CHAPTER 3

They landed far from Deedstown in the middle of a National Forest. It was quiet, save for the birds chirping in alarm of their presence. Unloading of materials and equipment began immediately with Frankengymteacher bellowing orders.

"Always want to have an escape route ready." The Frankenstein spoke sternly. "You never know when an angry mob will chase after you with fire and pitch forks!" He continued guiding some of the students who had rolled their eyes at him behind his back. "And remember: stay together!"

Casper, Ra, and Mantha were busy planning on where to build their tent.

Thatch's gang was still trying to figure out the directions while the vampire kicked back against a fallen log.

"Just let me know when you're done." Their leader said without opening his eyes. "Oh, and I want a nice shady spot, too."

His friends just looked at each other, unsure of how to proceed and yet fearful of their master's displeasure.

"Why isn't Thatch helping us?" Slither, a tall grey being with a mono brow huffed lowly.

"Since when does he ever help us?" A wooden doll girl replied.

"Whoa, good point." He held the directions a little higher to get a better look.

Meanwhile, Casper and his friends were nearly finished with their tent.

Casper flew over head, helping one side of the tent up and tied it to a long steel pole in the ground.

"Okay, I'm ready for the rain catch." Casper called down. Mantha was busy lacing rope and string through the leathery cape. None of them were sure what it was made of, and yet it had the flexibility of skin.

"Alright, here comes the rope!" Mantha tossed it high in the air for her friend to catch. Unfortunately, her left arm went with it, slinging high in the air.

Ra chased after the fallen limb. "I'll get it!"

"Thanks, Ra." Mantha smiled sympathetically. Hopefully this wouldn't be a pattern while they were out here.

A voice cried out in displeasure.

"Uh oh." Ra stopped. The arm landed across a very angry vampire's face, waking him up from his lazy nap.

Thatch grabbed the arm, which had fallen across his eyes and hung over his nose like a limp noodle. "Hey, zombie girl," he used Mantha's own arm to threaten her, "next time I'm keeping it for the wild animals." Thatch tossed the arm to Ra who simply walked back with it, handed it to Mantha and shrugged.

"Better keep your limbs in line, Mantha. I think Thatch is particularly grumpy today." Ra frowned.

"What else is new?" Mantha reattached her arm and crossed them.

The three friends returned to their work.

It was lunch time. A nice spread of squid tentacles, fish eyes, carrots, and every vegetable under the sun was available. The aroma of brains wrapped in their protective foil covering were sizzling in the coals, making everyone's mouths water. The only thing missing were the mountain pie makers. They had been left behind.

Wolfie whined like a sad puppy. No rotten pork pies tonight.

'No big whoop' Mantha thought. She sat against the log seats, eagerly waiting for the brains to caramelize in their own juices. "Oh, I'm so excited!"

'Ich, brains…' Thatch thought distastefully as he sucked back on a canteen full of human blood. He licked the crimson fluids from the sides of his mouth and left to grab a plate.

"I don't care what anybody says," Ra announced cheerfully, "I love burnt squid tentacles over an open fire.' Casper laughed behind him.

"You two act like you're cut from the same cloth." The ghost giggled.

Their conversation was broken up by Frankengymteacher who was holding a large red stick. "Alright! Before we get started, I'm going to show you how to properly light an emergency flare. These are to be used incase any of you are separated from the group!"

He flexed down closer to the fire. "First, you light the wick." He demonstrated using the camp fire.

"Wait or was I suppose to…?"

Frankengymteacher was unable to finish his sentence when an explosion rung out among the creatures.

Mantha had been blow apart, unharmed but thrown beyond the tree line.

Ra, Casper, and most of the other students were thrown into the trees, with burnt marks caked upon their faces. Groans signaled that everyone was okay, save for a few squid tentacles scattered about.

Mantha landed somewhere in the middle of nowhere. Thankfully, only her head had separated from her body and landed in a bird's nest. "Just great…" She frowned.

Everyone hopped down from where they landed and gathered around the camp fire.

"And that's how not to light a flare." Frankengymteacher proudly announced.

"We all accounted for?" The Frankenstein held roll call. "Mantha?" He looked around. "Mantha is missing!" He smiled. "Who wants to go find her for extra credit?"

Naturally, Casper and Ra stepped forward.

"Who cares? She'll find her way back." Thatch said. "Why should the rest of us have to clean up all this mess, wait to eat, just so scatter brained Mantha can come back?"

"Thatch!" The large man turned to face him. "Just for that, you're going to volunteer ALONE."

"But!" The vampire protested. "You said to stick together!"

"I don't care if you go missing you little…"

"I'll go with him!" Casper volunteered. Thatch's look of hopelessness disappeared and he rolled his eyes.

"Why don't you just go get her?" The vampire huffed.

"Look, Mantha needs us. If you can't handle it, just stay here." Casper headed toward Mantha's direction.

"Excuse me? Can't handle it?" Thatch walked right through him and headed off toward the woods.

"Hey, I don't have a problem looking." Ra started forward. Casper held him back. "No, Ra. I'm going to ask you to stay here. Both Thatch and I can fly. An aerial search would be quicker. We'll be back soon." The mummy frowned, but quickly recovered.

"Alright! That just means more squid for me." He happily took a crunchy bite while most of his class mates groaned.