The Dead Lifeguard

  The Dead Lifeguard

  R.L. STINE

  An Archway Paperback

  published by POCKET BOOKS

  New York London Toronto Sydney Tokyo Singapore

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  PART ONE: A NEW GHOST

  Chapter 1

  MOUSE

  Hi, Terry. It’s me. Mouse.

  Yeah. It’s me. Mouse. Are you surprised?

  Can you hear me okay? There’s a little static on the line.

  What’s up, Terry? How’s it going?

  I know you can’t talk. So just listen—okay? You listening? Yeah. I know you are.

  Hey, Terry, guess what? I passed the test.

  What test, you ask.

  The blood test! Ha-ha.

  Just a joke, Terry. I passed the lifeguard test. Really! I’m going to be a lifeguard. Do you believe it, Mouse? A lifeguard!

  It took a long time, huh? But I did it.

  Well, come on, Terry. You knew I’d kill to become a lifeguard.

  So I did it. Yeah. I killed a lifeguard. Ha-ha.

  Why am I telling you?

  Because I know you can’t blow the whistle on me, Terry.

  Ha-ha. Get it? Lifeguard? Blow the whistle? You always had a great sense of humor. Like me. I mean, that’s why we were such good friends, right?

  Hey, Terry, I know you can’t talk. I mean, tell me something I don’t know.

  I know you’re dead.

  I know I’m talking to a dial tone here. I can hear the buzzing, you know.

  I mean, I’m not crazy. You know me, right, Terry? You know I’m not crazy.

  I know you’re dead, Terry. And I know why you’re dead.

  Because of the lifeguards.

  That’s why I’m going to kill them. One by one.

  For you, Terry. That’s right. I’m going to do it for you. Because Mouse doesn’t let a friend down.

  Even if you’re dead, Terry, you’re still my friend. You’ll always be my friend.

  I just keep thinking about last summer. And the summer before that. I keep thinking and thinking. I can’t stop. I can’t stop even if I want to.

  And that’s how I know I have to kill the lifeguards.

  Yeah. I know. I know you can’t thank me.

  Don’t you think I hear the dial tone in my head? I’ve got good ears. I hear it.

  I know you can’t thank me. But don’t worry about it.

  I’ll call you again. From the swim club. Up at North Beach.

  Yeah, I know you’re dead, Terry. You don’t have to remind me. I’m not crazy, you know. No way.

  Got to run. Later, okay?

  Tell everyone Mouse says hi.

  Yeah. Bye, Terry. Take care. Take care.

  I’ll do the rest.

  Chapter 2

  LINDSAY

  I had packed in such a hurry, I forgot to bring any sunblock.

  That was the thought that crossed my mind as I walked the four blocks from the bus stop to the front gate. It’s funny how things pop into your mind. How you have no control over them.

  What made me think of sunblock? Certainly not the sky. I gazed up at the heavy storm clouds, so low and dark. I heard the rumble of thunder in the distance. The gusting breeze was cool and wet.

  I hope the storm passes quickly, I thought. Tomorrow is opening day. I want to sit at my lifeguard post and soak up the rays.

  I dropped my heavy black duffel bag to the ground and stared up at the sign. NORTH BEACH COUNTRY CLUB.

  Well, here we go, Lindsay, I told myself. Back again for another summer.

  I rubbed my shoulder through my T-shirt. The duffel bag was heavy. I had stuffed practically everything I owned into it. Everything but sunblock.

  What could I have been thinking of?

  Escape, I guess. Escape for the whole summer. A summer to meet new people, make a fresh start. I mean, back in the lifeguard dorm, living with seven or eight other kids—it had to be outstanding!

  Party time all summer long!

  The front gate to the pool area was padlocked. I’d have to carry my stuff around to the side. Another low rumble of thunder—closer this time—made me realize I’d better hurry.

  I gazed through the tall chain-link fence at the clubhouse. It appeared dull and black under the darkening sky.

  The clubhouse was an endlessly long two-story redwood building. It was supposed to look like a forest lodge, I guess, only a hundred times bigger. The rows of windows stared back at me like blank, dark eyes.

  Behind the clubhouse I glimpsed the swimming pool, the water flat and gray, reflecting the sky. Beyond that stretched the tennis courts.

  I couldn’t see the small guest house that was the lifeguard dorm. It was hidden by one wing of the clubhouse.

  A jagged streak of lightning crackled overhead. A clap of thunder made me jump.

  I hoisted my duffel bag to my shoulder and began to make my way to the side gate.

  The black clouds all rolled together. Around them, the sky had become a sickly yellow. Strange light. The grass, the fence, the lodge—nothing was the right color.

  Hurry, Lindsay, I urged myself. You don’t want to look like a drenched alley cat when you meet the others.

  My ragged white high-tops scraped along the pavement as I started to jog, bent under the weight of the duffel bag.

  I suddenly wished I had a mirror. I had left home in such a mad rush, I hadn’t had time to check my hair. Had I even brushed it?

  As I walked, I fluffed it up with one hand. My hair is short and straight and blond. It almost always falls right into placé. But I constantly worry about it anyway.

