Escape From Shudder Mansion

“NOOOOOOOOOOO!”

  Scarlet turned and dove for me. She grabbed me again. She squeezed my shoulders and shook me hard. It was getting to be a habit.

  “Riley, what is your problem?” she demanded.

  I turned and stared over my sister’s shoulder at Mia. Mia with her blond hair, and pretty dark eyes, and nice smile. Mia nice and normal again.

  Am I cracking up? Totally losing it?

  No, I’m not.

  I know I’m not crazy.

  But …

  I had to cover up somehow. I’d just let out a deafening scream of horror. “Uh … something bit me,” I said. I scratched my ankle. “Hope it wasn’t a spider.”

  Lame. I know. But it was the best I could do.

  I gazed at Mia, waiting for her to change again. I knew I had seen right through her skin. I couldn’t get the picture of her empty eye sockets and cracked, missing teeth out of my mind. I saw her laughing her skeletal, open-jawed laugh.

  I saw right through her face.

  Suddenly, I was even more desperate to get away from Shudder Mansion. Scarlet and Mia were talking, but I didn’t hear a word. I wanted to get far away from the creepy old place and Mia as fast as I could.

  I wanted to talk to Scarlet. To ask her if she saw anything strange about this girl. Something was definitely weird about her. I had to talk to my sister about it.

  Standing so close to Shudder Mansion was totally freaking me out. I had the sudden feeling that I might explode in another scream. Okay. I know I needed to calm down. I panic easily. It’s a problem. I’m working on it.

  I grabbed Scarlet’s hand and started to tug her away. I couldn’t believe it when I heard her invite Mia over to our house for dinner.

  No. Please don’t bring her to our house, I pleaded silently.

  There’s something very wrong here. Something horrible is going to happen.

  “Come home with us now,” Scarlet was saying. “I think we’re having spaghetti. Do you like spaghetti?”

  Mia nodded. She glanced over Scarlet’s shoulder at me.

  I forced a smile to my face. “Awesome,” I murmured.

  “Okay. Thank you,” Mia said.

  And the next thing I knew, the three of us were walking along the sidewalk to my house, talking as if everything were just peachy, perfectly fine.

  Until we crossed the street and our house came into view. And Mia suddenly turned to me and demanded, “Riley? Why do you keep looking at me like that?”

  The question caught me completely by surprise. I let out a burst of nervous laughter.

  “Me? Haha. I wasn’t looking at you. The … uh … sun was in my eyes.”

  Lame, again. I’m not the best liar in the world.

  She kept her eyes narrowed at me. I couldn’t tell what she was thinking.

  Scarlet gave her a tug. “Come on. Don’t pay attention to him. He got freaked out by a black cat, and he’s been weird ever since.”

  “I’m not afraid of black cats,” I muttered.

  I followed them into the house. I couldn’t wait to take my sister aside. Mia sat down in the den. I pulled Scarlet into the kitchen.

  “Riley, what is it?” she asked in a loud whisper.

  I tugged her away from the kitchen doorway. “There’s something very wrong about Mia,” I whispered. “Did you see—?”

  Scarlet put a finger over my lips. “I’m sorry you’re having a bad day, Riley. But you’ve got to stop this crazy talk.”

  I pushed her finger away. “It isn’t crazy,” I insisted. “You didn’t see anything strange? Like when the sun shone behind her and you could see her skull?”

  Scarlet’s mouth dropped open, but she didn’t say anything. Finally, she said, “I’m not even going to answer that.”

  I glanced at the door to make sure Mia wasn’t standing there. “Why did you invite her over here?”

  “Because she just moved here, and she doesn’t know anyone,” Scarlet answered. “Did you see how lonely she looked, standing there by herself in the backyard of the mansion?”

  “Why was she standing there?” I demanded. “Why—”

  Scarlet pushed her finger against my lips again. “I’m going to be her friend and show her around,” she said. “So stop staring at her and making her feel uncomfortable.”

  “I—I—I—” I sputtered.

