts to plunge downward — like an elevator out of control. Your heart pounds in your chest. This is the fastest and best roller coaster you’ve ever been on! As you near the bottom, you slow down. You begin to catch your breath. And then you see what’s up ahead. A huge black hole — a tunnel!\n\nAs you shoot toward the open mouth of the tunnel, you begin to scream again. The door of the tunnel is about to close!\n\nSnap! The door comes crashing down — behind your car. You breathe out a long sigh. But now you’re in a tunnel so dark that you can’t see a thing.\n\nScary! But not nearly as scary as what happens next.\n\nThe ride stops.\n\nDead.\n\nYou are sitting in the dark.\n\nNothing is moving.\n\n“Patty! Brad!” you call.\n\nSilence.\n\nWhy don’t they answer? They have to be there.\n\nYou try to twist around. But you’re locked in your harness and clamped in your headrest.\n\nBlinking in the dim light, your eyes dart to the left. Then to the right. You spot dozens of empty space rockets lining the walls. They seem to come in sections, making longer and shorter space rockets.\n\nYour mind starts working feverishly. Did your section detach from Patty and Brad’s section?\n\nSuddenly, the silence is shattered. Your seat lock grinds open, and you are released from your harness. You quickly spin around. Patty’s and Brad’s cars have disappeared! If this is all part of the ride, maybe you should hop out. But if the ride is broken, maybe you should wait for help."
},
{
"from": "human",
"page": [
94
],
"value": "Wait for help to come."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"page": [
92,
20
],
"value": "You decide to wait. Someone should be here soon, you think. But after waiting in the space shuttle for at least fifteen minutes, you’re not so sure. No one has shown up to rescue you.\n\nA chill runs down your back. You feel as if a thousand pairs of eyes are watching you from the shadows.\n\nNow that you’re accustomed to the darkness, you can see dozens of tracks leading in and out of the tunnel.\n\nAnd then you hear a rustling sound. You freeze. You listen hard. Could it be rats — or something worse?\n\nYou draw up your knees and wrap your arms around them tightly. Then you hear a hissing sound — and you smell something odd. It’s kind of a sweet smell — like heavy perfume. You hold your nose because the smell is making you feel strange. Dizzy. Sick.\n\nIt seems as if hours have passed. Or maybe it’s only minutes.\n\nYou try to unclasp your hands. But they won’t budge. It’s as if your arms are glued around your knees.\n\nYou try to move something. Anything.\n\nBut you can’t blink an eyelid. Your body is paralyzed. You can’t even scream.\n\nA door opens and two men dressed in overalls and wearing gas masks amble in. Finally. They’re here to rescue you!\n\n“Looks like the perfume worked,” you hear one of them say.\n\n“Yeah. And just in time. We needed a new dummy for the Real-Life Space Display,” the other adds.\n\nThey pick up your rigid body and carry you out. No wonder those astronauts in the silver tunnel looked so real!\n\nSorry. You can’t scream. You can’t escape.\n\nNext time, you promise yourself, you’ll stick with the baby rides. But then you remember — there isn’t going to be a next time … because this is …\n\n**THE END**"
}
]
|
Escape from the Carnival of Horrors | TAKE A RIDE IF YOU DARE...
Late one night you and your friends visit the old fairgrounds. They're putting up rides and booths for the annual carnival. But this year things look really different. Really odd. Really scary.
The place is lit up by a hundred fiery torches. And spooky music is coming from the main tent. Then you meet Big Al, the creepy carnival manager. He's invited you in to test some of the rides.
Will you brave the terrifying Supersonic Space Coaster? Risk the horrors of the Reptile Petting Zoo? Slice through the oily waters of Booger Bog? Or confront the evil Snake Lady? The choice is your in this scary GOOSEBUMPS adventure that's packed with over 20 super spooky endings. | You sneak into the closed annual carnival with your friends, Patty and Brad. But then you need to escape, because the carnival is evil. It is owned by a man who traps you and your friends inside the carnival. He forces you all to "test" out the rides, before the carnival opens and traps the entire city's population inside. The reader can decide to fight the monster of Booger Bog, face the psychotic carnival's freak, the evil Snake Lady, brave the Supersonic Space Coaster, risk the attack of every reptile in the Petting Zoo, become slaves to Slappy or Mr. Wood, or ride the Doom Slide.
