"This is going to be the best field trip ever!" Ben said.
He was sitting next to Winnie on the school bus.
"I guess it will be interesting," Winnie murmured.
"I've never been to People Place before.
My parents say that many people don't like witches.
Or any kind of monsters."
Ben knew Winnie was very nervous.
Other students on the school bus seemed nervous too.
So did Miss Bungle, the broom-flying teacher, and Mr. Freaky.
The principal was running up and down the bus aisle, warning everybody to behave.
"Remember, students, this field trip is very important.
We're going to be camping overnight at the People Place Museum.
And you know what Mayor Hubbletree said.
If monsters create any problems, he's going to consider tearing down Monster Academy again."
"No problem, Mr. Freaky," Mog said, blowing a slime ball at a skeleton.
"You know me—I always behave."
"Don't worry, Winnie," Ben said.
"People are just like monsters. They only look strange."
Winnie laughed. "I guess you're right.
Everything went well when the people came to Monster Academy.
And Jen is dating a person."
"Yep," said Ben. "Jen is still dating Dave."
Mr. Freaky was wringing his hands.
His three noses wiggled like mad.
"Students, Miss Bungle is going to start collecting permission slips.
Please have yours ready—along with your monster manners and best behavior."
"Permission slip, please," Miss Bungle said to a three-eyed monster.
The monster handed her the slip of paper.
Miss Bungle took it and then moved to the monsters in the next seat.
"I hope that you all remembered to pack food in your lunchboxes," Mr. Freaky said.
"We'll be eating dinner at the museum."
"I remembered," said a goblin.
"I brought my own food because people eat weird stuff. Here's my lunchbox."
He held up a big metal pail filled with slime.
"Uh-oh," said an octopus monster.
"I probably didn't bring enough food."
She gazed sadly at the two barrels of fish beside her.
"That's okay," said a ghoul.
"I brought enough dead rats for everyone!"
"Did everyone bring a sleeping bag—or whatever you sleep in?" asked Mr. Freaky.
"I brought my camping coffin," said a vampire.
"I packed my portable pyramid," said a mummy girl named Cleo.
Waldo, who was sitting across from Cleo, grinned at her.
But Ben saw Gaby, sitting on the other side of Waldo, frown.
"Waldo and Cleo have been spending a lot of time together," Ben whispered to Winnie.
"I think Gaby's a little jealous."
"Waldo told me Cleo is helping him learn Egyptian magic," Winnie replied.
"That's cool," Ben said. "I hope we'll see some stuff from Egypt in the museum."
"Mr. Freaky, I have all the permission slips," Miss Bungle announced a few minutes later.
"Then I guess we're ready to go." Mr. Freaky loosened his tie and swallowed hard.
The driver turned the ignition key.
A shriek came from the engine, followed by some coughing sounds and black smoke.
"We're off!" Ben said.
The monsters laughed and talked as the bus drove through the familiar streets of Monsterville.
The kids played games, and the doppelgangers changed shape a bunch of times to amuse everybody.
But the laughter faded as the bus approached the wall that separated Monsterville from People Place.
"Now, don't worry, students!" Mr. Freaky called out.
"Remember, we have permission to visit People Place.
And we are Mayor Hubbletree's special guests!"
All the monsters—even the zombies—held their breath as the bus slowly traveled through the gate in the wall.
"Whoa! It's so bright here!" moaned a ghoul.
"Yeah," said a vampire. "Is it always this sunny?"
"It's a little creepy," said a skeleton.
"Do I look like a person now?" asked Carly.
She had changed her face to try to imitate a person.
But her nose and eyes were in the wrong places.
Everyone laughed uneasily.
Ben saw Winnie sit up straight and clutch her broom. He squeezed her hand.
"Don't worry," he reassured her.
"This trip will be a blast. We'll see cool stuff and have fun."
Winnie nodded. The broomstick was shaking in her hand.
"We're almost at the museum," announced Mr. Freaky a minute later.
The bus drove past a huge building with two large stone lions out front.
"It's the museum!" Gaby said.
"Cool. The building looks pretty old."
"Yeah! Like a beautiful crypt," said a vampire.
Ben waited for the bus to stop.
Instead it pulled around to a lot in the back of the building.
Mr. Freaky sprang out of his seat.
"Here we are!" he called.
"Our field trip in People Place is about to begin!"