Chapter 1 CHAPTER 1
FRANKY PUT ON HIS FUZZY slippers, slipped on his robe, and poked his head out his window. Big, white, fluffy flakes drifted down and settled on his head. They were cold, they were wet, and they were beautiful. Do you know what they were? Do you know what kind of flakes I'm talking about? That's right! Snowflakes!

The castle grounds, the Gloomy Woods, and even the village off in the distance were covered with mounds of snow. It was a winter wonderland! Franky could not wait to put on his boots and mittens and warm winter hat and go play with his friends.



Vampyra poked her head out another window. She lived in one tower with her mom, dad, and three aunts. Franky lived in the other tower with his mom, dad, and grandfather, Doctor Frankenstein. Wolfy was the only Junior Monster Scout who didn't live in the castle. Vampyra and Franky were excited to get outside and see if he could play.

"Last one out is a soggy snowball!" Vampyra said.

"Bark, bark!" said Sprocket, Franky's windup puppy. He'd built her out of springs and gears and mechanical gizmos and whatchamacallits.

"You can come too," said Franky.

Franky dressed as quickly as he could. He needed his snowsuit, boots, mittens, scarf, and earmuffs (so his bolts didn't get too cold). Then he and Sprocket raced down, down, down the winding tower stairs, through the front hall, out the doors, and across the drawbridge.

"What took you so long?" asked Vampyra. She was lying in the snow, moving her arms back and forth.



"Some of us can't fly," Franky said. "Nice snow angel!"

"It's a snow bat," said Vampyra. "Come on, let's go get Wolfy!"

While Franky, Sprocket, and Vampyra trudged off through the snow to get Wolfy, we should check in on someone else you may be familiar with. Someone who was not as excited about the snow, or calling on friends, or anything at all, really. Can you take a guess at who this is? Do you remember someone who is always cranky? Someone with a violin and a raven friend named Edgar?

You guessed it! Baron Von Grump! Only this time we won't find him in his Old Windmill home. No, this time when we check in on ol' Baron Von Grump, we'll find him far away from his crooked windmill. Let's take a look....

Baron Von Grump sat wrapped in a cozy blanket, sipping hot chocolate and warming his feet by the fire. Edgar, his pet raven, sat atop Baron Von Grump's chair, watching the flames flicker and dance on the logs. The only sound was the occasional crackle from the fireplace.



"Peace at last," said Baron Von Grump. "No villagers, no Junior Monster Scouts, and best of all... no noisy cousin."

Baron Von Grump was, of course, referring to Baroness Von Grumpier. Like the baron, she was very grumpy (runs in the family). Unlike Baron Von Grump, she became annoyed when there was too little noise. Oh yes, opposite ends of the noodle indeed. While Baron Von Grump wanted nothing more than silence and to be left alone, Baroness Von Grumpier wanted things LOUD and NOISY and VERY BUSY!

But Baron Von Grump did not have to worry about her, because she was all the way down at the bottom of the mountain, across the lake, and on the other side of the village, in his windmill. And he was all the way at the top of the tallest mountain, in a little cabin with his violin.

"Yes," he said. "Peace at last."

"Caw," said Edgar.

"Oh, don't be silly," said Baron Von Grump. "No one can bother us up here. What could possibly go wrong?"

Oh, Baron Von Grump, don't you know that when you ask, "What could possibly go wrong?" something goes wrong?

Usually lots of things.

And this time it starts with a sled.

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Excerpted from Chiller Thriller! by Joe McGee
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