26

The scream tore out of my throat.

Katie’s head jerked.

The candlestick flashed in the dim light.

And the bronze baby shoe suddenly flew off the shelf beside me.

The heavy bronze baby shoe struck the shrouded creature with a solid THUNK!

The creature squealed in pain. The candlestick dropped to the floor and the creature vanished into the shadows.

Instantly everything was still.

“Katie? Are you all right?” I asked, running down to her.

“I’ve never been so terrified,” she said, hoarse from screaming. “I thought I was going to be killed.”

“We better get upstairs,” I said, helping her up. “It might come back.”

“What might come back?” she said.

“The thing in the shadows.”

Katie didn’t say anthing more until we got back to her bedroom door. Then she folded her arms and stared down at me, looking very stern—her baby-sitter look. “What thing in the shadows, Jason? What are you talking about?”

“The old witch ghost,” I explained. “That’s what Bobby was throwing all the stuff at. He was trying to protect you from the old witch.”

Katie shook her head. “Whaaat? I’ve swallowed a lot, Jason, but that’s going too far.”

“Look,” I said. “I know you don’t want to believe me, but there are two ghosts haunting this house. They’re fighting over something—I don’t know what.”

Katie gave me a long look. “Maybe it was you who was throwing all those things.”

“You know it wasn’t me,” I said. “You heard the clock chime and the ghosts running through the hall. That’s what woke you up, right?”

“I guess so,” she said.

“That’s what happened to you up in the attic. The two ghosts were fighting and you got in the way.”

Katie rubbed her head. “Maybe. I don’t really believe in ghosts, Jason, but just for the sake of argument, let’s say you’re right. What do you suggest?”

I thought about it. “I suggest you go back to bed, lock your door, and don’t come out, no matter what.”