open(COUNTTHIS, "< $counttext") or die "I can't open counttext: $!\n";

print(<COUNTTHIS>);

##</code><code>##

$thenumber = <COUNTTHIS>;  #I thought something like this, but no

##</code><code>##

print (<COUNTTHIS>);
$thenumber = $_;

# or, alternatively, like this :
$thenumber = <COUNTTHIS>;
print $thenumber;