Spell of the Screaming Jokers

  I hesitated a minute. Then I said what was really on my mind. Ever since I saw Mrs. Marder in the woods, I had been thinking of a plan. Now was my chance to spring it on everybody.

  “I think we have to sneak into Mrs. Marder’s house and find proof that she’s behind the jokers!” I announced.

  Jeff shook his head. “Mrs. Marder wouldn’t hurt anybody.”

  His attitude was really starting to bug me. “How do you know, Jeff?” I demanded. I crossed my arms. “Why are you sticking up for Mrs. Marder? Do you know something we don’t know?”

  Jeff scowled. He picked up the basketball and angrily hurled it at the basket—hard! The ball bounded off the backboard and sailed out of our driveway.

  “I’ll get it!” Frankie jumped up and dashed down the hill. He ran until we couldn’t see him anymore.

  “Sorry,” Jeff muttered. He sat back on the bench and scowled down at his feet. “Look,” he began. “If you want to know—”

  “Shhh!” Louisa interrupted him. “Listen!”

  That’s when I heard it.

  Hsssss.

  I sprang to my feet. “The hissing!”

  I whirled around. Searching frantically for a black cat—or a little kid wearing a green hat.

  I didn’t see either one.

  Then it hit me.

  “Frankie!” I cried.

  I raced down the hill. Jeff followed right behind me.

  The hissing grew stronger.

  Then the rattling sounds began.

  At the bottom of the hill, four little kids on bicycles appeared from a side street.

  Four little kids. Dressed all in black. Wearing green floppy hats.

  Those hats . . .

  Finally, I put it together.

  They’re not little kids at all, I realized in horror.

  “What are those kids doing down there?” Jeff asked.

  “Those aren’t kids!” I cried, putting on more speed. “Don’t you see? They’re jokers! The jokers from the card deck!”

  My sneakers pounded the grass as I ran down the hill.

  I cupped my hands around my mouth. I tried to warn Frankie. “Look out!” I cried. But Frankie was chasing the ball at the bottom of the hill.

  He didn’t hear me.

  He didn’t see the jokers aiming straight for him.

  The hissing and rattling grew louder.

  Frankie bent down to pick up the ball.

  A deep rumbling sound filled the air. Was it coming from the jokers?

  No! It was a huge truck speeding up the road.

  The jokers heard it too. They pedaled harder—and barreled right into Frankie.

  The jolt knocked Frankie into the air. He landed in the street. And didn’t move.

  The truck driver should have hit the brakes. But he didn’t.

  The truck picked up speed.

  “Noooo!” I screamed.

  The truck headed straight for Frankie—and Frankie didn’t move!

  13

  I froze.

  Stared in horror as the truck aimed for Frankie.

  Suddenly the truck’s brakes began to squeal.

  The driver saw Frankie! He was trying to stop the enormous truck!

  The tires screamed as they skidded across the road—and the truck screeched to a stop. Barely a foot in front of Frankie.

  The driver threw open his door and ran over to Frankie. Jeff and I reached him at the same time. We all knelt down by his side.

  Frankie was knocked out cold. But he was breathing.

  “What happened?” the driver asked. He was a big, muscular guy.

  “A bike hit him,” Jeff explained.

  Frankie opened his eyes then. He groaned and sat up.

  “Boy, that was a close one.” The driver shook his head.

  Frankie wouldn’t let anyone call an ambulance. When the truck driver was sure Frankie was really okay, he left.

  Jeff and I helped Frankie up. We walked him over to the sidewalk as Louisa came limping down the hill.

  “What happened?” she cried.

  “The jokers attacked Frankie again!” I told her. “Then he almost got run over by a truck!”

  “Frankie, your arm!” Louisa covered her mouth with her hand.

  We all stared at his left arm—and gasped.

  Next to the club and diamond—there was something new.

  A spade.

  I whirled to face Jeff. “Now do you see them?” I shouted.

  Jeff didn’t answer. But his eyes were wide. Frightened.

  “All I’m missing is a heart.” Frankie’s voice was very quiet. He ran his finger over the spade.

  “Did the jokers say anything to you?” I asked him.

