Who Let the Ghosts Out? (10 page)

And I was all alone … all alone as Phears floated over me.

“Don't move, Max!” he boomed. “Stay right there. My cockroach is very hungry.”

“N
O
—
PLEASE
!” I
BEGGED
.
I raised both hands in front of me as if to shield myself. “Don't let that thing eat me. I already helped you once. Just let me go home.”

“But you're not going home—ever again!” Phears shouted. His voice echoed off the walls of the empty auditorium.

Behind him, the cockroach hacked up a disgusting slimeball. Its antennae quivered. Then the insect lowered a spiny tongue and lapped up what it had just coughed out.

“You didn't help me,” Phears snapped. “I didn't get Nicky and Tara—did I! They went invisible. So now you're going to help me again. Where are they? They're here with you now, aren't they, Max. Make them appear. Do it—now!”

In the gray mist that swirled around him, I suddenly could see his eyes. Solid white eyes, white as snow, staring coldly.

And I realized Phears wasn't staring at me. He had lowered his gaze to my hand.

“You're wearing the wishing ring, Max,” he said, floating closer inside his dark cloud. “That proves you're hiding Nicky and Tara from me.”

My throat tightened. I couldn't breathe. Panic swept over my body. I glanced around frantically. “Nicky? Tara? Are you here?” I whispered. “Help me!”

No reply. Where did they go?

“Nicky? Tara?”

A shadowy hand reached out from the fog. “I'll take the ring, Max. It will help me capture your two ghost friends. You won't be needing it— since you'll be slowly, slowly dissolving inside the roach's stomach.”

The giant cockroach burped again. Its fat black legs danced on the stage floor as if it was eager to start eating.

Phears' hand grabbed for the glowing red ring.

I jerked it away from him.

Wishing ring? Did he say
wishing ring
?

Did it grant wishes? Could I wish Phears away?

I raised the ring close to my face. It glowed brightly, like a Christmas light. I could feel its warmth radiate against my face.

I took a deep breath. I held the ring close.

I shut my eyes. “I wish I was home safe and sound!” I shouted.

Did I get my wish?

I
OPENED MY EYES
.
No.

Phears still floated over me.

“Nice try, Max,” he said. “But we both wished at the same time.”

I gazed at the ring. Its glow was a little dimmer. Our wishes must have canceled each other out.

I took a deep breath and wished again. “I wish Phears would disappear forever!”

“I wish Nicky and Tara's parents were in my grasp!” Phears shouted at the same time.

The red glow of the ring dimmed to purple.

I didn't wait. Holding the ring to my mouth, I tried again.

“I wish for Phears to be trapped inside that giant cockroach!”

“I wish for Max to dissolve inside the cock-roach's belly
while he's still alive
!” Phears made a wish too.

Again, we canceled each other out. In a panic, I stared at the ring. Dead. No color at all.

Phears tossed back his head and laughed. “It's all used up, Max. Now you are helpless.”

Phears motioned to the giant cockroach. Its antennae began to rotate wildly. It bobbed its head as it began to lumber toward me. Its mouth pulled open and again I saw the disgusting blob of yellow saliva that roaches use to dissolve their food.

“Nicky? Tara? Can you help me?” I whispered.

I glanced all around as the cockroach swung its huge armored body toward me. And I saw someone peeking out from the curtain. A girl standing at the control panel at the side of the stage.

Traci!

She came back! Was she worried about me?

The cockroach raised its head and sniffed me. A sickening sour aroma fumed from its open mouth.

I tried to run. But Phears used his powers to hold me in place.

Twisting around, I watched Traci. Her mouth was wide with horror. Her hands were pressed to her face. She stood beside the spotlight switch.

Yes. The spotlight switch.

And I had an idea. A last, desperate idea. Could I give Phears a surprise? Could I startle him long enough for me to scramble away?

I twisted my body. Waved to Traci. I motioned for her to pull the spotlight switch.

She stared back at me, frozen in horror.

I motioned again. Please, Traci. Please understand. Turn on the spotlight.
Pull the switch!

No.

She didn't get it.

She stared back at me, hands pressed to her cheeks.

Goodbye, Traci, I thought.

The saliva bubbled in the cockroach's open mouth.

I'm cockroach food, I realized.

That's how I'll end up—cockroach food.

I
GRITTED MY TEETH
and waited for the insect to suck me into its drooling mouth.

And then a flash of bright light forced my eyes shut.

I stumbled backward, away from the giant cockroach.

The light swept over the stage.

I heard Phears let out a shrill scream. I opened my eyes and saw him holding up his hands, struggling to shield himself from the bright circle of white light.

Yes! Traci had come through! She had switched on the spotlight.

I thought maybe the bright light would startle Phears and give me time to escape. I had no idea the light would
hurt
him!

But under the spotlight, the thick fog quickly burned away. Phears stood exposed, his solid white eyes blind with panic.

Unable to escape the light, Phears started to shrink. He shrank until he was the size of a rabbit,
then as small as a mouse. Tinier …tinier…until he was a speck on the stage floor.

An ant. Phears had shrunk to the size of an ant. And as I stared in amazement, Joey wobbled over. The pigeon dropped its head, snapped open its beak, and swallowed Phears.

Joey stared up at me, head tilted, as if expecting another treat. Then he turned, flapped his wings, and flew out the auditorium window—with Phears inside his belly.

Was Phears gone for good?

The giant cockroach had vanished. I ran to the side of the stage. “Thank you, Traci!” I shouted.

But she had run away again from the terrifying scene. How could I ever explain it to her?

I didn't have time to think about that. I ran out the back door of the auditorium and jogged toward home. I had to tell Tara and Nicky what had happened!

I saw a group of trick-or-treaters parading up a driveway across the street. On the next block, kids in ghost and mummy costumes were comparing the candy in their bags. Normal kids. Having a normal Halloween.

I burst into the house and ran up to the safety of my room. I felt like climbing into bed and pulling the covers up over my head.

But there were Nicky and Tara, sitting crosslegged
on the floor, dozens of candy bars spread out between them.

“Where were you?” I screamed. “Where
were
you?”

“Trick-or-treating,” Nicky said calmly, holding up a bag full of candy.

“Wow. It's so easy to get a
lot
of candy when you're invisible!” Tara said, chewing on a half-eaten Snickers bar. “We just slip into a house and take handfuls!”

“But—but—but—” I sputtered.

“How did the rest of your act go?” Nicky asked. He had a chocolate smear on his chin.

“Go? It didn't go!” I screamed. “How could you go trick-or-treating when I needed your help?”

Tara shrugged. “Easy. The act was bombing. We couldn't stand to watch you flop like that.”

“But—Phears showed up!” I cried. “He's still after you. He tried to feed me to a cockroach. But Traci shined bright light on him and he shrank. Then Joey ate him and—and—”

I had to stop to catch my breath.

Tara shook her head sadly. “He'll be back. We haven't seen the last of him.”

Nicky shuddered. “We won't be safe until we find our parents.”

Tara finished her candy bar and reached for a box of Junior Mints. “But see, Max? You
can
be brave when you get the chance. That's so totally
awesome. I'm proud of you.” She slapped me on the back with a chocolatey hand.

“But—but—” I sounded like a motorboat starting up. “But—but—”

Nicky shoved away some candy and motioned for me to sit down beside him. “Aren't you glad we're haunting you?” he asked, smiling. “Doesn't it feel good to be a hero?”

I dropped down between them. “Shut up and pass the Milky Ways,” I said.

TO BE CONTINUED.