18

“Come on, Jason,” screamed Sally, yanking at my hair. “Come on!”

Shuddering with disgust and terror, I strained with all my might to free my foot.

But what was the use?

“Jason, there’s a door,” cried Sally. “Hurry!”

I jerked my head up.

Bright light blinded me. Behind it I thought I could make out stairs.

My heart pounded with hope. I yanked my foot out of the wall and scrambled into the closet. Squinting in the light I let Sally take my hand and lead me onto the stairs.

Behind us the closet door, whole once again, slammed shut.

What did Bobby have in store for us next?

The blinding light winked out, leaving millions of red spots in front of my eyes.

“Bobby saved us,” said Sally cheerfully. As my eyes adjusted I could see a smear on her cheek that looked like a squashed worm.

I sucked in my breath, realizing where we were.

We were on the attic stairs. The regular attic stairs. The real attic stairs. Above us the door was shut, although I could hear faint eating-type sounds behind it. Below us, the hall door was open and faint moonlight filtered up.

“I want to go downstairs,” said Sally. “I want Winky.”

“Winky’s in your bedroom,” I said, lifting her into my arms.

I went down the stairs, almost expecting they’d dissolve into goo under my feet. But the steps stayed rock solid and I was able to get Sally back to her bedroom without anything bad happening.

“There’s Winky!” Sally murmured sleepily. “Just like you promised!”

I tucked her in and patted her on the head.

“You’re the best brother in the world,” Sally said.

And then she fell asleep.

Back in my own bedroom, I suddenly felt exhausted. Totally whipped. I was barely able to crawl into bed before I collapsed and closed my eyes. Another few seconds and I’d be out like a light.

Out like a light.

But it was the light that was keeping me awake. A blue glowing light coming from the walls.

I sat up.

Not again! I couldn’t stand this! I had to get some sleep!

The blue light was coming from the mirror on the closet door. Once before Bobby had left messages on the mirror there. Now it was glowing again.

I rubbed my eyes and looked at the mirror.

The mists in the glass were darker this time, like thunderclouds. Clouds swirling thickly, boiling, and blowing apart as if something inside was fighting for control.

And when the mists cleared, I could see a coffin in the mirror. No, not a coffin, an old trunk. An old trunk like the trunk in the cellar.

As I watched in horror, the lid of the trunk opened. Something came out of the trunk, reaching up to the other side of the mirror.

A skeleton hand.

The fingertip of the skeleton hand glowed. Slowly the hand began to write on the other side of the mirror.

FIND THE WITCH