# Story A
You decide to try out the carnival's rides. Having been separated from Patty and Brad (which happens no matter what choice you make), you then have to find them and escape the carnival.
# Story B
You visit the sideshows, and are told that you have to play carnival games. But if you lose, you'll pay with your life...
# Side Story C
From Story B, you get involved with the freak show, whose inhabitants are being held prisoner by an evil fortune-teller. You try to save the freaks as well as finding a way for you and your friends to escape. | [
6,
34,
64,
30,
88,
56,
92
] | You are immobilized by perfume and taken away by carnival workers as a dummy for a space display. | [
{
"from": "gpt",
"page": [
1,
2
],
"value": "“What do you want to do?”\n\n“I don’t know, Patty. What do you want to do?”\n\n“Not fair, Brad. I asked you first.”\n\nPatty and Brad. Your two best friends. Arguing. As usual.\n\nIt’s the last week of August. And Patty and Brad haven’t stopped fighting since your summer vacation started.\n\nPatty likes being bossy. You don’t mind, though. It’s no big deal.\n\nIt’s hard to win a fight with her anyway. You don’t know why Brad even tries. You guess it’s because he doesn’t want to look like a wimp in front of a girl.\n\n“There’s nothing to do. I guess I’ll just go home,” Brad says. He shoves his hands in his pockets. Then his shoulders slump and he sort of shrivels up. You guess Brad is kind of a wimp — even if he is your best friend.\n\n“You’re so boring, Brad,” Patty complains. Whenever Patty complains, her freckles really pop out. Now there are about a million of them spread across her face.\n\n“Hey! I know what we should do!” Patty suddenly bursts out.\n\n“Let’s bike over to Bennet’s Field and watch them set up the carnival!”\n\n“I don’t know,” you answer. “It’s getting dark, and Mom said I have to be in by nine.”\n\n“It’s only a quick bike ride,” Brad says. “Are you some kind of wimp?”\n\nBrad calling you a wimp? You can’t believe it!\n\n“Okay. Okay,” you agree. “But if it’s as bad as last year, there won’t be much to see. Don’t you remember the main attraction?” you remind them. “The ride they called Terror Track? It turned out to be a baby choo-choo train that circled around and around and around.”\n\nIt doesn’t matter what you say. Patty’s made up her mind. You’re going to ride over to the carnival.\n\nA hot, humid breeze blows in your face as you pedal along. Patty’s in the lead. No surprise. And Brad’s puffing behind you.\n\nIt’s dark by the time you reach Bennet’s Field.\n\nYou and your friends drop your bikes in the grass and race across the moonlit field, toward the huge wooden fence that surrounds the carnival."
},
{
"from": "human",
"page": [
2
],
"value": "Take a closer look."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"page": [
3
],
"value": "As you reach the carnival entrance, you hear music coming from inside. Not the usual corny organ stuff they always play. But some really strange music. It sounds familiar and totally new at the same time.\n\nBrad stretches his neck to try to peer over the fence. But no luck. The fence is way too high.\n\nPatty jiggles the padlock on the gate. It’s sealed shut.\n\n“I guess we’ll have to wait until tomorrow night when the carnival opens,” Brad says.\n\n“No way,” Patty says. “Let’s climb the fence. Now!”\n\n“Are you crazy?” Brad says. “We’ll get caught!”\n\n“Come on. There’s probably no one in there,” Patty replies.\n\nYour friends turn to you to cast the deciding vote. You glance at your watch. It’s almost 9:00 P.M. If you’re going to get home in time, you should start back now."
