quote:

You reluctantly hand MacFarling a dollar bill.

He folds the dollar in half twice. Then he jams it into a tiny slot of his electronic box. A minute later, the beeping stops. The box spits the dollar back out.

"Thanks," MacFarling says. "The spirit counter was jammed." He gives the dollar back to you.

Weird, you think. But it seems to have worked.

Then, MacFarling stares at the red dials on his machine.

"Bad news, kid," MacFarling says finally. "By my count, there are over ten ghosts in the house already. That's way over my limit. You're on your own."

He starts back toward his car.

"Wait!" you call after him. "You can't leave me here! Please! You have to help me!"

MacFarling hesitates for a minute. Then he shrugs. "Okay," he says. "This is what I'm willing to do. I'll help you make a map of the graveyard. Come on."

A map of the graveyard? What for? you wonder.

But you don't ask questions. You just follow Mac into the cemetery and do what he tells you. An hour later, you've got a drawing of the first four rows of gravestones.

quote:

quote:

You stare down at the map of gravestones in your hands. You wonder how it can possibly help you.

"Big trouble," Mac says, peering over your shoulder. "The message is already almost completely spelled out."

"What message?" you ask, puzzled.

"Look at these first four rows," he says, pointing at the paper. "The rest of the graves don't matter. That's why I didn't put them on the map. Take a pen and circle the first letter of the last name on each tombstone. It spells out a message! Don't you see?"

No. You don't see. And you won't see - until you do it.

So do it.

Turn to the map on PAGE 127. Circle the first letter of the last name on each tombstone. It will spell out a message - or part of one.

quote:

"Oh, no!" you gasp.

You stare at the map - and at the message spelled out on the gravestones.

YOU WILL DI SOON.

So that's the terrible message the graves are trying to spell. And is the "you" you? Or is the curse directed at your grandma? Either way, it's super bad news!

"Mac," you say. "There's only one letter missing! Only one more coffin has to creep into place and then..."

"Then the curse will be complete," Mac says. He turns and walks back to his car.

"Wait!" you call after him.

He stops, but only long enough to pull out a business card. "Here," he says. "Call me after you defeat the Keeper of the Sword. Then I'll tell you what to do next."

Then he jumps back in his VW Bug, leaving you standing in front of your grandmother's house. "Oh," he calls as he starts to drive off. "Two things to remember. Be sure to find out the name of the Keeper of the Sword. And stay away from the Luckmeyer twins!"

The Luckmeyer twins? you think.

If you've met the Luckmeyer twins already, turn to PAGE 8.

If you haven't met them, turn to PAGE 64.

quote:

The Luckmeyer twins? What are they up to now? you wonder.

As MacFarling drives off, you notice that the sky is growing dark. Night is falling and there's a thin wispy ring of clouds around the moon.

An owl hoots nearby. Then it swoops toward you! Its claws seem to be aimed right for your face!

You duck - and feel the tip of its wing brush past your cheek. When you glance up, you notice a curtain moving in a window on the second floor of your grandmother's house.

There they are! That teenage ghost and his twin sister with the braids wrapped around her head - Jane and John Luckmeyer! John points down at you and laughs evilly.

I hope he's not the Keeper of the Sword, you think.

Then you notice something strange up in the attic window. A light flickers on and off. On and off. Someone is up there. Is it the Keeper of the Sword?

There's only one way to find out. You take a deep breath and head toward the house. The haunted house.

If you think John Luckmeyer is the Keeper of the Sword, turn to PAGE 88.

If you think the Keeper of the Sword is hiding in the attic, turn to PAGE 102.

Character Sheet posted:

Inventory
Graveyard Map

Goal Endings: 0/2

Bad Endings
Wound up stuck dealing with both a ghost and a Lanx.

Achievements
But I Refuse: Turned down the ghost-boy's offer both times.

quote:

Using the back door you quietly slip into the house. Then you sneak up the back staircase to the second floor. You peek around the corner carefully - you don't want to run into the Luckmeyers. When you are sure the coast is clear, you start up the stairs toward the attic.

As soon as you step into the stairway, you see a huge soldier standing at the top of the third floor landing!

