Part 6 (1/2)

”Are - are you saying that my neighborhood is haunted?” haunted?” I asked. I asked.

”Well, missy, I can't say for sure,” he answered. ”But you'll know once the house is finally torn down.”

That was supposed to happen the next day! What did he mean! What was going to happen?

”How will I know?” I whispered. I could hardly speak. will I know?” I whispered. I could hardly speak.

Mr. Hennessey wouldn't answer. Kristy, Claud, and Charlotte just sat and gaped at him. I asked him again.

He shook his head. ”Sometimes people are safer not knowing,” he said. ”I'd stay away from that house. I don't like the sound of what you've seen and heard there.” He stopped with that and wouldn't say another word about the house.

I felt frustrated and more scared than ever. But Mr. Hennessey looked tired all of a sudden, so we decided it was time to leave. I thanked him, and he nodded wearily and raised his hand in a wave. ”Just be careful,” he said.

Once again, we didn't get much done at our club meeting later that day. Of course we answered the phone and arranged jobs and everything - nothing gets in the way of that - but that was about it. We spent the rest of the time talking about the house, and about Mr. Hennessey's stories. Claud did a great rendition of the ”Old Rubbernose” story - in fact, she really had us laughing for a few minutes. But by the time Charlotte and I walked home from the meeting, I wasn't laughing anymore. Mr. Hennessey's words echoed in my mind. ”Just be careful.” It was a warning.

Chapter 14.

The next day was Thursday, the day the house was scheduled to come down. I didn't get much sleep at all on Wednesday night. Neither did Charlotte, judging by how bleary-eyed she looked at breakfast that morning. Once again I sleepwalked through all my cla.s.ses that day. Maybe it was a good thing that the house was coming down at last. If this went on much longer, my grades might really suffer. Lately I just couldn't concentrate on anything but that house.

Charlotte and I had talked it over seriously and decided that we would pay attention to Mr. Hennessey's warning. We would not go and watch as the house was torn down. Maybe Mr. Hennessey was a little crazy - or senile - but it didn't matter to us. We didn't know what what might happen when the house was knocked down, and we didn't plan to be there to find out. Our nightmares had been scary might happen when the house was knocked down, and we didn't plan to be there to find out. Our nightmares had been scary enough; we didn't need to see the real thing.

We were sitting on the front steps of my house, trying to talk about anything but but the house, when we noticed that there seemed to be more traffic than usual on my street. Kids went by on bikes and skateboards. Moms pushed strollers. Older kids cruised by in their cars. Everybody was headed in the same direction. I guess the demolition of the old house was a major event in Stoneybrook. Everybody wanted to be there. the house, when we noticed that there seemed to be more traffic than usual on my street. Kids went by on bikes and skateboards. Moms pushed strollers. Older kids cruised by in their cars. Everybody was headed in the same direction. I guess the demolition of the old house was a major event in Stoneybrook. Everybody wanted to be there.

Including Charlotte. ”Stacey, why can't we go if everybody else is going?” she asked. ”Let's go. Please?”

Part of the reason I'd decided to stay home was for Charlotte's sake. I'd been behaving less than responsibly toward her, exposing her to all these scary stories and everything. At least that's how I was beginning to feel. But if she really wanted to go, maybe we should, I thought. Anyway, what could happen with such a big crowd of people around?

”Okay, Charlotte. We might as well go,” I said. I took her hand and we set off down the street to join the party.

As we got closer to the house, I started to see people I knew. I saw Suzi and Buddy Barrett standing on the corner together. They waved to us. All the Pike kids were there.

They made a crowd all by themselves. The triplets were playing freeze tag with some other kids, and I heard Nicky teasing Claire by singing his his version of ”The Wheels on the Bus.” He sang, version of ”The Wheels on the Bus.” He sang, ”The wheels on the bus go back and forth, back and forth ”The wheels on the bus go back and forth, back and forth ...” Then, ...” Then, ”The wipers on the bus go round and round, round and round ”The wipers on the bus go round and round, round and round ...” Mallory, who was keeping an eye on her brothers and sisters, made him stop when Claire started to cry. ...” Mallory, who was keeping an eye on her brothers and sisters, made him stop when Claire started to cry.