},
{
"from": "human",
"page": [
3
],
"value": "Climb the fence to get inside."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"page": [
6,
7,
87,
4
],
"value": "“Let’s do it!” you say to your friends. “Let’s climb the fence!”\n\nPatty is halfway up before you finish speaking. You let Brad go next. You’re last.\n\nIt’s a hard climb up. There’s really no place on the fence to get a good grip. But you make it to the top, swing your legs over, and tumble down. You land on the grass. You’re inside!\n\nYou and your friends gaze around. It’s pretty dark — the only light comes from torches. At first the carnival looks the same as it always does. Dinky rides. Hot dog wagons. Then the lights start to flicker on in every corner of the field — the rides start to move. It’s as if the whole place is magically coming to life.\n\n“Hey! Look at that giant roller coaster!” you exclaim, pointing up ahead. “They never had a roller coaster before!”\n\n“Yeah,” Brad agrees. “And the whole place is a lot bigger than last year!”\n\n“This is awesome!” Patty says as she sprints toward the rides.\n\nYou and Brad take off after Patty. You all stop in front of the roller coaster.\n\n“Wow!” Patty says as she gazes up at it. “It’s like a rocket to outer space!”\n\nBeyond the roller coaster, you spy a castle surrounded by a moat. And a spooky-looking haunted house sitting high atop a hill.\n\n“These are the coolest rides I’ve ever seen!” you say. “They still have that dumb choo-choo train over there,” you point out, “but we could ride this stuff all night and never go near it!”\n\nPatty grabs your arm and tugs you over to the other side of the carnival — to the midway. Brad races after you.\n\n“Hey! Where are all those dinky wooden booths from last year?” you ask as you gawk at the amazing games of chance.\n\nThey’re gone. And in their place are giant video games and huge spinning wheels studded with hundreds of blinking colored lights!\n\n“Get a load of that!” Brad suddenly cries out.\n\nYou and Patty spin around.\n\nYou can’t believe what you see!\n\nYou’re staring at a sign that reads: WORLD’S FREAKIEST FREAK SHOW! The three of you gape at the pictures.\n\nThere’s the Three-Headed Man with the ugliest collection of faces you’ve ever seen. And the Snake Lady — a young blond girl with a beautiful face and the body of a slithering snake.\n\n“This is, uh — uh —” you start to say. But you don’t finish. Because a large hand has come down on your shoulder. Hard.\n\nYou slowly turn and gaze up at a huge man with shoulders wider than a refrigerator. He has coal-black eyes with a thick mustache to match. He looks strong enough — and mean enough — to pitch you over the fence with one hand.\n\n“What are you doing?” his deep voice booms. “You’re not allowed in here,” he says, pointing directly at you.\n\n“We’re sorry,” you say, hoping you appear sorry and not just scared. “We wanted to look around. That’s all. But we’ll leave. Right now.”\n\nHis eyes stare into yours. He clamps both hands down on your shoulders and says, “You’re not going anywhere!”\n\n“Wh-what do you mean?” Brad asks, trembling all over.\n\n“I just had an idea. A great idea,” the man replies. “I want you kids to stay and try out the rides before the grand opening tomorrow.”\n\nPatty’s eyes open wide. “Cool!” she says.\n\n“Are you sure it’s all right with the owner?” you ask.\n\n“I’m Big Al, the manager. And what I say around here goes.”\n\nBig Al digs around in his checkered jacket and pulls out three maps. He hands one to each of you.\n\n“Study them carefully,” he says. “If you have any questions, ask them now.”\n\nYour eyes fall upon the map. You have a question. But when you gaze up, Big Al is gone. He’s vanished!\n\n“A whole carnival to ourselves!” Patty exclaims. “Where should we start?”\n\nYou stare down at your map once again. You notice that the carnival is split in half. On one side are the rides. Tons of them. On the other side is the midway, packed with games of chance and the Freak Show."
},
{
"from": "human",
"page": [
4
],
"value": "Go on the rides."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"page": [
34,
47
],
"value": "“Let’s go on the rides first!” you say. “That roller coaster looked awesome!”\n\n“Okay,” Patty agrees. “Over this way!” she yells as she charges over to it.\n\nWhen you reach the rides, you can only stare in amazement. These are the most fantastic rides you’ve ever seen. The towering roller coaster … the soaring speedboats … the twisty slides! Every one is in motion. Whizzing, whirling, doing loop-the-loops. And they’re all empty! No riders. No people in line!\n\n“Cool!” Patty exclaims. “We have the whole place to ourselves.”\n\nBrad’s face turns a little green as his gaze swings from the Supersonic Space Coaster to the Doom Slide. “Do you think they have rides that don’t go upside down?” he asks.\n\n“Come on! Let’s check out the coaster!” Patty calls to you and Brad. Then they run off to its starting gate.\n\nYou stop and crane your neck to gaze up at the coaster’s first hill. And you gasp!\n\nThe tracks stretch up so high that they seem to touch the clouds. Your gaze follows one of the cars speeding around a sharp curve. It looks like the space shuttle. You notice that it has a safety harness that locks over your body — you’ve seen those before. They keep you in when the ride turns upside down. You didn’t want to admit it before, but, like Brad, riding upside down is not your favorite thing.\n\nStill, the coaster does look amazing — one part enters a tunnel — and you can see that the cars go fast. Really Fast!\n\nYou’re just about to walk through the Space Coaster gate when you hear spooky organ music coming from behind you. You turn around. Looming in the distance is a dark and creepy haunted house.\n\nYou gaze down at your map. It’s called the House of Horrors. Hmmm. You love haunted houses. And this one really looks scary.\n\nNow you’re not sure what to do. You won’t have time for everything. The coaster or the haunted house?"