His uniform is old-fashioned. Civil War, you guess. And judging from the medals pinned to his gray jacket, this guy knows what he's doing.

And what he's doing right now is pulling a sword from its holster.

The sword is about five feet long. The handle is mother-of-pearl, encrusted with sapphires. The blade gleams. Even in the darkness you can see that it's dangerously sharp.

The enormous soldier points the sword at your heart. "Do not advance one more step - unless you are willing to die!" he booms.

quote:

You can't take your eyes off the sword. The longer you stare at it, the more your legs shake.

Then it dawns on you. This soldier must be the Keeper of the Sword!

So what are you going to do? Run and hide?

Definitely!

Trembling in fear, you start to back up. That's when you feel a sharp point sticking you in the back. Right between your shoulder blades.

"Ouch!" you cry out, turning around.

Big trouble. Behind you is another ghost. and this one's dressed in a fencing costume. White canvas pants. A wire mesh mask. Leather gloves.

"En garde!" the new ghost says. The voice echoes all around you. From the voice, you know this ghost is a woman.

Then you realize something. She has a sword, too!

Two ghosts. Two swords. Both dangerous. But only one has the sword you need.

Which one?

If you think the fencer is the Keeper of the Sword, turn to PAGE 99.

If you think it's the soldier, turn to PAGE 118.

Character Sheet posted:

Inventory
Graveyard Map

Goal Endings: 0/2

Bad Endings
Wound up stuck dealing with both a ghost and a Lanx.

Achievements
But I Refuse: Turned down the ghost-boy's offer both times.

quote:

You decide to duel with the woman in the fencing costume. She's not as big as the soldier.

"En garde, yourself!" you cry. You notice that as soon as you shouted at the woman, the soldier-ghost vanished.

The fencer glides toward you, approaching slowly. You feel around desperately for something you can use as a weapon. The whole time you keep your eyes glued to the sharp tip of her sword. Or rather, her foil. That's what a fencing sword is called.

The fencer keeps coming toward you, slowly... slowly. Beads of sweat break out along your upper lip. The tip of the foil wavers slightly, as if the fencer were deciding on the perfect spot to stab you.

Finally your fingers grasp something leaning against the wall. An umbrella. It's not much. But it'll have to do.

You grab it and strike a fencing pose.

"En garde!" you shout again.

The fencer freezes, her foil raised.

Then in a flash, she lunges at you!

quote:

The tip of the blade slices right through your neck!

Okay, you can open your eyes now. Good news. You're still alive. And you never felt a thing. You know why?

The fencer is a ghost. She's not solid. She's airy. See-through. And so is her weapon.

You pick up your umbrella and slice back. You lunge forward, poking your umbrella right between her ribs.

But your umbrella has the same effect on her that her foil has on you! None.

There's no point in keeping up this duel. Neither of you can win. You put down the umbrella.

"Are you the Keeper of the Sword?" you ask her.

"Yes," she says. She reaches up and pulls off her mask.

You gasp and your stomach turns over.

She doesn't have a face. Because she doesn't have a head!

"Yes. This is the sword you need," she tells you. You wonder where her voice is coming from. "And I will give it to you - if you can find my head."

Is she kidding? What are the chances?

Maybe you should just try to grab the sword.

If you grab the sword, turn to PAGE 21.

If you look for her head, turn to PAGE 62.

Character Sheet posted:

Inventory
Graveyard Map

Goal Endings: 0/2

Bad Endings
Wound up stuck dealing with both a ghost and a Lanx.

Achievements
But I Refuse: Turned down the ghost-boy's offer both times.

Graylien posted:

look for the head we've just established we can't touch the sword, how are we meant to grab it?

quote:

"Okay," you tell her. "I'll find your head. Wait here."

But where should you look?

You dash up the stairs to the attic. It's the only room you haven't been in since you arrived. And you definitely would have noticed a head if you'd seen one.

You rummage around in the attic. You search through everything. Twice. Trunks of old clothes. Piles of old furniture. Golf clubs. No ghost-head.

You glance around the dusty room. Think! There may not be much time left. If I were a ghost-head, where would I be? you ask yourself. You suddenly spot a large moose head sitting on the floor by a broken chair.

