مدرسه روح زده فصل 27

The haunted School - Chapter 27

I slammed the lighter onto the desktop.

“It’s out!” I wailed. “I used it up. It’s out of fluid.” “No—” Ben cried. “Try it again, Tommy. Please—give it one more try.” I groaned and picked up the lighter. My hand was trembling. My throat suddenly felt so dry.

It seemed like such a good idea. If only I could get it to flame.

“Here goes,” I murmured, raising the lighter again. “One more try.” My palm slippery from sweat, I nearly dropped the lighter again. I tightened my grip on it. Raised my thumb.

Clicked it.

Clicked it again, harder.

And the flame shot up.

“Yesssss!” Ben cried.

But his happy cry faded quickly.

The flame leaping up from the lighter was gray.

Everyone groaned.

I stared at the gray flame, dancing on top of the gray lighter. Held tight in my gray fist. “It’s no use,” I choked out.

I clicked off the flame and shoved the lighter back into my pocket. I turned to Ben. “Sorry,” I muttered glumly. “I tried.” Ben nodded, swallowing hard.

I gasped. “Ben—your face! Your cheeks!”

“Gray?” he asked softly.

I nodded. “Your nose is all that’s left,” I told him. “Your nose has the only color.” “Yours too,” he reported.

The five gray kids stood in silence across the room. Seth shook his head sadly.

What could they say?

This had already happened to them. They had lived in a black-and-white world for fifty years.

And now Ben and I were doomed to be part of that cold, gloomy world.

I rubbed my nose. How long would it keep its color? I wondered.

How long until I became one of them?

My eyes wandered to the elevator. If only Ben and I had taken the stairs to the art room. If only… Too late to think about that now.

I stared hard at the elevator doors. Once again, I silently ordered them to open.

I let out a startled cry when I heard a loud, rumbling sound.

Everyone jumped up. Alert. Listening.

The rumble grew to a roar. “What’s happening?” Ben cried.

“The elevator!” Eloise gasped, pointing.

We all hurried across the room. We were just a few feet away—when the elevator doors slid open.

We all stepped up to see who was inside.

“Greta!” I cried.