Our group marched together from Lenny’s Pizzeria toward the red lights of Midnight Manor. Lily’s mom led the way, and her dad and Buddy brought up the rear. Mason trailed behind me with some of the other boys. My skin tingled, knowing that he continued to stare at me.
What was he looking for?
Over our laughter and chatter, the Atlantic crashed along the beach. High tide had brought the ocean closer to the boardwalk tonight. The sun began to set, coloring the sky pink. Midnight Manor loomed before us.
I didn’t want to go inside.
My mind churned with excuses. Just the thought of the horrors that waited made my skin crawl. But how could I disappoint Lily on her birthday? I was stuck.
“Hey, Sara, were you listening?” Avery gently tugged my purple patent wristlet with my money and phone. “Mrs. Randazzo is collecting all the presents and bringing them to Scoops, so we don’t have to carry them through the haunted house. Lily’s going to open them later when we go for ice cream.”
“Oh no!” I stopped. “I left my present at home.”
“That’s okay. Give it to Lily tomorrow,” Avery said.
“I really wanted to give it to her tonight. It’s her birthday today, not tomorrow.” What kind of best friend was I? I blamed Henry for pounding on the door and rattling me.
“I could come with you,” Mason said over my shoulder.
“Come where?” I turned to face him.
“To get Lily’s present. We could walk to your house now and meet up with everyone at Scoops.”
“But you’d miss Midnight Manor,” Avery pointed out.
Mason shrugged. “Opening presents is a big deal, isn’t it?”
Why was he suddenly being nice? I’d never met a boy as confusing as Mason.
Then it hit me. He’d given me the perfect excuse to avoid the haunted house.
“I can go by myself.” I didn’t need Mason tagging along, staring and scowling at me. Or even worse, asking me how I’d bent that spoon. I went to find Mr. and Mrs. Randazzo.
They hated the idea. They refused to let me walk home by myself, even though it was only a couple of blocks.
Mason appeared by my side. “I can walk with her. My asthma gets really bad in there, anyway, because of the smoke machines.”
“That’s so nice of you,” Mrs. Randazzo cooed.
He wasn’t being nice, I realized. Mason was scared to go into Midnight Manor too. He’d pretended the other day that he wasn’t, but I knew better.
It worked. With our promises to stay together, Mason and I were given permission to run back and get Lily’s present. Mr. Randazzo handed Mason Buddy’s leash. He asked us to walk the dog back to the Randazzos’ house, where Lily’s aunt was watching her brothers and sister. Lily’s dad wanted to experience the “spookified” Midnight Manor.
All along the boardwalk, down Beach Drive and onto Ocean Grove Road, Mason and I only talked about the dog. We avoided everything else, especially the bending spoon. I’d never been so happy to have Buddy with me.
“I’ll wait out here with Buddy,” Mason said, when I stopped in front of our weathered yellow Victorian. The house had probably been grand a hundred years ago with its walk-out balconies, octagonal turret, and sweeping front porch. Now it just looked old.
“Out here? Why? Buddy can come inside.”
“Just feel like it.” His gaze landed on the sign. PSYCHIC, HEALER, MYSTIC.
“Lady Azura won’t mind.” A car was parked by the curb. “She never comes out when she has a client. My dad’s at a business dinner.”
He hesitated.
“Look at Buddy. He’s panting. He needs water. Come on.” I grabbed Buddy’s leash and led him up the front path, onto the porch, and into the house. Mason followed. We tiptoed past Lady Azura’s purple curtain.
Mason dumped his black backpack onto the kitchen table as I filled a bowl at the sink. We both watched Buddy slurp the water. Neither of us knew what to say. In the small kitchen, I was aware of Mason standing close to me. The warm flush started in my palms. It snaked its way up my arms.
Why did I get this way? Could he tell?
I needed to say something to break the silence.
“What are those?” I pointed to a row of metallic pins lining the shoulder strap of his bag.
