Hello again R. L. Stein Story Club members. I'm Ivy, your host with the most and custodian of those strange and spooky tales from the hidden vault of R.L. Stein. Today is another chilling tale. This ghostly tale story club members might make you never want to

swim in a pool again. It's one I call, the water is fine. Kyle Bateman wasn't happy about

moving into a new house. He'd loved the house he'd grown up in for 11 years. All of his

memories were there. His first house was warm and cozy. This house was

postmodern, in the middle of the desert, with lots of steel and glass. It was cold and impersonal

like a museum. One thing he did like about it, though, was the swimming pool. That was a plus.

His mother had gotten a huge promotion and transfer from the law firm she worked at.

Kyle was mad that she didn't even ask him if he wanted to move or not.

Moving meant a new school, new friends, knew everything.

At least they had moved in the summer, so he wouldn't have to worry about enrolling in the new school for a couple of months.

He texted, called, and zoomed with his friends every day.

His best friend, Steve, said he might come out to the desert for a week.

Kyle would like that.

He hoped that Steve would come soon.

At least the pool did give Kyle some serious bragging rights. The pool they used to go to

was the local swimming pool, which was always crowded. Now, Kyle had a swimming pool all to himself.

The pool was a large one with a diving board, so Kyle could practice dives and splash around all he wanted.

His mom would slip into the pool mornings before she began her long day of work. so Kyle could practice dives and splash around all he wanted.

His mom would slip into the pool mornings before she began her long day of work,

but she was pretty boring.

She would swim laps like she was an Olympic swimmer or something.

It was way more fun to do cannonballs off the diving board.

...