Ten Read Free Page B

I’m afraid it is.”
    â€œNo,” Mom called from the back of the crowd. She held Ty in her arms since the stairs were so trippable. “Don’t worry, Dinah. It’s just for fun.”
    â€œ If you consider terrible, scary things to be fun, she means.”
    â€œHa ha,” Dinah said. She honestly said those two words— ha ha , like that—and she tried to worm her hand in with mine and Amanda’s. I shook her off, because three people can’t hold hands. It doesn’t work that way.
    â€œYou’ll be fine, Dinah,” Mom called.
    â€œHere goes nothing,” I announced. I twisted the knob, and we stepped as a many-footed creature into the nearly pitch-black room. The walls and floor were made out of concrete, like an underground cell. The only light came from the hallway behind us. In the far back corner, the furnace hissed.
    â€œWhat’s that?” Dinah squeaked.
    â€œOh . . . nothing ,” I said, implying that it was far from nothing and might even eat her.
    I released Amanda’s hand and faced the group. I stared at them vacantly.
    â€œCome, leetle children,” I said in a floaty, spine-tingling voice. I stepped backward, beckoning with twiglike fingers. “Come and ssssssee what fate awaits you . . . if you dare.”
    â€œMom?” Ty whispered loudly.
    â€œShhh,” Mom said to Ty. To me, she said, “Winnie, take it down a notch.”
    She and Ty remained in the doorway as the rest of us moved deeper into the gloom.
    Karen bumped into someone and yelped, and I laughed creepily. “ Yesssss . Yessssssss , my darlings, you are right to be afraid.”
    â€œShe’s teasing,” Mom told Ty. “She’s still plain old Winnie. Right, Winnie?”
    I was Winnie, yes. But “plain old”? Never. My spine tingled, and I laughed again.
    Dinah hiccupped.
    Louise said, “Karen, ow . Let go.”
    â€œWhat, I wonder, might be behind such a terrible thing as that?” I asked, indicating the furnace. “Eees it . . . a ghostling? A zombie? A donkey?”
    â€œA donkey ?!” Louise said.
    Chantelle giggled, and I scowled, irritated at myself. I hadn’t meant to say “donkey.” I didn’t know where that donkey came from.
    I shook it off. Re-widening my eyes, I said, “Or . . . could it be . . . just poss ibly . . .”
    â€œRwaarggghh!” Sandra roared, flying out from behind the furnace. She did a banshee dance, squatting and hopping from one foot to the other. In one hand she held a fake iron kettle, which she swooped through the air. Misty, gray smoke curled up because of the dry ice inside it.
    â€œRwaargh! Rwaargh!” she cried, lunging toward us.
    Dinah screamed. Karen screamed. We all screamed, and something winged through me that turned my giggle-scream into a real scream. The sound of it—coming from me , from my open mouth—made me scream even louder.
    Ty started wailing, and Mom said, “Oh, Ty.” I looked over to see Mom holding his body away from her. Her nice pants had a big dark spot on them, and Ty’s jeans were dark, too.
    He tried to muscle his way back against her upper body, burying his head between her head and shoulder.
    â€œIt’s okay, buddy,” Mom said. “But I think we should head back up, huh?” To me, she said, “Winnie? Maybe you should wrap it up, too.”
    â€œBut Mo-o-o-m ,” I complained.
    Dinah hiccupped. She hiccupped again , and Sandra dropped her witchy posture.
    â€œWant me to scare you?” she volunteered matter-of-factly.
    Amanda giggled, and just as Karen’s initial scream had made everyone else scream, Amanda’s giggle triggered a domino spill of giggle-giggle-snort-laughs. Even for Dinah, and even for me. Especially for me.
    Â 
    Later, after everyone had gone home, I flopped onto my bed and gazed at the ceiling. I was feeling a bit blue because of my birthday being almost