CHAPTER 11

THE GRAVEYARD

At eight o’clock on the dot, the doorbell rang. I was sitting on my beanbag reading and pretending to be studious. Hairy was already in my backpack, along with the other supplies I would need.

I heard my mom get the front door, and I continued to act like I was reading. I was nervous about tonight, but I knew we needed to stop Wilt once and for all. A few moments later, my mom came into my room.

The first part of our plan was genius and failproof. Trevor knew there was going to be a full moon tonight, so he had told my mom that we needed to study it and write a report. I pretended like I didn’t want to go, and that was all my mom needed to insist that I had to—she loves making me do homework.

I threw on my backpack and walked quickly to the front door. Trevor was standing on the sidewalk with a small telescope and his science book. I was happy to see that someone had fixed his regular glasses. They were still crooked on him, but at least he looked normal again.

Once we were out in the front yard, Trevor whistled and the rest of our friends popped up from behind the bushes. We were all supposed to bring something we could use to protect ourselves. Jack had his assault flashlight, Teddy had soap-on-a-rope that he was swinging around like a mace, Aaron had a flyswatter, and Rourk was wearing gloves that he thought gave him a super grip. Trevor’s weapon was the pair of steel-toed boots he had borrowed from his dad. Me? I had my Nerf crossbow. Altogether, we made a pretty impressive team.

The full moon was so big it looked like we could reach out and touch it. Its light made it very easy to see things. Hairy growled softly in my backpack, and Jack thought it was me.

Rourk was an expert on eating, but as all six of us began to run to Temon Cemetery, Rourk’s love of eating seemed to be having a negative effect on him.

Rourk kept begging us to slow down. By the time we got to the cemetery, he was so far behind, none of us could see him.

After a few minutes, he caught up, limping and breathing wildly. We all had to wait for him to calm down before we could continue.

The main gate to Temon City Cemetery was locked, forcing us to climb over the ivy-covered wall. Once inside the wall, all of us pulled out bathrobes from our backpacks and put them on as disguises.

I had borrowed my dad’s robe, but Teddy had borrowed his mom’s, and Jack seemed to be wearing his grandma’s. Trevor’s robe was normal, but Aaron’s was a big thermal thing with a long zipper down the front, and Rourk was wearing a huge T-shirt pulled up over his head.

We walked carefully to the clearing and the single tall tree. We then reached into our backpacks and pulled out bedsheets. All of us had brought plain sheets except for Jack.

Trevor tied the sheets together using a knot he had learned in Scouts. We then stretched them out across the clearing. Jack held one end while Trevor held the other.

The rest of us moved into different places to wait for our part. Once I was alone, I took off my backpack and unzipped it. Hairy crawled out and shook. He still smelled like mint, and he was smiling. He seemed pretty taken with my bathrobe.

I pulled out the extra sheet I had packed and laid it on the ground. Hairy pointed his wand and then said a few words. The end of his wand glowed slightly, and the sheet began to rise.

The sheet hovered like a magic carpet for a few seconds before Hairy let it drop softly to the ground. We then crouched low and waited for Rourk to blow the duck call.

The night was full of strange noises, and the headstones made it seem like at any moment, zombies could show up. There were falling stars dropping from the sky.

It seemed like forever before I heard rustling in the trees and saw Wilt step out into the clearing. He was alone, with no sign of my bike.

Wilt walked to the middle of the clearing and stood in front of the full moon and near the single tree. He leaned his head back and called my name.

Rourk blew his duck call, and instantly Trevor and Teddy pulled the rope of sheets up. They ran forward and around Wilt as Aaron and Rourk made unsettling ghost noises. Wilt was so surprised he just stood there. In a couple of seconds, he was wrapped up to the tree.

I looked at Hairy and nodded. It was time for him to do his stuff. He pushed back his small sleeve and waved his wand. After chanting a few words, he levitated the sheet, and it floated up and out of the trees. It flitted toward Wilt like a hovering ghost and draped over his head.

Hairy climbed into my backpack, and I nervously stepped out of the trees and over to Wilt. I stood in front of him and in my deepest dad-sounding voice, asked …

Wilt started to apologize for a bunch of things he had done. He listed people he had pestered and stuff he had broken. I wasn’t surpised by all the things he was saying, but I really just wanted my bike back. I asked him again where it was and he mumbled …

Still using my dad voice, I told my friends what to do.

They all answered back in their best grown-up voices.

I waved for Trevor to come with me, and the two of us raced through the trees and tombstones toward the back of the graveyard. The full moon was in front of us, and there were shooting stars flying through the sky.

The maintenance shop sat right next to Wilt’s house. It was big and square with a small front door. I jiggled the knob, but it was locked. Looking up, I saw a small window above the door.

I pressed my face against the glass while Trevor shined a flashlight. There inside, leaning against the wall, was my bike.

I took off my backpack and unzipped it. Hairy popped out. Trevor was surprised to see him.

I put my backpack on and hoisted Hairy up. Hairy pushed the top window, and it creaked open. He pushed it some more and then began to crawl in.

Hairy slipped all the way in and dropped down to the floor. Trevor and I could see him jump up and grab the inside handle.

The door popped open, and we rushed in. Trevor flipped the flashlight back on, and I yanked the handlebars and flipped the bike around. I was wheeling it out the door when a porch light went on at Wilt’s house, and there was the sound of someone yelling madly. My heart withered like a weed.