  Scarlet lowered her hand to my shoulder. “You need to chill out, Riley. You’re totally stressed. It was that black cat, wasn’t it. You’re cataphobic, aren’t you.”

  “Huh? Cataphobic?”

  “I think that’s a word,” she said. She pointed to the stairs. “Go upstairs and play your video game. It’s the only thing that relaxes you.”

  “But, Mia—”

  “Leave us girls alone.” She gave me a push toward the stairs. “Go into your fantasy world and let Mia and me get to know one another.”

  I shrugged and started toward the stairs. I knew I wasn’t going to get anywhere with Scarlet. And I was happy to get away from Mia for at least a little while.

  My room was kind of a mess. That morning, I tried to make a neat pile of my dirty clothes on the floor next to the closet. But somehow dirty clothes never want to go into a neat pile. They want to spread all over the floor.

  I had a nightmare the night before and tossed all my covers off the bed. They were still bunched up on the floor. I probably should have picked them up. But I was eager to get back to the game.

  I know. I know. I had a few terrifying moments this afternoon at the real Shudder Mansion. So why was I so desperate to get back to that frightening house in the video game?

  Scarlet was right. It’s just about the only thing that relaxes me. I’m a tight guitar string, remember. But for some reason, exploring the dark, twisting halls of Shudder Mansion, and battling all of the shadowy monsters and villains that come racing at me … well … it makes me feel good. I guess it makes me forget what’s troubling me. And I can always stop when I want to.

  Does that make any sense?

  I started the game up. I was on level four. I found myself standing at the top of one of the tall towers. I mean, my avatar was standing there. On the screen, I was a tall blond knight in a royal blue cloak and matching tights.

  I hadn’t earned my armor yet. I was still two levels away from winning the proper protection for a knight.

  It was silent in the tower. A flickering torch on the wall gave out the only light. The shadows seemed to dance all around me.

  Silence. I turned up the volume a little on the game controller. I could hear fluttering sounds from outside the tower. Bats?

  I gripped the controller tightly. My hand was already sweaty even though I had just started to play. I knew I wouldn’t be alone in the tower for long.

  Yes. I heard a stab of low music. A warning. I moved the controller so I could see all around me. I could turn 360 degrees, spin all around the room, and see everything in it.

  I stopped at the steep stone stairs. Yes. Yes.

  A shadow crept slowly and silently up the stairs. I sucked in a deep breath. I knew it was coming for me. It was coming for a fight. The shadow wouldn’t stay a shadow. It would stand up or spread out or float off the floor and become a terrifying creature, one of the creatures trapped forever in Shudder Mansion.

  I fought back my fear. What weapon should I choose? I had only seconds to decide. The shadow was already changing, growing tall, making sick gurgling sounds as it transformed.

  I didn’t have many weapons to choose from. I’d lost all my swords and knives in a battle with a deadly cobra. I had a thick rope, and an armored shield, and a pole with a deadly laser ray that could only be used once.

  I grabbed the shield. Maybe I could use it to shove the creature away. Maybe I could use it to flatten it against the wall.

  This definitely wasn’t the right weapon to defeat it.

  If only I hadn’t lost my swords and knives.

  I squeezed the controller as the shadowy figure reached the top ste
p. It started to change. The deep shadow parted. A monster started to climb out.

  I could see round black eyes, shiny in the torchlight. A long snout. Jagged rows of teeth. An alligator head, snapping—snapping its long jaw. It rose up on two legs—like a human—an alligator head on a human body.

  I watched it grow taller … taller … till it was taller than me.

  “YEEEEEEEEEEEE!”

  It opened its alligator jaws wide and uttered a deafening screech as it dove toward me.

  I ducked. Its heavy head thumped my shoulder. I nearly fell to my knees.

  I swung the shield around and tried to stab it at the creature’s wide middle. But the creature floated out of my reach—and came at me again with another terrifying screech.

  I dipped the controller and made my avatar roll across the floor. I pulled up the shield as the creature moved to climb onto me. I gave it a hard shove—and sent it spinning back to the wall.

