Hello R. L. Stein Story Club members. I'm Ivy, your host with the absolute most,

and keeper of those strange and spooky tales from the hidden vault of R. L. Stein. Today is another

chilling tale. This batty tale story club members might make you hope for the sun to rise as soon as possible.

It's one I call bats away.

It's near dark, Ryan said.

You pitch this time, I'll bad.

Scott said.

Make the base hits.

I don't want to be running all over the outfield for the ball.

Deal. Ryan Westgard and Scott Hobson were baseball fanatics. They loved the game.

When they weren't batting the ball back and forth on a late autumn day, they were playing baseball with their little league team, watching baseball games on TV, and collecting baseball cards.

They knew the names and the stats of all of the best Major League players.

They decided to play catch at the baseball diamond in Stoker Park.

Near the outfield of the park stood an old Victorian house, which had been empty for a number of years.

However, a new citizen in town, Mr. Vladimir Drake, had taken up residence there,

but nobody knew or had seen much of him. He'd never shown his ashen face during the day.

A few people said they had seen him around town at night. He was described as polite but quiet.

Most of the local kids stayed away from the old dark house that Drake had purchased.

Though Scott and Ryan didn't believe much in spooks, spirits, and shadowy shapes,

seeing that creepy old house did make the warm blood in their veins drop a significant number of degrees.

Whap! Scott struck the ball that Ryan pitched.

Snap! Ryan ran and caught the ball that was heading

...