The Best Halloween Ever

Mr. Crabtree’s voice booms on the PA system, announcing that several children seem to have gone missing. He lists the names of most of the first-grade class, along with a couple of fifth graders, before a “loud clunk” ends the announcement. The fifth graders who aren’t missing speculate about what all this means, assuming it has to be connected to the Herdmans. Beth notices that Alice and the scarecrow are nowhere in sight. The remaining fifth graders resolve to stick together and stay near the cider and donuts—in case the Herdmans’ next move involves stealing those. Just as Beth discovers Charlie and Cecil’s abandoned lion costume just as the lights go out.

Beth explains that later on she and her classmates learn that the lights went out because of a blown fuse when Alice tried to plug in her Christmas lights. When it happened, though, they had no idea what was going on. Everyone is spooked, and Louella suddenly can’t find her baby brother’s stroller (though her brother, at least, is safe with her). When she wonders aloud who took it, and a voice creepily answers, “not me-e-e.” The fifth-graders make their way down a hall.