  As I struggled to climb to my feet, it let out an ugly hiss and prepared to dive at me again. Its eyes reflected the flickering light as it snapped its big jaws. Once. Twice. Then it lifted one of its massive legs and swiped the shield right from my hand.

  I lunged for the shield—but stopped.

  This shield isn’t going to help me. The creature is going to eat me alive.

  I frantically pressed a button on the controller and traded weapons. I wrapped my hand around the laser pole. This was a dangerous move. I knew I had only enough power to use it once.

  My timing had to be perfect. I had to send the laser ray into the creature’s heart. Or I would be alligator food in less than a minute.

  It roared again, raised itself high, and came at me.

  I fired the laser. Missed. The beam hit the tower ceiling and bounced off. The pole made a fizzling sound, like air going out of a balloon.

  The creature snapped its jaws, ready for its meal.

  In a last desperate move, I pulled back my arm—and heaved the pole at it.

  The creature made a wheezing sound as the pole slid into its open mouth—and stuck there. The startled monster stood there for a few seconds with the handle of the pole jutting out from its mouth.

  Then, as I stared in amazement, it made ugly choking sounds. Its eyes rolled up. It disappeared into shadow again. Grew smaller … smaller … until it was like a puddle of ink. A puddle that oozed back down the stairs.

  Victory!

  I pumped both fists in the air and let out a happy cheer.

  Now the game would offer me a new reward. What would it be? A new weapon? A new superpower?

  I turned back to the screen. My avatar was now standing in a bright room with long gold drapes, a huge crystal chandelier, and a plush red carpet.

  I moved the controller so I could see all around the room—and stopped at a big gold cup standing on a narrow table. The gold cup looked like a trophy. It shimmered and glowed under the bright light from the chandelier.

  This was my reward for defeating the alligator creature. I was a little disappointed. I wanted a new weapon. But I knew the cup would probably come in handy later in the game.

  I moved my avatar closer to accept the cup.

  And stopped when I saw something dark poking around the lip of the cup. Was the cup filled with something?

  As I moved forward again—enormous, ugly black spiders came pouring out. Hundreds of spiders … so unnaturally huge … spiders nearly the size of mice. They stampeded from the cup, clambering on top of each other, their legs a spindly, churning tangle.

  To my shock, they leaped from the gold cup—as if they could fly!

  I didn’t stand a chance. Before I could step back, they were on me … climbing over my shoulders … my chest … their stick-thin legs poking my cheeks, my forehead, covering my face.

  I’m doomed. The gold cup wasn’t a prize—it was a TRAP.

  Game over.

  I dropped to my knees on the carpet. The fat spiders swarmed over me. I moved the controller, trying to swipe them away with both arms.

  And then … another figure entered the scene. A woman. No. A girl.

  She waved a silver wand in the air. Waved it once … twice … And the spiders slid off me. I stared at the screen as they scampered away, their legs poking the carpet, fat bodies bobbing as they ran.

  I raised my avatar to his feet. And turned him toward the girl who had rescued him.

  And let out a startled cry.

  I nearly dropped the controller. I squinted at the girl on the screen.

  Mia?

  Is that really Mia in the game?

  I paused the game with the girl in the middle of the screen. I jumped off the bed and walked closer. My heart began to pound. I stared hard.

  Yes. It was Mia. She was there, in the Shudder Mansion game.

  But—how? How could that be?

  I bolted for the bedroom door. I tripped over the pile of dirty clothes. Caught my balance. Ran out into the hall. And shouted down the stairs:

  “Scarlet? Scarlet! Come upstairs! Hurry!”

  I knew there was something weird about Mia. But Scarlet didn’t want to believe me.

  Now she HAD to.

  I waited in the hall, my heart pounding. I heard the thud of footsteps. Then Scarlet and Mia appeared, running up the stairs.

  I know your secret, Mia, I thought. I knew there was something weird about you. And now I’ve got proof!

  “Riley? What’s wrong?” Scarlet called.

  “I—I’ll show you,” I stammered. I motioned them into my room.

  Scarlet narrowed her eyes at me. “What did you want to show us? That mountain of dirty clothes on the floor? Very impressive.”

