Read You Can't Come in Here! for Free Online

exactly was it? A wolf? Not that it ever would have happened, but what if she had followed Drew’s advice and went out to pee in the woods?
    Then she remembered that the first time she’d heard and saw the wolf at the Strigs’ door, porch lights all along the block came on as if others had heard it too. She could check with some neighbors. Maybe they remembered that night. But that was just a dream . . . or was it?
    These questions kept her tossing and turning until she finally drifted off to sleep. Once again her dreams were filled with anxiety, though when she woke up Tuesday morning she could not remember any of them.
    That morning in school Emily felt distracted. Shehad not told Ethan or Hannah about the wolf incident from Friday night, figuring it was just a dream, despite how real it seemed. Now, after last night, she really wanted to tell them, but she also knew just how strange it was going to sound.
    She debated with herself all morning, barely hearing what her teachers were saying and thankful that none of them called on her during any of her classes. As she walked to the cafeteria, Emily knew what she had to do. These three best friends had never kept secrets from one another—which was one of the reasons they had remained best friends for so many years—and now was not the time to start.
    â€œI have some great ideas for the sleepover,” Hannah said as Emily sat down at their usual lunch table.
    â€œMe too!” Ethan added, flashing his partly jolly and partly demented grin.
    â€œSeeing how far we can throw rolls of toilet paper from the upstairs windows hardly qualifies as a sleepover activity,” Hannah pointed out.
    â€œMy brother’s friends did it,” Ethan grumbled, shrugging.
    â€œThat was for Halloween, Ethan,” Hannah pointedout. “And as I remember, more than a few angry neighbors stopped by the next day.”
    â€œNo angry neighbors, please,” Emily said, glad for the momentary distraction, but still bursting to tell her friends what had happened.
    â€œSo, here’s what I came up with,” Hannah continued.
    â€œHannah, before you tell me your ideas, I have something to tell you guys,” Emily said.
    â€œNo! The party’s canceled. Your mom said no, your dad—”
    â€œNo, no, no, the party’s on. This has nothing to do with the party.” Emily took a deep breath, then went on. “Last Friday I had this dream, or at least I think it was a dream. It’s all so confusing now.”
    â€œDreams usually happen when you’re asleep,” Ethan volunteered.
    â€œThanks for that valuable piece of information,” Hannah said. “Now let Emily talk.”
    â€œSo anyway,” Emily continued, “I had been hanging out with Drew and Vicky. I went home and was on my bed when I heard howling. It sounded like it was coming from outside. I went to my window and saw . . . well, I saw a wolf!”
    â€œA wolf?” Hannah asked in disbelief.
    â€œLike a real wolf? Not like a big dog or something?” Ethan added.
    â€œYes, a real wolf,” Emily said. “It was huge and horrible and had bloodstains on its mouth and teeth.”
    â€œThey sell a special toothpaste for that now, you know,” Ethan joked.
    â€œEthan!” Hannah shouted.
    â€œI saw the wolf go into Drew and Vicky’s house,” Emily continued. “I panicked and ran across the street to save them.”
    â€œWait, you went into the house?” Hannah asked, grabbing her head with her hands. “You thought you saw a bloodstained monster go in and you thought it was a good idea to just follow it and what? Fight it with your bare hands?”
    â€œI know, I know. It’s nuts,” Emily said, sighing. “I don’t know what I was thinking. But just let me finish, because it gets weirder.”
    Ethan leaned forward, placing his elbows on the table and resting his chin in