روح همسایه فصل 13

The Ghost Next Door - Chapter 13

“Hannah…” it whispered. “Hannah…”

So close, she could smell its hot, sour breath.

“Hannah… Hannah…” Its whisper like crackling, dead leaves.

The ruby eyes burned like fire. Hannah felt the darkness circle her, wrap around her tightly.

“Please—” was all she could manage to choke out.

“Hannah…”

And the light returned.

Hannah blinked, struggled to breathe.

The sour odor lingered in her nostrils. But the street was bright now.

Car headlights washed over her.

It—it’s gone, Hannah realized. The lights had chased away the shadow figure.

But would it return?

As the car passed by, Hannah dropped to the ground behind the low evergreen shrub and struggled to catch her breath. When she looked up, the boys were still huddled in front of Mr. Chesney’s hedge.

“Let’s get going,” Danny urged them.

“No way. Not yet,” Alan said, stepping in front of Danny to block his way. “You’re forgetting about our dare.” Fred shoved Danny toward the mailbox. “Go ahead. Take it.”

“Hey, wait.” Danny spun around. “I never said I’d do it.” “I dared you to take Chesney’s mailbox,” Fred told him. “Remember? You told us you never turned down a dare?” Alan laughed. “Chesney will come out tomorrow and think his swan flew away.” “No, wait—” Danny protested. “Maybe it’s a dumb idea.” “It’s a cool idea. Chesney is a creep,” Alan insisted. “Everyone in Greenwood Falls hates his guts.” “Take his mailbox, Danny,” Fred challenged. “Pull it up. Come on. I dare you.” “No, I—” Danny tried to back away, but Fred held him from behind by the shoulders.

“You chicken?” Alan challenged.

“Look at the chicken,” Fred said in a mocking, babyish voice. “Cluck cluck.” “I’m not a chicken,” Danny snapped angrily.

“Prove it,” Alan demanded. He grabbed Danny’s hands and raised them to the carved wings that stretched from the sides of the mailbox. “Go ahead. Prove it.” “What a riot!” Fred declared. “The town postmaster—his mailbox flies away.” Don’t do it, Danny, Hannah urged silently from her dark hiding place across the street. Please—don’t do it.

Another set of car headlights made the three boys back away from the mailbox. The car rolled past without slowing.

“Let’s go. It’s getting late,” Hannah heard Danny say.

But Fred and Alan insisted, teasing him, challenging him.

As Hannah stared into the white light of the streetlamp, Danny stepped up to Chesney’s mailbox and grabbed the wings.

“Danny, wait—” Hannah cried.

He didn’t seem to hear her.

With a loud groan, he began to tug.

It didn’t budge.

He lowered his hands to the pole and wrapped them tightly around it just below the box.

He tugged again.

“It’s in really deep,” he told Alan and Fred. “I don’t know if I can get it.” “Try again,” Alan urged.

“We’ll help you,” Fred said, placing his hands above Danny’s on the box.

“Let’s all pull together,” Alan urged. “At the count of three.” “I wouldn’t do that if I were you!” exclaimed a gruff voice behind them.

They all turned to see Mr. Chesney glaring at them from the driveway, his face knotted in a furious snarl.