},
{
"from": "human",
"page": [
47
],
"value": "Go to the House of Horrors alone."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"page": [
64
],
"value": "The House of Horrors! You have to see it. You just have to!\n\n“I’ll catch up with you guys later,” you call to Patty and Brad. “I’m going to check out the haunted house.”\n\nYou glance down at your map for directions. The rickety wooden bridge over to your left appears to lead straight there.\n\nAs you start across the bridge, the wooden planks creak under your feet. Then the bridge begins to sway. You look down. Way down. The bridge spans a deep, rocky gorge. Gulping, you grab the handrail. You move slowly. A strong wind blows up from the canyon below. The bridge is swaying wildly now, tossing from side to side.\n\nA massive spear of lightning splits the sky. Thunder rumbles so loudly you jump and lose your balance. “Help!” you scream as you tumble right over the side — and plunge toward the jagged rocks below!"
},
{
"from": "human",
"page": [
64
],
"value": "Flap my arms and try to fly."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"page": [
30
],
"value": "You’re falling … falling … You can’t think of anything else to do, so you start flapping your arms like a bird.\n\nAt that moment a huge gust of air shoots up from under you and blows you back onto the bridge.\n\nBreathing hard, you run the rest of the way across the rickety span. When you reach the safety of the other side, you glance back. And gasp! The bridge and the midway beyond it have vanished! Only a black void remains!\n\n“Wow! Awesome special effects!” you cry out loud. But was your fall part of the special effects, too? It didn’t feel like it.\n\nYou spin around to face the House of Horrors. Up close it appears really, really creepy. Cobwebs drip down from its roof and an eerie yellow light glows inside. Cool! Next to the house you spot a sign that reads BOAT TRIP TO NOWHERE. There are amazing speedboats that you can drive yourself.\n\nWhich should you try first?"
},
{
"from": "human",
"page": [
30
],
"value": "Try the Boat Trip to Nowhere."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"page": [
88,
32,
105,
90
],
"value": "You head toward the Boat Trip to Nowhere. At the dock, you spot a stubby guy with long arms slouching against one of the mooring posts. In the strange light of the swamp, his skin shines with an oily, green glow. And his ears and nose are as craggy as tree bark.\n\n“Step right up,” he calls in a gravelly voice.\n\nHe pulls one of the motorboats over. It’s red with a silver racing stripe! “You can do fifteen knots in these babies,” he says. “But stay away from the tree stumps.”\n\nYou watch the little man’s sharp green fingernails tearing the mooring rope apart. As soon as the boat is free, you jump in, step on the gas, and roar away from the dock.\n\nThe wind blows hard against your face. You’re flying over the water. This is totally cool! You head for a channel that you see up ahead. Too bad you didn’t notice that sign that reads: TO BOOGER BOG.\n\nYour boat glides through the channel at high speed to Booger Bog. Water sprays up into your face. But soon you have to slow down. Trees have suddenly sprung up all around you. You’re completely surrounded now by their towering trunks.\n\nIn the dark light, their limbs take on the shape of gnarled arms with blackened, bony fingers at the ends. You stare hard at the tree trunks. Could it be? Are they reaching out for you?\n\nYou slowly weave the boat through the twisted trunks and branches. They’ve grown so thick here that you can barely pilot your boat through them.\n\nThe trees rustle as if they’re whispering to each other. Their limbs begin to sway. As you glide carefully through the water, the leaves slap against your face. Slap. Slap. Slap.\n\nYour heart starts hammering away in your chest. This is really scary. Just how far is nowhere? you begin to wonder. Something swipes at your hair! What was that?\n\nIt’s a tree branch! Grabbing at you. Tugging, tugging at your hair. You can’t break free. Its gnarly stubs dig in deeper as you struggle.\n\nSuddenly, you feel something wrap itself around your arms. Then your legs. Closing in tighter. Tighter.\n\nYou gaze down and see them — black knobby tree limbs twisting around you. Strangling you.