You kneel down to examine the moth-eaten moose head. Up close, it looks even worse. The antlers are cracked and one eye is missing. It is filthy and has a musty odor.

It's not even human. But what choice do you have?

It's the only head here!

Besides - you're in a big hurry. You've got to get the sword before the coffins creep up again!

You grab the moose head and race downstairs.

You only hope the Keeper of the Sword won't be furious when she sees the head you brought her!

quote:

"I found the head!" you call out when you reach the landing. You clutch the moose nervously. You peer into the darkness, trying to find the headless ghost.

The woman's body materializes on the steps below you.

"Good," her voice says. You still can't figure out how she can talk. "Just set it down right there - on the stairs."

Really? you think. This is going to work? Maybe the ghost hasn't seen the moose head, yet. What will she do when she discovers what you've done?

Trembling, you set the moose head down on the bottom step. You hold your breath.

For a moment, nothing happens.

Then the moose head begins to shake. At first it just rocks back and forth a little. But soon it starts to vibrate wildly.

The moose head begins to glow, as if there were a light inside it. Then a ghostly woman's face appears inside the moose head! You can't believe it! But there it is - the face of a beautiful young woman trapped within the dusty old moose head.

WOW! You did it! You actually found her head!

quote:

You stare at the ghostly glowing face. Your mouth drops open as the face rises out of the moose head. The woman's face floats up and hangs in midair, right in front of you.

"Thank you," the head says. "You have released me from my trap."

Her eyes are large and bright blue. Her ruby lips shimmer in the darkness. Her long black hair hangs down, falling below her neck.

Her neck? You glance at it - and try not to scream.

Torn flesh dangles from the bottom of her neck. Blood drips from the ragged edges.

Suddenly you realize what you're seeing. It looks as if her head has been chopped off!

quote:

Your stomach turns at the sight of her bloody neck. Then you notice the ghost's body is still hovering below you. It floats up the steps and somehow attaches to her head.

"Thank you," she says once she's in one piece. She hands you her foil. "I am the Keeper of the Sword. Take this - and use it as you will. Now I must return to my grave."

You remember Mac MacFarling's instructions. "Wait!" you call. "What's your name?"

"Sarah," she whispers as her form fades away.

Then she's gone.

You run to the phone and dial MacFarling's number. When he answers, you tell him you've got the sword.

"Good," MacFarling says. "Listen carefully. Find her grave in the graveyard. Write down the year of her death. It's a special number. You'll need it. Then plunge her sword into the grave of the MPG. That's the only way to keep the graves from spelling out the curse."

"But how do I find the MPG?" you ask.

"Oops," MacFarling says. "Call waiting. Got to go!"

He hangs up. Call waiting? you think. What a liar! He just doesn't know how to help you find the MPG. Now what?

If you go to the graveyard, turn to PAGE 96.

If you think the MPG will come to you, turn to PAGE 125.

Character Sheet posted:

Inventory
Graveyard Map
Keeper's Sword

Goal Endings: 0/2

Bad Endings
Wound up stuck dealing with both a ghost and a Lanx.

Achievements
But I Refuse: Turned down the ghost-boy's offer both times.

quote:

You race out to the graveyard. You've got to find the fencing woman's grave - fast! Then it hits you. You only know her first name. Sarah.

Sarah who?

You run up and down the rows of tombstones, searching for a grave marked Sarah. Naturally, you find two.

One is Sarah Grayson. Born in 1820. Died in 1895.

The other is Sarah McGinnis. Born 1918. Died 1940.

It's up to you. Which is the right Sarah?

Think very carefully.

Then pick one.

You balance the sword under one arm and feel around in your pockets. You pull a broken pencil from your jeans. You glance down and find a crumpled gum wrapper on the ground. You grab it and with shaking fingers you write down the year of Sarah's death.

And hope you chose correctly!

quote:

You don't like the prickly feeling in the back of your neck. You turn around slowly - and gasp.

The coffins have moved again!

You can tell because you've wandered to the front of the graveyard. You are standing by the first row. The row that spelled out YOU in the curse. The row that used to have only three tombstones.

But now the front row is crowded with graves. Seven of them. Four more coffins have creeped into place!

You glance toward the back of the graveyard and notice new empty spots. It's true! The tombstones are spelling again!