  Mia was gazing at the Star Trek posters on my wall. “These are nice,” she said.

  “Never mind the posters,” I said. I pointed to the figure frozen on the screen. “Look. Look carefully.”

  “At the game?” Scarlet asked.

  “At the face on the screen.” I walked up close and pointed. “Look. Look who it is.”

  Scarlet stepped up beside me and squinted at it. She didn’t say anything.

  Mia turned away from the posters and walked over.

  Here’s my proof, Mia, I thought. How are you going to explain this?

  When she saw the girl on the screen, Mia’s eyes went wide. Then she burst out laughing.

  “Oh, wow!” she exclaimed. “That girl looks a little like me. She really does look like me.”

  Scarlet finally caught on. “Yes. She does. She looks like you. The same blond hair and round, dark eyes.”

  Mia shook her head, her eyes on the screen. “Is that what you wanted to show us, Riley? That’s a riot.” She bumped knuckles with Scarlet. “Hey, I’m a star! I’m a video game star!”

  They both laughed. But I didn’t think it was funny.

  “But—but—” I sputtered. “It’s really you!”

  For some reason, that made them laugh harder.

  “I’m not that pretty,” Mia said. She smiled at me. “I think it’s so cute that she reminds you of me, Riley.”

  Cute?

  Why wouldn’t they take me seriously?

  “Mom says it’s almost dinnertime,” Scarlet said. “If you see me in your game, too, call me.”

  Ha Ha. Big joker.

  She and Mia headed back downstairs.

  I stared at the girl on the screen. I knew I wasn’t crazy. It looked exactly like Mia. She even had the same smile.

  I started the game up again. Did the girl on the screen have the same soft, whispery voice as Mia? If she did, that would convince me even more that it was Mia.

  But the girl didn’t speak. After she waved the spiders away, she vanished from the room. I was left standing there with the gold cup shining on its table.

  Was I supposed to take the gold cup now that it was empty?

  I couldn’t decide. It was hard to concentrate on the game. I couldn’t stop thinking about Mia.

  Finally, I moved my avatar forward
and made him grab the gold cup. Then I spun him around to the doorway.

  A few steps toward the doorway—and then I stopped. Another shadow rolled into view. It floated close to the floor, curling on itself, shaped like a long snake.

  What weapon should I use?

  Will this gold cup help me?

  I had no time to think about it. The shadow moved quickly, swirling over itself, coiling and uncoiling, silent as a slithering snake.

  And then it changed shape completely. And I stared at the screen—stared at a black cat at my feet.

  A black cat with green eyes.

  A black cat that formed from a shadow. The same thing I’d seen just an hour ago outside Shudder Mansion.

  No. Impossible.

  First Mia. Then the black cat.

  No. It couldn’t be.

  Could it?

  I didn’t know it then. But I was soon going to find out the answer to that question—on the most terrifying night of my life.

  I’m like Riley. I like to play games, too. Would you like to play a game with me? How about an old-fashioned game of Hide and Shriek! Hahaha.

  My favorite game is called Scare the Reader to Death! Want to know how to play it? Just keep reading!

  We all know that Riley is going to end up inside Shudder Mansion, don’t we? But once he’s there, will it be GAME OVER for him? Hahaha.

  Let’s change the scene and go to his classroom the next day. I have a feeling things are going to get strange …

  I sat at my desk in the back row and listened to Carter Burwasser. He stood at the front of the class, reading his report about his family’s vacation on safari in Africa.

  Carter had a toothy grin pasted on his face. And in the sunlight from the open window, his big round head glowed like a pumpkin.

  Actually, Carter is blond and very pink. Like a pink balloon with a nose and eyes.

  Maybe you can tell that I don’t like Carter Burwasser very much.

  Well, I’ve got good reasons. Carter thinks he’s hot stuff.

  He is a bragger and a snob, and he thinks he’s better than anyone else. Sure, he gets all A’s, and the teachers love him. But what does that mean?

  You should see the way he struts around the halls, like he’s on parade or something. Like he’s a star and everyone is staring at him.