JackieWillenborg MollieReiter TheHalloweenMystery

BOO!moanedEmily,inherbestghostvoice,assheranaroundthehouse. ItwasHalloweennight,andlikeanytypicalsixyearold,Emilycouldntsitstill.Herbabysitter, Aurora,orasEmilycallsher,Rory,wassearchingforamovieforEmilytowatchsoshecouldmake Emilyslastminutecostume. Emily!shoutedRory.DoyouwanttowatchCaspertheFriendlyGhostwhileIfinish makingyourprincesscostume? Idontwannabeaprincess!IwannabeCasper!declaredEmilyassheranintotheliving roomwhereRorywasputtingthemoviein. Okok.YoucanbeCasperinstead.GowatchthemovieandIllmakeyouaCaspercostume. Ok?Roryasked,smiling. Yay!EmygetstolooklikeCasper!cheeredEmily,jumpingupanddownassheclappedher handsjoyfully. Oknow,gowatchyourmovieandIwillcomegetyouwhenyourcostumeisready,said Rorycheerfully. YourethebestRory!holleredEmilyassherantothecouch,herdirtyblondecurlsbouncing inalldirections. SoonEmilywasreadyinherCaspercostume,andwhenRorycanoutfromchangingintoher owncostume,Emilysmouthfellopen. Youareaprettyprincess!exclaimedEmily.Emylikesyourlongdarkhairdownwikethat. Roryblushedatthiscompliment.Ithadtakenheroveranhourtodecidewhattowearbecause shedidntknowwhatherotherfourteenyearoldfriendsweregoingtodressas.Shefinallydecidedto goasanevilprincess,thinkingthatEmilywasgoingtobeaprincessalso.Roryslongauburnhairwas curledanditsparkledinthelightfromtheglitterspray.Perchedontopofherheadwasasilvercrown withfakeblackandpurplegemstones.Herdarkbrownkindeyesandfairskinmadeherlookeven morelikeaprincess.Thedressshehadchosenwasadarktwilightcolorwithblackbeadsaroundthe neckanditwastheperfectfitforherslenderbody. WellthankyouEmily,repliedRory,givingEmilyahug.Letsgobeforeitgetstoodark. Theydidnthavetoworryaboutitbeingtoodark,becausethetownwaslitupbythe streetlightsandHalloweendecorations.RoryandEmilywentdoortodoorandsoonhadbothoftheir bagsstuffedwithcandy.TheyhadjustonemorehousetogoEmilysgrandparentshouse.Roryhad promisedEmilysparentsshewouldstopsoEmilysgrandparentscouldseeEmilyscostume. Wellhellomylittleprinumfriendlyghost,saidEmilysGrandpawhenheopenedthedoor. HiGrandpa!HiGrandma!ImCasper!cheeredEmily. Iseethat,repliedGrandma,andlookatthisbeautifulprincess.Areyoutakingcareofmy

littleCaspertonight? Yes.HerparentsareatanadultHalloweenPartysoEmilyandIarehavingfunwithoutthem, repliedRory. Isee.Wellhavefunyoutwo!Justdonteattoomuchcandyandgetabellyache.Becareful onyourwayhome,saidGrandpa. Ok,wewill.Thankyou!Bye!Rorysaidcheerfully,asherandEmilyheadedbacktothe sidewalk. ByeGrandma!ByeGrandpa!holleredEmily. Exhaustedfromallthewalking,theyslowlymadetheirwaybacktoEmilyshouse.Theywere takingashortcutdownanalley,theironlylightasinglestreetlightandEmilyslittleflashlight,whenthey heardasoundinthebushes. Wwhatwasththat?askedEmilyassheclungtoRorysarm,shakingwithfear. Idontknow,repliedRory,tryingtosoundbrave.Letsgetgoing. Theyquicklyturnedtogowhenallofasuddenamonsterjumpedoutofthebushes.Littledid Emilyknowthatitwasjustakidpullingaprank.ThefirstthingthatcametoEmilysmindwastorun,so thatswhatshedid.SheranallthewaybackhomewithRoryfollowingbehind.Emilyburstthroughthe frontdoorwhenshereachedherhouse,ranupthesteps,andintotheattic,slammingthedoorbehind her.Thereshehidbehindastackofboxes,withherflashlightclutchedtoherchest. Emily!Emily!Whereareyou?Itsok.Itsonlyme,Rory.Comeoutplease!shoutedRoryas shesearchedthehouseforEmily. Emilyslowlygotupfromherhidingplaceandusingherflashlight,foundherwaybacktothe atticdoor.Shetriedtoopenit,butithadgottenjammedwhensheslammeditshut.Asshestoodthere inthedark,asuddenwaveoffearcameoverEmily. Rory!Rory!Help!Imstuckintheattic!Icantgetthedooropen!criedEmily. RorycamerunningupthestepswhensheheardEmilycryout.Shetriedtogetthedooropen, butnomatterhowhardshetried,Roryjustcouldntgetitopen. Imgoingtogocallyourparents,ok?Dontworry,wewillhaveyououtofthereinajiffy, saidRoryoverhershoulderassheracedbackdownthestepstofindthephone. Whenshecameback,shehadsomeblanketsandapillowforherselfbecausesheknewitwas goingtobealongnight. Emily,yourparentsareontheirway,buttheywontbehereuntillater.IpromiseIwillstay herewithyou,sodontpanic.Ok,canyoufindalightswitchonyourright?Onceyouhavethaton, yourmomsaidthereshouldbeaboxofblanketstherenexttothedoor.Youcanmakeyourselfalittle nestneartheheater.IpromiseImnotgoingtomovefromthisspot,saidRory,inasoothingvoice,as shetalkedtoEmilythroughtheatticdoor. Youpromise?askedEmilyinacalmervoiceknowingthatshewasntgoingtobeleftinthe housealone. Ipromise.Nowgetsomerest,repliedRoryasshesettledherselfdownwithherblanketsnext totheatticdoor.