Your heart pounds as you run along the row, reading the four new names - trying to see what the new initials will spell out.

Bannister. Oswald. Thackery. Hamilton.

B... O... T... H.

Oh, no!

Now the message reads YOU BOTH WILL DI SOON!

quote:

Your throat tightens in terror. Your heart pounds wildly. Both you and your grandmother are cursed, now!

Your granny can't even see the ghosts! She won't be able to save yourself. It's all up to you.

You grip the sword so hard your hand cramps. You've got to stop the coffins from moving again. And you've got to do it now, before the final coffin moves into place and the curse is complete!

But who is the Most Powerful Ghost?

"One more letter," you mutter. Only one more letter is needed to spell out the message. The last letter in the word DIE - the letter E.

Then it hits you. The Most Powerful Ghost must be someone whose last name starts with an E!

That's it! You may live after all! You run through the graveyard, looking at the tombstones, searching for E's.

You find three. Melvin Estep. Melvin Estep II. And Brandon Estep.

But which one is the MPG?

You could guess. Or you could go in the house and ask Elvira for help.

If you guess - take a stab at it on PAGE 48.

If you ask Elvira for help, turn to PAGE 28.

Character Sheet posted:

Inventory
Graveyard Map
Keeper's Sword

Goal Endings: 0/2

Bad Endings
Wound up stuck dealing with both a ghost and a Lanx.

Achievements
But I Refuse: Turned down the ghost-boy's offer both times.

Snake Maze posted:

Hey Elvira, know any ghosts whose name starts with an E?

quote:

You decide to play it safe - by asking Elvira for help.

You turn and race into the house. Your grandmother is watching TV in the den. You dash past her. She doesn't even look up from her program. The eerie light from the television is the only light in the whole house.

You hurry up the back stairs to your room. You've got to find the MPG. And there's only one person - or ghost - who might be able to help you.

You flip on a light in your small guest bedroom.

A piercing shriek shatters the night!

quote:

"Turn off that stupid light," Elvira screams. "I'm trying to get some sleep!"

"Sorry!" You quickly flick off the light. But you don't have any trouble seeing Elvira. She glows in the dark.

"I have to ask you something," you tell her.

But she pulls the pillow over her face. This isn't going to be easy. She's one sleepy ghost.

Then you have an idea. You flick on the light again. Elvira sits straight up and lets out a piercing wail.

"Elvira," you say, "I'll turn off the light if you'll answer one teeny question. Then you can sleep as long as you want. I promise."

Her eyes begin to glow green again. But she looks very sleepy. Maybe she'll be too tired to hurt you.

"Who's the most powerful ghost in the graveyard?" you blurt out.

Elvira blinks a bit. "Hmmm," she says. "I'd say Melvin Estep's boy. He does tend to rule us with an iron hand."

"The Estep boy?" you mutter. "But there are two of them. Melvin II, and Brandon. Which one?"

But Elvira doesn't answer. She's fast asleep.

And you promised you wouldn't wake her up again!

quote:

You turn and run out of the room, leaving Elvira snoring peacefully in your bed.

You head back to the graveyard. You're going to have to take a chance on one of the Estep boys. And fast! Before the graves move again.

Only one letter left before the curse is complete. That's what keeps going through your head.

When you reach the graveyard you are almost out of breath from running up and down the stairs so many times. But the sight that greets you nearly takes your breath away completely. You think you might faint.

The graveyard is filled with ghosts! Horrible ghosts. One of them - an old man with long, stringy hair - carries an ax. A woman sobs. A head without a body passes, then a body without a head. Each ghost is worse than the last!

Then you remember the fencing foil in your hands. You raise the sword to fend them off. It works. They float all around the graveyard, but they don't come near you.

You run straight for the Estep graves.

But which one? Melvin II or Brandon?

You've got to choose.

If you pick Melvin Estep II, turn to PAGE 27.

If you pick Brandon Estep, turn to PAGE 47.

Character Sheet posted:

Inventory
Graveyard Map
Keeper's Sword

Goal Endings: 0/2

Bad Endings
Wound up stuck dealing with both a ghost and a Lanx.

