روح همسایه فصل 07

The Ghost Next Door - Chapter 7

Hannah gasped because Danny was staring back at her from the other side of the window.

“Oh!” she cried out and nearly toppled backwards off the narrow stoop.

Inside the house, Danny’s eyes opened wide with surprise.

Behind him, Hannah could see a table set with bright yellow plates. A tall, slender, blonde-haired woman—Danny’s mom, most likely—was pulling something out from a microwave oven onto the counter.

The door swung open. Danny poked his head out, his expression still surprised. “Hi, Hannah. What’s up?” “Nothing. I—uh—nothing, really,” Hannah stammered. She could feel her cheeks grow hot, and knew she was blushing.

Danny’s eyes burned into hers. His mouth turned up in a grin. “Well, do you want to come in or something?” he asked. “My mom is serving dinner, but—” “No!” she cried, much too loudly. “I don’t—I mean—I—” I’m acting like a total jerk! she realized.

She swallowed hard, staring at his grinning face.

He’s laughing at me!

“See you!” she cried, then leapt awkwardly off the stoop, nearly stumbling to the ground. Without looking back, she took off, running at full speed back to her house.

I’ve never been so embarrassed in my entire life! she thought miserably.

Never!

When she saw Danny come out of his house the next afternoon, Hannah hid behind the garage. Watching him walk his bike down the driveway, she felt her cheeks grow hot, felt embarrassed all over again.

If I’m going to be a spy, I’m going to have to be a lot cooler, she told herself. Last night, I lost it. I panicked.

It won’t happen again.

She watched him climb on his bike and, standing up, pedal to the street. Pressed against the garage wall, she waited to see which direction he turned. Then she hurried into the garage to get her bike.

He’s heading toward town, she saw. Probably meeting those two boys. I’ll let him get a head start, then I’ll follow him.

She waited at the foot of the driveway, straddling her bike, watching Danny until he disappeared down the next block.

Sunlight filtered through the overhanging trees as she began pedaling, keeping a slow, steady pace as she rode after him. Mrs. Quilty was out weeding her garden as usual. This time, Hannah didn’t bother to call hello.

A small white terrier chased her for half a block, yapping loudly with excitement, then finally giving up as Hannah pedaled away.

The school playground came into view. Several kids were playing softball on the corner diamond. Hannah looked for Danny, but he wasn’t there.

She continued on into town. The sun felt warm on her face. She suddenly thought about Janey. Maybe I’ll get a letter from her today, she thought.

She wished Janey were around to help spy on Danny. The two of them would be a great spy team, Hannah knew. She wouldn’t have lost her cool like she had last night if Janey were around.

The town square came into view. The flag above the small, white post office was fluttering in a warm breeze. Several cars were parked in front of the grocery. Two women holding grocery bags were talking at the curb.

Hannah braked her bike and lowered her feet to the ground. She shielded her eyes from the sun with one hand and searched for Danny.

Danny, where are you? she thought. Are you with your friends? Where did you go?

She pedaled across the small, grassy square toward the post office. Her bike bumped over the curb and she kept going, around the side of the building to the alley.

But the alley was silent and empty.

“Danny, where are you?” she called aloud in a quiet singsong. “Where are you?” He was only a block ahead of me, she thought, scratching her short hair. Has he vanished into thin air again?

She rode back to the square, then checked out Harder’s Ice-Cream Parlor and the diner.

No sign of him.

“Hannah, you’re a great spy!” she laughed.

With a sigh of defeat, she turned around and headed for home.

She was nearly to her house when she saw the moving shadow.

It’s back! she realized.

She shifted gears and started to pedal harder.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the shadow sliding across Mrs. Quilty’s front lawn.

The dark figure floated silently over the grass toward her.

Hannah pedaled harder.

It’s back. I didn’t imagine it.

It’s real.

But what can it be?

Standing up, she pedaled harder. Harder.

But the figure glided along with her, picking up speed, floating effortlessly.

She turned to see its arms stretch out toward her.

She gasped in terror.

Her legs suddenly felt as if they weighed a thousand pounds.

I—I can’t move! she thought.

The shadow swept over her. She could feel the sudden cold.

Sticklike black arms reached out for her from the human-shaped shadow.

Its face—why can’t I see its face? Hannah wondered, struggling to keep moving.

The shadow blocked the bright sun. The whole world was blackening beneath it.

Got to keep moving. Got to move, Hannah told herself.

The dark figure floated beside her, its arms outstretched.

Gaping in horror, Hannah saw bright red eyes glowing like embers from the blackness.

“Hannah…” it whispered. “Hannah…”

What does it want from me?

She struggled to keep pedaling, but her legs wouldn’t cooperate.

“Hannah… Hannah…”

The dry whisper seemed to circle her, to wrap her in terror.

“Hannah…”

“No!” she screamed as she felt herself start to fall.

She struggled to keep her balance.

Too late.

She was falling. She couldn’t stop herself.

“Hannah… Hannah…”

She reached out her hands to break her fall.

“Ooof!”

She gasped in pain as she landed hard on her side.

The bike fell on top of her.

The shadow figure, its red eyes glowing, moved in to capture her.

“Hannah! Hannah!”