\n\nYou drop hold of the steering wheel and begin to claw at the branches, ripping them away.\n\nAnd then you peer up — and see a terrifying sight. It’s a huge tree. And you’re headed straight for it! You grasp the steering wheel to regain control of the boat. The tree is just inches away.\n\nAre you going to CRASH?!\n\nNO!\n\nAt the last minute, you wrench the steering wheel hard to the left. The side of your boat clears the tree with a sickening scrape.\n\nYou breathe a sigh of relief, but it ends in a groan. A huge, sharp root below the water has just ripped into the bottom of your boat. You hear a tearing sound, then gurgling as the cockpit starts to fill with water.\n\n“Now what?” you mutter.\n\nThen through the mist you spot another boat. But it’s some distance away.\n\n“Hey, over here!” you cry out.\n\nDid they hear you? You cry out again. Then you glance behind you. More than half your boat is underwater — and you’re going down fast.\n\nWhat should you do? Keep yelling for help? Or try to swim for safety? Make your choice — QUICK!"
},
{
"from": "human",
"page": [
90
],
"value": "Swim for it."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"page": [
56,
37,
93,
26,
58,
39,
94
],
"value": "You leap out of the boat. The putrid brown water splashes into your mouth. Gross!\n\nYou swim a few strokes and suddenly find your knees scraping the bottom of the bog. The water here is less than a foot deep. Unbelievable! You were practically inches away from safety the entire time!\n\nSlogging through the brown foam, you wade to shore. Your clothes are dripping wet and smell like a sewer. Well, look at the bright side, you remind yourself. At least you didn’t go down with your boat.\n\nBut your troubles aren’t over yet. You’re standing in a dank, eerie forest that surrounds the lake. Creepy screeches echo through the night mist. And you’re totally lost.\n\nThe wind starts to blow. Shivering, you wrap your arms around your shoulders and wonder where your friends are and what they are doing.\n\nThen — POW! Something black and furry swoops down at you! You duck your head, but it comes at you again and again.\n\nA huge bat!\n\nYou cover your head with your hands and try to run into a thick grove of trees. But the bat circles in front of you and dives again.\n\n“Stop it! Stop it!” you scream.\n\nAs you turn and race toward some low bushes, you remember the stories — the horrible stories about bats making nests in people’s hair. And the only way to get them out was to shave your head….\n\nThose stories weren’t true — were they?\n\nYou spot a big stick in the wet dirt and scoop it up.\n\nThe bat swoops down at you once more and — FWAP! You hit it.\n\nThe bat falls to the ground.\n\nAnd you see it’s on a wire.\n\nIt’s a mechanical bat.\n\nAll part of the ride, you think. You think about the boat ride. Boy, they really make things seem real at this carnival, you think. You feel much better when you gaze up ahead. There’s a clearing.\n\nBut when you see what’s there — you scream!\n\nWhat a sight!\n\nYou can hardly believe your eyes!\n\nYou scream again.\n\nIt’s Patty and Brad!\n\n“Hey, guys, wait up!” you yell.\n\n“Hey, wait up!” you yell to Brad and Patty as you sprint through the Space Coaster gate.\n\nThey both ignore you and charge straight ahead. You follow them into a narrow tunnel that leads to the boarding area.\n\nYou gaze down at the floor. Black rubber. It makes you walk with a strange bounce.\n\nEvery few feet there is a round porthole window. When you glance out one, you see astronauts planting flags on the moon. You peer out another. Now they’re seated in their capsule. This is amazing, you think. The figures look real. Totally real.\n\nAfter a long climb, you and Patty and Brad finally arrive at the loading area.\n\nA sleek bullet-shaped capsule whooshes up and stops right beside you. It has three sections. Brad climbs defiantly into the last section. You leap into the front. Patty’s left with the middle section.\n\nAnd suddenly you’re trapped!\n\nSteel bars plunge down from above and drop across your lap and chest, pinning you in place. You can’t move at all. Even your head is held by superstrong headphones that clamp over your ears. A voice comes through them announcing: “Five, four, three, two, one, BLAST OFF!”