38

I dropped to my knees in the wet dirt. A shudder made my whole body shake.

“Peter? Where are you?” I called in a trembling voice.

I stared down into the empty grave. “Impossible,” I muttered.

Unless Screem used his magic to carry them both away somewhere?

Unless Screem used the same magic on Peter that he used to make our parents disappear?

I leaned down into the grave and shouted: “Peter? Are you there? Please — answer me!”

No reply.

I leaned farther into the grave. “Peter?”

And then I let out a gasp as the soft mud gave way beneath me. I fell fast. And landed on my stomach on the floor of the grave.

“Ohhhhh,” I groaned as I realized I’d landed on top of the pile of worms. “Noooo.”

I jumped up quickly.

“Peter? Where are you?” My voice rang hollow against the dirt sides.

I brushed fat worms off the front of my clothes.

“Peter? Can you hear me?”

Keeping my hand on the grave wall, I began to move. I took tiny steps along the side of the hole. I traced my hand on the dirt. I needed something to hold on to.

Above me, the moon slid out from behind the clouds once again. Pale yellow light washed over the grave.

And in the light, I saw an opening at the far end. Like a low doorway cut into the grave wall.

I hurried across the dirt. I stopped a few inches away. Moonlight helped me see inside the opening.

I saw a tunnel. A narrow tunnel leading straight ahead to solid blackness.

So that’s where they vanished. Into this tunnel cut into the graveside.

Again, I cupped my hand around my mouth and shouted my brother’s name.

I heard my voice echo down the tunnel. The tunnel was deep and straight.

I moved into the opening. And stopped. I struggled to catch my breath.

Screem had dragged Peter into this tunnel. There was nowhere else they could be.

I had to go after him.

I ducked my head. I took a shaky step into the tunnel opening.

And stopped.

I heard the heavy thud of shoes on dirt. Running footsteps.

In the dim light, I saw Screem. Racing toward me through the tunnel, hands outstretched.

“Noooooo!” I opened my mouth in a scream.

Nowhere to run.

Screem had me trapped down in the grave. Did he plan to pull me into the long, dark tunnel, too?