  I know I’m usually pretty okay. I’m not beautiful or anything. My nose is too short and my face is too round. People always tell me I’m cute. I guess I don’t mind.

  I felt a cold sprinkle of rain on my forehead. Glancing up, I saw that the black clouds had completely covered the yellow sky now. A car rolled by, its headlights shining, even though it was still afternoon.

  I shielded my eyes from the bright light until the car passed. Then I continued on to the side gate.

  The tall chain-link fence shook in the wind. It made a vibrating sound, a steady hum.

  Through the fence I saw the guest house, a small version of the main clubhouse. It was actually attached to one end of the clubhouse.

  The swimming pool stretched near it. I could see splashes as raindrops hit the pool. There were lights on inside the guest house, and I could make out the back of a boy’s head in one window.

  Who is that? I wondered.

  Who will the other lifeguards be this year? Will I know any of them? Will anyone be back from last summer?

  The boy had red hair. His head bobbed up and down as he talked.

  I felt another raindrop on my head. One on my shoulder, cold through my cotton T-shirt.

  Shifting the duffel bag onto my other shoulder, I tried the gate.

  Locked.

  I shook it hard. It clattered noisily. A roar of thunder drowned out the clattering. The ground seemed to shake.

  Rain pattered lightly on the pavement. The air had that tangy, sour smell that always comes just before a storm. The wind tore sharply, first from one direction, then back on itself.

  I wished the redheaded boy would turn around and see me. Then maybe he’d run out to let me in.

  I shook the
gate again. Then I remembered my ID card.

  The club had sent it to me when they okayed my application. It had my picture on it. Not a very good picture. Blurred, with me in my old haircut, my hair longer and sort of flipped over my shoulders.

  They said all I had to do was run the card through the slot by the gate, and the electronic lock would buzz open.

  I set my duffel down, unzipped it, and searched for my wallet. I knew I had packed it on top.

  The rain pattered steadily now. The raindrops were big. They hit the pavement with loud splashes. My hair was wet. My T-shirt was drenched.

  I fumbled around till I found my red vinyl wallet, pulled it open, and took out the ID card.

  A car rushed along the main road, catching me in its headlights for a minute. I searched for the metal box to run my card through. In the guest house window, the boy moved. Another boy appeared, his back also to the window.

  Finally I found the box, about chest-high on the fence next to the gate. A tiny red light blinked on and off on the front. I slid my card slowly through the slot and waited to hear a buzzing sound.

  Nothing.

  The rain came down even harder, the fat drops splattering loudly.

  I’m going to get soaked, I thought.

  I shook my head hard, shaking water from my hair, and tried the card in the slot again.

  Still nothing.

  I turned the card over and ran it through the other way.

  The red light blinked steadily. The gate didn’t buzz open.

  I let out a frustrated groan. What’s wrong with the stupid gate? I asked myself.

  The rain came down even harder. The wind blew it against the tall fence in sheets.

  I was totally drenched. I rattled the gate.

  I could see the two boys in the window of the guest house.

  “Hey—can anyone hear me?” I shouted. “Hey!”

  My voice was blown back by the wind, muffled behind the splatter of rain.

  “Hey—let me in!” I shouted.

  I stared through the fence—and something caught my eye.

  In the corner of the swimming pool.

  What was it?

  I squinted, struggling to see through the curtain of rain.

  I gasped when I realized it was a girl. Floating facedown in the pool. Her blond hair bobbing on the surface of the water. Her pale arms stretched lifelessly at her sides.

  A girl. A girl in a blue swimsuit.

  Drowning.

  Drowned.

  Gripping the cold fence, I raised my face to the rain and let out a shrill wail of horror.

  Chapter 3

  DANNY

  We were all sitting around in the common room, just goofing, when the rain started. Cassie Harlow let out a shriek when thunder boomed right outside the guest house. She’s the sexy one with the great bod, the big brown eyes, and piles of white-blond hair.

  It was a little hard to remember who was who, since we were all new to the club. But being that I’m the head lifeguard—the big enchilada—I thought it was important to learn everyone’s name and help make everyone feel comfortable.

  We all got on Cassie’s case for being afraid of thunder. “I’m not afraid. I was just startled,” she insisted in that sexy, whispery voice of hers.

  But when another boom of thunder made the window shake, Cassie squealed again. “Okay, okay. So I don’t like storms!” she confessed, tugging at her thick hair with both hands.

  We all had a good laugh. The little runty guy, Arnie Wilts, said he liked to swim in lightning storms. He said he got a charge out of it.

  Bad joke.

  Everybody groaned. I hoped Arnie wasn’t too big a jerk. I mean, I had to spend the whole summer with him. I don’t know how many bad jokes like that I could take before I dropped him in the pool and held his head under for five or ten minutes!

  I leaned against the windowsill. I could hear rain start to tap against the window at my back. I gazed around the room.

  The girls were outstanding, I decided, smiling.

  Cassie was a total winner. And the one in the pink shorts and sleeveless blue midriff—Deirdre Webb—she was okay too. She had short, straight black hair, very sleek, very shiny. I usually go for longer hair. But Deirdre had the most amazing pale blue eyes.