\n\nYou hear a huge bang. Smoke and fireworks fill the air as your car starts up the first big hill. Your head presses back against the seat as you climb higher and higher. That first hill is endless, but the view is awesome. From the top, you can see the midway, the haunted house, and a shadowy swamp. You can’t believe how big the carnival is!\n\n“Neat!” Patty yells. “There’s AHHHH —”\n\nWhatever she was going to say turns into a wild scream as the rocket plunges down the other side of the hill. The wind whips at your face. You are pressed back so hard, you feel like a pancake. Everything passes in a fantastic blur.\n\nAs your car shoots up to the top of the next hill, you’re laughing and screaming at the same time. This is great, you think! But then you make a big mistake.\n\nYou close your eyes. When you open them, your car lunges forward with a burst of speed — and you loop-the-loop. Your mouth drops open to scream, but no sound comes out.\n\nNow your car starts to plunge downward — like an elevator out of control. Your heart pounds in your chest. This is the fastest and best roller coaster you’ve ever been on! As you near the bottom, you slow down. You begin to catch your breath. And then you see what’s up ahead. A huge black hole — a tunnel!\n\nAs you shoot toward the open mouth of the tunnel, you begin to scream again. The door of the tunnel is about to close!\n\nSnap! The door comes crashing down — behind your car. You breathe out a long sigh. But now you’re in a tunnel so dark that you can’t see a thing.\n\nScary! But not nearly as scary as what happens next.\n\nThe ride stops.\n\nDead.\n\nYou are sitting in the dark.\n\nNothing is moving.\n\n“Patty! Brad!” you call.\n\nSilence.\n\nWhy don’t they answer? They have to be there.\n\nYou try to twist around. But you’re locked in your harness and clamped in your headrest.\n\nBlinking in the dim light, your eyes dart to the left. Then to the right. You spot dozens of empty space rockets lining the walls. They seem to come in sections, making longer and shorter space rockets.\n\nYour mind starts working feverishly. Did your section detach from Patty and Brad’s section?\n\nSuddenly, the silence is shattered. Your seat lock grinds open, and you are released from your harness. You quickly spin around. Patty’s and Brad’s cars have disappeared! If this is all part of the ride, maybe you should hop out. But if the ride is broken, maybe you should wait for help."
},
{
"from": "human",
"page": [
94
],
"value": "Wait for help to come."
},
{
"from": "gpt",
"page": [
92,
20
],
"value": "You decide to wait. Someone should be here soon, you think. But after waiting in the space shuttle for at least fifteen minutes, you’re not so sure. No one has shown up to rescue you.\n\nA chill runs down your back. You feel as if a thousand pairs of eyes are watching you from the shadows.\n\nNow that you’re accustomed to the darkness, you can see dozens of tracks leading in and out of the tunnel.\n\nAnd then you hear a rustling sound. You freeze. You listen hard. Could it be rats — or something worse?\n\nYou draw up your knees and wrap your arms around them tightly. Then you hear a hissing sound — and you smell something odd. It’s kind of a sweet smell — like heavy perfume. You hold your nose because the smell is making you feel strange. Dizzy. Sick.\n\nIt seems as if hours have passed. Or maybe it’s only minutes.\n\nYou try to unclasp your hands. But they won’t budge. It’s as if your arms are glued around your knees.\n\nYou try to move something. Anything.\n\nBut you can’t blink an eyelid. Your body is paralyzed. You can’t even scream.\n\nA door opens and two men dressed in overalls and wearing gas masks amble in. Finally. They’re here to rescue you!\n\n“Looks like the perfume worked,” you hear one of them say.\n\n“Yeah. And just in time. We needed a new dummy for the Real-Life Space Display,” the other adds.\n\nThey pick up your rigid body and carry you out. No wonder those astronauts in the silver tunnel looked so real!\n\nSorry. You can’t scream. You can’t escape.\n\nNext time, you promise yourself, you’ll stick with the baby rides. But then you remember — there isn’t going to be a next time … because this is …\n\n**THE END**"
}
]
|
- Downloads last month
- 54