“My uncle, my mom’s brother, is a pilot. He flies all over the world. He sends them to me. They’re all from cool foreign airlines.” He pointed to one. “This is from Air Tanzania. This one is from Royal Bhutan Airlines.”
“That’s neat,” I said as Mason and Buddy climbed the stairs to the third floor with me. Dwight and Eleanor stood on the stairs, peering behind the framed coastal watercolors that hung on the stairwell walls. They moved aside for us, and I ignored them. “The farthest away I’ve ever been is California and Hawaii.”
“Uncle Will once flew me to London,” Mason said.
“What’s London like?” I asked. We’d entered the crafts room. Mason described Piccadilly Circus and Big Ben. I heard the words, but I couldn’t make sense of them. My body prickled with static. Every nerve stood at attention.
The walls of my craft room, always yellow, now glowed in brilliant rays. The swirly rainbow of my screen saver radiated, bursting from the monitor. Salt and decaying seaweed rose in a pungent wave from the collection of clamshells on the table.
What was going on? I’d never felt like this before. Did it have to do with spirits?
“Doggie!”
Henry’s delighted cry ripped through my thoughts and jolted me out of my stupor.
I spun around.
The closet door stood open.
Henry’s translucent body vibrated with joy as he spotted Buddy.
Mason peered into the closet. He held tight to Buddy’s leash, keeping the dog just out of Henry’s reach. “You’ve got a lot of art stuff.”
“Nosy much?” I croaked, gaping at Henry.
Mason shrugged and walked to the window. Lights twinkled far out on the bay. “Those crabbing boats are late coming in,” he remarked.
“Doggie!” Henry squealed again.
Buddy didn’t seem to hear or sense Henry today. He didn’t wag his tail. He stayed by Mason’s side, loyal to his original boy. In a contest between Mason and Henry for Buddy’s affection, Mason was the hands-down winner. And Henry did not like that.
He let out a cry of anguish. “Dog! Mine!” His eyes blazed, and he fixed a gaze of betrayal on Mason.
I needed to get Henry back in the closet. Fast!
Buddy rubbed up against Mason’s leg. Mason leaned down and scratched his side as he continued to look out the window. Henry moved toward them. He glared at Mason as he reached for the dog.
Instinctively, I snatched Buddy’s leash.
Mason whirled on me. “What are you doing?”
My skin burned with his gaze. “Let’s decorate Buddy’s collar. As a surprise for Lily,” I quickly suggested. It was all I could think of. I led the dog toward the closet.
Henry followed. I knew he would.
“Now?” Mason crossed his arms. “Just grab the present. We’re going to miss the ice cream, and that’s the best part . . . even though you have such terrible taste in ice cream,” he teased.
Why was he choosing now to suddenly act like the boy I’d been hoping for? Friendly. Nice.
“But I have an idea.” I didn’t really, but I’d come up with something, then shut Henry inside. I scanned the shelves.
Henry bent in the doorway and wrapped his arms around Buddy, burying his face into his fur. “Mine. Mine.”
Mason stepped around me and into the closet. “Here. Tie this ribbon around him like he’s a gift.” He reached for a large spool of sheer red ribbon. It began to unravel on the floor.
“Whoa.” I dropped Buddy’s leash, as I fell to my knees to grab the falling ribbon.
The closet door slammed shut with a deafening bang.
“Hey!” I stood in complete darkness.
“What’s going on?” Mason cried beside me.
Groping in the blackness, I heard scraping. Something heavy was being dragged across the floor. Then a thump, as it was pushed up against the other side of the door.
My hand found the smooth metal doorknob. It twisted, but the door wouldn’t budge.
“I can’t open it.” I tried again.
“Let me.” Mason’s breathed on my neck. His arm brushed mine. It was like touching an electrical current.
I moved aside as his hand covered the knob. He pushed the door with his shoulder.
“Something’s wedged against it.” He grunted as he tried again. “How can that be?”
Buddy barked on the other side of the door. My throat tightened. We were locked in a tiny dark space. No one knew we were up here.
Henry had tricked us.