  She was hot. I mean hot.

  The tall one in the corner, May-Ann Delacroix—however you pronounce it—wasn’t bad either. She had auburn hair and cold dark eyes. She was kind of standoffish. Quiet. Shy, I guess.

  But I wouldn’t say no to her either.

  Outstanding! I thought, gazing from one to the other.

  Okay, dudes—let’s party all summer!

  “How’d you get to be head lifeguard, Danny?” Arnie asked, grinning. “You win a contest or something?”

  “No way,” I told him. “I lost a contest!”

  Everyone thought that was pretty funny.

  Arnie started to say something. He had a grin on his face like he was going to make another bad joke.

  Pug interrupted. “Hey, Danny, is there any beer in the fridge?”

  Pug looks like a lifeguard. I mean, he could pose in any magazine as your basic, typical hunk of a lifeguard. He obviously works out. He’s got a perfect bod. And he’s already tanned, even though summer is just starting.

  Pug is your all-American dude. He’s got curly blond hair, dark eyes that sort of crinkle at the sides, and a big, friendly smile. He looks as if he’s never had a serious thought in his entire life. But who knows?

  You’ve got to like the guy. He’s totally cool.

  Pug was sprawled next to Cassie on the leather couch, a red bandanna tied across his forehead. The pirate-dude look, I guess.

  I moved away from the window and started to tell Pug about the rule against having beer in the dorm. But a shrill scream interrupted me.

  I stopped and spun around.

  It sounded as if it came from outside.

  At first I thought it was just the storm. Maybe the wind or something. Then I thought maybe a cat had gotten caught in the fence.

  But I heard another wail. And this time it definitely sounded human.

  I bumped up against Arnie, who was already staring out the fogged-up window. Rubbing my hand against the glass to clear a space, I saw someone. A girl. On the other side of the fence.

  She was screaming her head off.

  The rain was too loud. I couldn’t make out her words. But she sounded really messed up.

  “What’s going on?” Cassie asked.

  “Who’s out there?” Deirdre asked, pushing between Arnie and me to see out the window. “Who is she?”

  Arnie and I went tearing out the door into the pouring rain. It was really coming down. Lightning flashed and crackled. My sneakers sank into a puddle, and I felt the cold water over my ankles.

  The girl was screaming and pointing. I couldn’t hear a word. The rain was a roar. It was really a heavy-duty storm!

  Arnie was a few feet ahead of me. Our sneakers splashed up water as we ran. I struggled to see the girl. Water ran off my forehead into my eyes.

  She was totally drenched. Her short blond hair was matted to her head like a helmet. She seemed really frantic and upset.

  “What’s wrong?”

  She screamed something and pointed behind me.

  I was nearly at the gate when I heard what she was screaming. “A girl! A girl drowned in the pool! A girl drowned!”

  “Huh?” I didn’t react at first. I guess I was stunned, in shock or something. I just stared at the girl at the gate, my mouth hanging open.

  “A girl in the pool! Look! In the pool!” she screamed.

  Finally I came back to life. I tried to wipe the rainwater from my eyes.

  “A girl drowned! A girl in the pool!” The girl’s shrill cry rose up over the rain.

  I turned and, shielding my eyes with one hand, started running back to the swimming pool.

  My heart was pounding. I was running so fast, I slipped a c
ouple of times on the wet pavement and almost fell on my face.

  The girl’s screams faded behind me, into the steady roar of the falling rain.

  I reached the pool a few seconds later, breathing hard.

  Who can it be? I wondered. Who could have drowned in the swimming pool? The club is closed. Closed. Closed.

  I took a deep breath and stared into the pool.

  Blinking away rainwater, I stared again. Up and down the entire pool.

  There was no one there. No one at all.

  Chapter 4

  LINDSAY

  I was so embarrassed.

  I was totally mortified.

  That’s how I met my new friends, the other lifeguards.

  Soaked to the skin. A wet, shivering blob.

  As the red-haired one, Danny, and the skinny little one, Arnie, led me into the common room, I was still gasping and choking. My throat was raw from screaming.

  I just wanted to disappear. To melt onto the floor like a puddle of rainwater.

  My T-shirt was stuck to my skin. My hair was matted down to my forehead. My high-tops were filled with water.

  I lowered my duffel bag. It made a squishing sound as it hit the floor.

  One of the girls, a tall girl with short, straight auburn hair, introduced herself. May-Ann Delacroix. She ran to get me a towel.

  But I didn’t want a towel. I wanted a hole, a deep hole to sink into, a place to hide. Forever.

  “What happened?”

  “Why were you screaming?”

  “Were you locked out?”

  “What did you see?”

  “What were you doing out there?”

  “Did someone hurt you?”

  I was bombarded with questions. Their faces reflected their concern and confusion.

  I couldn’t answer them. I was shivering too hard to talk.

  I tried to wipe the water out of my eyes with the back of my hand. But more water just dripped off my forehead.

  “Get her something to drink,” someone said. “Something hot.”

  “I—I’m okay,” I finally managed to stammer.

  May-Ann hurried back into the room and wrapped a bath towel around my shoulders. I took it and tried to dry my hair.