  “Uh-huh.” Frankie nodded. “ ‘You play her game, she’ll make you pay.’ ”

  I grabbed Louisa’s arm. “See? It is Mrs. Marder! That’s what she said! She’s making us pay by scaring us half to death! Listen to this:

  “We shake the skull with eyes that gleam

  We make our marks, we laugh and scream

  Her army strengthens day by day

  You play her game! She’ll make you pay!

  “Don’t you guys see? The jokers are part of Mrs. Marder’s spell!” I cried. “They must be part of her army. And they keep coming after us. More jokers each time. It started with one. But this time there were four. Next time there’ll be five! We have to stop Mrs. Marder!”

  “Hold on,” Jeff protested. “You’ve got it all wrong, Brittany. I was trying to tell you before. I know Mrs. Marder.”

  My mouth fell open. “You do?” I managed to get out at last. “How come you never said anything?”

  Jeff shrugged. “I deliver her groceries sometimes. That’s all. I don’t know her very well. But well enough to know that the stories aren’t true. She’s pretty cranky. But she isn’t a witch. And I don’t believe she’s behind these joker attacks.”

  I stared at Jeff for a moment. How come he never told us before about knowing Mrs. Marder?

  And another thing. How come he didn’t run through Mrs. Marder’s yard with the rest of us? And how come he took so long to admit that the marks on Frankie’s arm were card suits?

  Was he on our side? Or was he on Mrs. Marder’s side?

  I wasn’t sure what to believe. But his grocery-delivery story gave me an idea.

  “Maybe Mrs. Marder is behind the jokers,” I said slowly, “and maybe she isn’t. But we’re going to find out.”

  “How?” Louisa asked.

  “Simple,” I answered. “We need to spy on Mrs. Marder.”

  14

  “Okay, here’s what we do,” I said. “Jeff, you deliver a load of groceries to Mrs. Marder on Monday after school. While you’re keeping her busy, we’ll sneak around her house. See if we can find out anything about the jokers.”

  “One problem,” Jeff said. “I just made a delivery to her house yesterday.”

  I still wasn’t sure about Jeff. If he went along with our spy plan, then I’d know he was on our side—if not, he was definitely on Mrs. Marder’s.

  “So when she comes to the door, act confused,” I told him. “Say there’s been a mistake. Say anything! Just keep her busy. That way the rest of us can sneak onto her porch. We can peek in the windows. And maybe even slip inside for a fast look.”

  Jeff sighed. “This is a really stupid idea. But I’ll do it. Only to prove how wrong you are about Mrs. Marder.”

  * * *

  On Monday I met everyone at the grocery store before we went to Max’s—and Mrs. Marder’s house.

  We all chipped in for the groceries. Then we headed for her house.

  “Ready, Jeff?” I asked as we stood outside the front gate.

  Jeff nodded. He shifted the grocery bag to his other arm. Then he opened the gate and started up the walk.

  Three cats jumped down from a windowsill. They circled Jeff, rubbing against his legs.

  Louisa, Frankie, and I walked on past the gate. We hid behind the bushes on
the far side of the house. I peeked out at Jeff. He had his finger on the doorbell.

  I kept my eyes glued to Jeff. He rang the bell again.

  At last he turned and mouthed to us: “She’s not home.”

  I hadn’t thought of this. Mrs. Marder had always been home when we walked by.

  “Okay,” I said. “She’s not home.” I took a deep breath. “Let’s see if we can sneak inside.”

  “I don’t want to,” Louisa protested. “What if she catches us? It’s too scary.”

  “Come on!” Frankie suddenly leapt up from our hiding place. “Let’s go!”

  He raced through the gate, whooping. Then ran up the walk and galloped around on her porch.

  “What is with him? He’s acting like an idiot!” I whispered to Louisa as I dragged her through the front gate.

  The cats in the yard hissed as we hurried to the back door. I turned the doorknob. Click!

  Yes! It wasn’t locked!

  We crept inside.

  Jeff quietly shut the door behind us. He set the bag of groceries down on the kitchen table.