Achievements
But I Refuse: Turned down the ghost-boy's offer both times.

VivaLa Eeveelution posted:

Sequels are often better than spin-offs.

Melvin Estep II: Electric Boogaloo

VivaLa Eeveelution posted:

Sequels are often better than spin-offs.

Melvin Estep II: Electric Boogaloo

VivaLa Eeveelution posted:

Sequels are often better than spin-offs.

Melvin Estep II: Electric Boogaloo

quote:

You plunge your sword into Melvin Estep II's grave.

The moment the foil pierces the ground, Melvin Estep II rises up out of the earth.

Oooooohh... really bad choice.

He's not the MPG - he's the MHG! The Most Horrible Ghost!

As the stinking mist that surrounds him begins to clear, you can see he has no face. There is just a skull - filled with rats! The squealing rodents pop out of his eye sockets. They run up and down his cheek bones, and in through his grinning mouth.

He rises up, up, up, towering over you. He's huge! You sink to your knees in terror. "N-n-nooooo," you whimper.

He is covered in shredded rags, teeming with bugs. Strips of rotting flesh fall from his skeletal body. He lifts his horrible skull head to the sky and lets out an unearthly moan. Then he fixes his rat-filled eye sockets on you!

And then... and then... his bloody hands reach for your throat!

Face it. What happens next is too gross, even for you!

You'd better close the book for now, and open it again when you think you can survive all the way to

THE END

Character Sheet posted:

Inventory
Graveyard Map
Keeper's Sword

Goal Endings: 0/2

Bad Endings
Wound up stuck dealing with both a ghost and a Lanx.
Killed in a particularly gory fashion by the MHG.

Achievements
But I Refuse: Turned down the ghost-boy's offer both times.

Our options posted:

• Face the ghost alone.
  
• Say we aren't afraid of the dark.
  
• Accept the ghost's offer.
  
• Accept the ghost's second offer.
  
• Run toward the graveyard.
  
• Investigate the noise in the attic.
  
• Refuse to give MacFarling a dollar.
  
• Say we haven't met the Luckmeyer twins yet.
  
• Say John Luckmeyer is the Keeper of the Sword.
  
• Approach the Civil War soldier.
  
• Grab the sword.
  
• Wait for the MPG to come to us.
  
• Guess which ghost is the MPG.
  
• Stab Brandon Estep's grave.
  

quote:

Maybe your grandmother was right. Maybe this guy can't be trusted. Maybe he's a scam artist.

"What do you want a dollar for?" you ask him.

But before he can answer, the funky electronic box beeps one more time. Real loud.

Then all of a sudden, a lid on top flips open - and a small plastic hand pops out!

Cool! you think. You've seen these things before.

It's a gag bank. Your uncle had one, but his used dimes. It was a small black plastic box with a slot on top, just like MacFarling's gadget. When you put a dime in the slot, a lid would fly open and a plastic hand would pop out. The hand would grab the dime and pull it into the box. It cracked you up.

But why is MacFarling playing around with a trick bank? You're supposed to be hunting ghosts.

"Give me a dollar!" Mac screams frantically.

But before you can answer him, the plastic hand reaches farther out of the box - and grabs you by the throat!

In the next instant, it pulls you into the box!

You don't think your uncle's bank worked like this.

Too bad you didn't have a dollar when you needed it!

THE END

Character Sheet posted:

Inventory
None

Goal Endings: 0/2

Bad Endings
Wound up stuck dealing with both a ghost and a Lanx.
Killed in a particularly gory fashion by the MHG.
Dragged into a malfunctioning ghost-hunting device.

Achievements
But I Refuse: Turned down the ghost-boy's offer both times.

Our options posted:

• Face the ghost alone.
  
• Say we aren't afraid of the dark.
  
• Accept the ghost's offer.
  
• Accept the ghost's second offer.
  
• Run toward the graveyard.
  
• Investigate the noise in the attic.
  
• Say we haven't met the Luckmeyer twins yet.
  
• Say John Luckmeyer is the Keeper of the Sword.
  
• Approach the Civil War soldier.
  
• Grab the sword.
  
• Wait for the MPG to come to us.
  
• Guess which ghost is the MPG.
  
• Stab Brandon Estep's grave.