Don't Forget Me! Read Free Page A

shouted. I hurried down the long hall and pulled open the front door.
    â€œAddie!”
    She had a purple sweater pulled down over electric blue leggings. Her blond hair fell wild around her face. “I tried the doorbell, but I don’t think it works,” she said.
    â€œIt isn’t hooked up,” I told her. I stepped back so she could come in. The bright sunlight seemed to follow her into the house.
    â€œMy parents just left for the airport. I’m alone here with Peter the Great.”
    â€œFun time,” she said. She followed me into the living room.
    â€œWhat’s up?” I asked, gazing at the large book she held in her arms.
    â€œI figured out what we can do, Danielle.”
    â€œHuh?”
    â€œYou know. For the talent show.” She crinkled her nose. And then sneezed. “Is it dusty in here?”
    â€œA little,” I said. “My parents have been so busy unpacking, there hasn’t been time to dust. What’s your big idea for us?”
    â€œHypnotism,” Addie said. Her green eyes flashed with excitement. “I’m going to hypnotize you!”
    I took a step back. “You’re kidding, right? You don’t know anything about hypnotism, and neither do I. Why would I ever let you hypnotize me?”
    Addie groaned. “I don’t mean I’m really going to hypnotize you. We’re going to fake it. You know. Pretend. That’s why I brought the book.”
    She held it up so I could read the title: Hypnotism for Everyone .
    I squinted at her. “You’re serious about this, aren’t you!”
    â€œThis book will tell us how to make it look real,” Addie said. “I’ll pretend to put you in a trance. And then I’ll have you go back, back, back in time, back to your previous lives.”
    I crossed my arms in front of my chest. “What previous lives?”
    â€œWe’ll make up something,” Addie replied. “It’ll be great, Danielle! You’ll tell some wild stories about living in the past. The audience will love it. They’ll believe it!”
    I stepped over to the living room window and felt the bright sunlight warm me. On the street, two boys sped by on bikes, chased by a big, yapping dog.
    I started to turn back to Addie when something caught my eye. A man. Half-hidden in the shadows of the twisted old maple tree at the bottom of our front yard.
    Who is that ? I wondered, feeling a flash of fear.
    I squinted to see him better. He leaned away from the tree, and I could see that he wore a black raincoat over black slacks. I couldn’t see his face. It was still hidden in the shadows. But I could see him staring, just standing there, hiding behind the gnarled tree trunk, staring up at our house.
    Why was he staring at our house? What was he watching for? Who was he?
    â€œWhat’s wrong?” Addie asked, stepping up beside me.
    â€œUh … I’ll be right back,” I said.
    My heart pounding, I crossed the room and made my way to the front door. I stuck my head out and squinted into the bright sunlight.
    â€œHello,” I called to the man behind the tree. “Hey.”
    He didn’t answer. A gust of wind made the brown leaves rustle over the ground. All of the old trees in the yard trembled and creaked.
    I cupped my hands around my mouth and tried again. “Hello? Can I help you?”
    No answer.
    Without thinking, I pushed past the storm door and began running toward the tree. It had rained the day before, and my shoes sank into the soft, wet ground. The gusting wind made the dead, brown leaves dance around me.
    I hugged myself against the autumn cold. “Hello?”
    I stepped into the shadow of the maple tree—and gasped.
    No one there.
    The man was gone. Vanished.
    I took a deep breath.
    And two hands grabbed me roughly from behind.

 

    I cried out. And spun free.
    â€œDanielle, what’s your problem?” Addie