The Million Dollar Strike — Dan Gutman

Ouchie and Squishy love bowling, even if it isn't the coolest sport. And their favorite place to bowl is Bowl-A-Rama. Squishy especially likes it because it's the perfect setting for a gory horror movie. Then again, he tends to imagine zombies and killer clowns around every corner. When the city council wants to condemn the decrepit bowling alley, Ouchie and Squishy are devastated. Then the boys meet Gazebo Zamboni, the rich, reclusive, totally nutty owner of Bowl-A-Rama. Despite Mr. Z's insistence that the world is ending soon-a ghost told him so-Ouchie and Squishy manage to convince Mr. Z to keep Bowl-A-Rama open. He allows the boys to restore the old alley, and even sponsors a million dollar strike contest to bring in customers. Just when things start looking up, the most nightmarish scenarios of Squishy's overactive imagination come to life. Someone-or something-wants Bowl-A-Rama's doors to close. Forever.