  Mrs. Marder’s kitchen was dark. It had a musty smell. The floor was yellowed. Dirty dishes sat in the sink. A head of wilted lettuce lay on the kitchen table. Beside it—a sharp carving knife.

  My heart beat wildly.

  We were inside the evil woman’s house!

  Even in the dark, I could see the cats.

  Cats sitting on the counters. Cats curled up on the floor. Cats stretched out on the kitchen chairs.

  Black cats—everywhere.

  “I can’t do this!” Louisa whispered.

  “Stay calm!” I told her, trying not to panic myself. “We’ll be out of here in a few minutes. Okay, quick! Let’s look around. Let’s find out everything we can—and get out!”

  While Frankie and Jeff poked around the kitchen, Louisa and I made our way down a dim hallway. The doors along it were all closed. Cats followed us, winding in and out among our feet.

  I stopped before a door and cracked it open. Only a bathroom.

  We walked to the next door.

  “What if it’s her bedroom?” Louisa whispered. “What if she’s in there?”

  Louisa’s panic was catching. I could hardly hear her over my pounding heart.

  I had to force myself to take hold of the old glass knob and twist.

  I started to push open the door.

  But all of a sudden Frankie and Jeff appeared. Frankie shoved me aside. He raced into the room ahead of me, laughing wildly.

  “Frankie! What’s wrong with—” I began.

  I broke off.

  We’d found Mrs. Marder’s bedroom.

  A big four-poster bed stood against one wall. Facing it I saw a chest of drawers. Set in another wall was a big window. And then . . .

  Whoa!

  An enormous telescope stood by the window!

  I stepped into the room.

  It was filled with even more black cats. They sat on the floor, glaring at us with glowing yellow eyes.

  Frankie peered through the telescope. He turned to me, grinning. “Take a look!” he crowed.

  I put my eye to the telescope—and gasped. “I don’t believe it!”

  15

  I saw part of a room.

  Max’s room!

  The telescope was aimed right at Max’s window!

  I backed away, speechless.

  Louisa took a turn at the telescope. Her eyes were wide when she moved her head away from it.

  Now it was Jeff’s turn. He bent down to take a look. Then he stared at me.

  “Maybe you’re right, Brittany,” he whispered. “Maybe Mrs. Marder does have something to do with the jokers.”

  “Of course I’m right!” I exclaimed. “She’s been spying on us. Watching us play cards. That’s why she used jokers for her evil spell!”

  “What are we going to do?” Louisa asked.

  “We have our proof,” I began. “Now—”

  But that’s as far as I got.

  Suddenly the cats raced out the bedroom door. All at once. As if they had been called.

  “She’s home!” Louisa’s voice squeaked. “We’re trapped!”

  “Come on!” Jeff whispered. He tiptoed quickly out of the bedroom. We followed right behind him.

  Mrs. Marder’s voice floated down the hallway to us. We could hear her talking to her cats.

  “She’s at the front door,” Jeff whispered.

  He led the way silently to the kitchen. To the back door.

  He turned the knob.

  I didn’t hear any click.

  He turned it again.

  Nothing.

  He began pulling on the door—hard!

  But the door didn’t open.

  It was locked!

  Cats started streaming into the kitchen. Howling madly.

  “What’s wrong, my little pets?” Mrs. Marder asked.

  Oh, no! She’s coming. She’s right behind them!

  Jeff pulled on the door with all his strength.

  It wouldn’t budge.

  16

  I grabbed the doorknob.

  I yanked on it frantically. No use. The door was stuck tight.

  “Do something!” Louisa whimpered. “She’s coming!”

  Frankie leapt to the door. He was grinning an awful grin.

  He shoved Jeff and me aside and grabbed the doorknob. The door swung open.

  How did he do that? I wondered. But I wasn’t about to stop and ask. The four of us charged through the door at the same time!

  We ran for our lives.

  We raced through Mrs. Marder’s backyard to Max’s. I didn’t dare look over my shoulder. What if she was behind us? Chasing us?

  Jeff rang the doorbell again and again—until Mrs. Davidson opened it.

  “Mrs. Davidson!” Louisa cried as she rushed in. “Help!”