Emilyfoundtheboxofblanketsandsoonhadherselfanicelittlecozybed.Shetriedtosleep, butsleepdidntcome.SowhensheknewforsurethatRorywassleeping,Emilydecidedtolook throughsomeoftheotherboxes.Inoneshefoundanolddressthatwasfadedbutstillpretty.Emily lovedtoplaydressupsoshedecidedtosavesomeoftheclothesinaseparateboxforherplaytime. Emilypulledtheemptyboxoverthatshehadgottentheblanketsfromandwasabouttoputher newtreasureintheboxwhensomethingcaughthereye.Inthebottomoftheblanketboxwasalittle, old,mustybookthathadafadedpictureofalittlegirlonthefrontofit.Emilydidntrememberthebook beingtherebeforesoshewasntsureifsheshouldpickitup,butcuriositygotthebetterofher.The bookwassointerestingthatshetookitovertoherlittlenestandbeganlookingthroughthemysterious book. LittledidEmilyknowthatthebookwouldcausebadthingstohappentothosedearesttoher. Thebookwasacursetothefamily,andhadbeenpasseddownformanygenerations.Noordinary personcouldbreakthecurse,anduntilthatonespecialpersonbrokeit,thefamilywasdoomed.Many familymembershadtriedtogetridofthebook,butitalwaysreappearedandmadethingsworse. WhenEmilyopenedthebook,thebadthingsbegan.Thelightsbeganturningonandoff,and thewindstartedhowlingthroughthetreebranches.Thehousesuddenlybecamechillyandwasfilled withalightfog.Emilytriedtoscream,butadarkshadowsuddenlycoveredherandnosoundescaped hermouth.Rorywasawakedimmediatelyfromthesuddentemperature,andshesoonfeltthat somethingwaswronginthehouse. Emily!Emily!Whathappened?Emily!holleredRorythroughtheatticdoor,tryingtobeheard overthesoundofthetreesinthewind. JustthenEmilysparentsburstthroughthefrontdoorandranuptotheatticdoor. Letmeguess,youdrove?RoryaskedEmilysmom,Charlotte. YesIdid.WhereisEmily?repliedCharlotte,tryingnottopanic,asshethoughtofallthebad thingsthatcouldhavehappenedtoEmily. Sheisstillintheattic.Doyouknowwhatsgoingonwithallthisfogandsuddenchangein weather?askedRory,stillshoutingtobeheardoverthewind. Charlotteseemedtojustnoticethefogandchillyatmosphere.Shesuddenlyfeltverylight headed,andbegantoshake. No.Itcantbe.Ithoughtwehiditsoshewouldneverfindit,Charlottemumbledtoherself. What?askedRoryasshebecamemoreandmoreconfusedaboutwhatwashappening. Shefoundthebook,repliedDave,Emilysdad,asheheldontoCharlotte. Thebookthathasputacurseonourfamily,Charlottesaid,stillinahalfdaze. JustthenEmilysuddenlyflungtheatticdooropen,almostrippingitoffthehinges.Onlyitwasnt reallyEmily.Itseemsasthoughshehadnocontroloverherbody.Insteadofhernormallybrightblue eyes,theywereacolddullblackthatseemedtopiercethroughRorysverysoul.Emilyslongcurls weretwirlingaroundherheadliketheyhadturnedintolivingsnakes.Therosycolorinhercheekswas replacedbythesicklywhitecolorofaghost.Outofallofthesedrastichorridchanges,theonethat scaredRorythemostwasthegreenputridmistthatcameoutofEmilysmouthwhenshetalked.

Enough!Emilyshouted,inadeepdangerousvoice.Roryknowstoomuch!Youknowwhat happenstothosewhoknow! ThelastthingRoryheardwasthenotreallyEmilysevillaugh. ******** Bythetimemorningcame,RoryhaddisappearedandEmilywasbacktonormal,buthada shortmemoryloss.Emilysparentstoldthepolicethatwhentheygothomethefrontdoorwaswide openandRorywasnowheretobefound.Emilyhadbeenunconsciousandlockedintheattic.The policebelievedthemandsaidthatRorymusthavebeenabducted.Soonthewholetownbelievedthe story,andRorywasneverfound. Whenwillthetruthcomeout?WhatreallyhappenedtoRory?Whatofthecurse?Theseare thequestionsthatwillforeverbeunanswered.