  “What’s the matter?” Mrs. Davidson asked. “Why are you all out of breath?”

  “It’s too hard to explain,” Jeff told her once we were safely inside. “But we can’t play cards with Max anymore.”

  Mrs. Davidson’s eyes grew wide. “Why not?” she asked. “Your card games are doing Max a world of good!”

  “Because when we play, Mrs. Marder spies on us!” I exclaimed. “With a telescope! Then she makes those awful jokers appear.”

  Mrs. Davidson raised her eyebrows.

  “It’s true,” I insisted. “And they aren’t only on the cards. They show up in real life too! They attacked Frankie and Louisa—just like the creatures who attacked those poor kids in the story you told us!”

  Mrs. Davidson shook her head. “You’re imagining this, Brittany dear.” She patted me lightly on the shoulder.

  My heart sank. Mrs. Davidson didn’t believe us.

  Probably no one would believe us, I realized with dread.

  Who could believe such a wild story? As my words spilled out, even I thought I sounded crazy!

  “Maybe you should play checkers today,” Mrs. Davidson suggested.

  “Could we play in the living room?” Jeff asked.

  Mrs. Davidson looked puzzled. “Why?”

  “It’s the windows,” Louisa told her. “Mrs. Marder spies on us through Max’s windows.”

  “Oh, all right.” Mrs. Davidson laughed. “The things you kids think up!” She led the way to Max’s room.

  “Max?” She bent over him. “Do you feel up to playing in the living room today?”

  Max shook his head silently.

  I glanced at the windows. They had shades rolled all the way up. “Let’s pull down the shades,” I suggested. “Then we can play in here.”

  Mrs. Davidson laughed again. But she lowered the shades. That made the room so dark, we had to turn on some lamps. But at least Mrs. Marder couldn’t spy on us.

  “Surprise, Max!” Louisa announced as she carried a checkerboard over to his bed. “We’re going to play checkers. I’ll play you first.”

  “And I’ll play
the winner,” Jeff told Max.

  But Max only stared at the checkerboard.

  “What’s the matter, Max?” Mrs. Davidson asked. “Wouldn’t you like to play checkers for a change?”

  Max shook his head. “No,” he whispered.

  He looked so unhappy.

  “All right, Max.” I sighed. “We’ll play Hearts if you want.”

  “What?” Louisa exclaimed. “Am I hearing you right?”

  “Yeah,” Jeff added. “This is a switch for you.”

  I shrugged.

  I had come prepared.

  I reached into the back pocket of my jeans and drew out a deck of cards.

  “There’s no way Mrs. Marder could have put any evil spell on these,” I announced as I handed my cards to Max. “Want to deal?”

  Max smiled as he took the cards.

  “Oh, thank you, kids!” Mrs. Davidson exclaimed. “Now everyone’s happy. Have a good time!” Then she left us to our game.

  Max slid out of bed. He walked slowly over to the table and sat down. He began to shuffle the deck. Louisa cut the cards and Max dealt our hands.

  I didn’t feel at all scared. I wasn’t one bit worried about anybody getting a joker.

  When the cards had all been dealt, I picked up my hand. I straightened the cards. I looked at the first one.

  And gasped.

  There it was—a hideous joker.

  My hands began to tremble.

  How could this be? How did the joker get into my deck?

  17

  I felt a weird buzzing in my ears. For a moment, everything in the room seemed to fade. To turn gray.

  I shook my head.

  Everything came back into focus. I was staring at the card in my hand. A joker—with cold, evil, yellow eyes. The most horrible one I’d seen yet.

  It was screaming!

  “Nooo!” I shrieked.

  I hurled my cards at the window.

  How did she do it?

  How did Mrs. Marder work her evil magic on my cards? How did she see us with the shades pulled down?

  We didn’t stay at Max’s long that afternoon. I was still shaking when we left his house.

  “Are you okay?” Jeff asked me as we headed down Fear Street.

  “No!” I shouted. “I’m not okay! I feel like a walking target. I got a joker. Now something terrible is going to happen to me. I’m just waiting for the rattles and hisses to start. I’m waiting for a bunch of jokers to attack me!”