Mary Anne was there with Jenny Prezzioso, whom she was sitting for that day. Jenny was dressed up for the occasion, which was nothing new. Jenny is always always dressed up. She had on a white frilly dress with a pink pinafore over it. Her tights had rosebuds on them and she wore white party shoes with big pink bows on them. Charlotte stared at her while Mary Anne and I said h.e.l.lo. Jenny looked back at Charlotte and preened a little. dressed up. She had on a white frilly dress with a pink pinafore over it. Her tights had rosebuds on them and she wore white party shoes with big pink bows on them. Charlotte stared at her while Mary Anne and I said h.e.l.lo. Jenny looked back at Charlotte and preened a little.

”Do you like my most beautiful new dress?” she asked coyly.

Charlotte seemed unsure of what to say, so I spoke up. ”It's very nice, Jenny. I hope it won't get dirty, though, while you watch the house get torn down.” Maybe someday Mrs. Prezzioso will start dressing Jenny like a normal kid.

Charlotte was waving at someone. I looked in that direction and saw Claud, with Myriah and Gabbie in tow. They looked excited by the action. It was was exciting. It was like a fair or something, with all these people milling around. Some adults were there, too. I saw a woman who works at the bank talking with our mailman. exciting. It was like a fair or something, with all these people milling around. Some adults were there, too. I saw a woman who works at the bank talking with our mailman.

Then I heard someone calling my name and turned around just in time to see Kristy drive by with her brothers Charlie and Sam. They parked, and she came over to stand with me and Charlotte.

”This is the big day, right, Stacey?” she said. ”I wonder if Mr. Hennessey's stories were for real. I guess we'll know for sure soon.”

Just then the workmen came out of the house. I guess they'd been making some last-minute preparations. One of them got into the operator's seat of a crane standing nearby and turned it toward the house. The big wrecking ball swung forward and crashed into the uppermost tower. This was it!

The ball kept swinging and the crowd hushed as we all watched the house start to crumble before our eyes. Charlotte held my hand tightly. The few windows that were left in the house shattered as the ball shook the building. The porch railing finally let go entirely and fell off into the weeds below. It wasn't long before the whole second story was gone, and it was clear that the rest of the job would go quickly. I started to calm down. It looked as though nothing were going to happen after all.

Boy, was I wrong. Just then, I saw something very very awful. The house - what was left of it - suddenly went up in flames. The fire crackled and roared as it engulfed the wreckage. I looked around, terrified. What should we do? But everybody was just standing there, looking slightly bored. Kristy had wandered off to talk to Sam. Charlotte was watching one of the workmen pack his tools away into his truck. n.o.body else seemed to see the fire! awful. The house - what was left of it - suddenly went up in flames. The fire crackled and roared as it engulfed the wreckage. I looked around, terrified. What should we do? But everybody was just standing there, looking slightly bored. Kristy had wandered off to talk to Sam. Charlotte was watching one of the workmen pack his tools away into his truck. n.o.body else seemed to see the fire!

I turned back to check again. Maybe I'd been imagining things once more. But the flames were even higher by now. Smoke curled up as the fire moved quickly through the tumbledown structure. And then, just as in my dream, I saw a figure. It was calling for help. It looked like an old, old man. Was it - could it be - Mr. Hennessey? I couldn't believe my eyes. Just as in my dream, my feet were rooted to the ground. I wanted to help, but what could I do? Then I felt Charlotte tugging on my hand.

”Let's go, Stacey,” she said. ”This is getting kind of boring. Nothing weird happened at all. I guess there wasn't really any mystery after all. Mr. Hennessey probably is just a crazy old man.”

I shook my head, trying to dear my thoughts. What was going on? When I looked at the house again, there was no fire. But I had a terrible feeling in the pit of my stomach, and it had to do with Mr. Hennessey. I felt like he needed help, and like it was up to me to go to him. It was the weirdest feeling, let me tell you, but it was overwhelming and I couldn't ignore it. .

I dragged Charlotte over to where Claud stood with Myriah and Gabbie. ”Claud, can you watch Charlotte for a little while? I've got to go see Mr. Hennessey, right now,” I said breathlessly. She must have thought I was nuts, but she just nodded. Charlotte looked up at me, confused. But there was trust in her eyes, too. I think she could see that somehow this meant a lot to me. I knelt down and gave her a hug. ”Be good, Char. I'll be back soon,” I said.

I took off for Stoneybrook Manor, running until I got a st.i.tch in my side, then walking, then running some more. I still didn't understand exactly why I felt I had to go there, but the feeling was stronger than ever. It seemed to take ages to reach the home, but finally I stood on the sidewalk, just as I had yesterday, looking at Stoneybrook Manor. I took a deep breath, walked up the path, and pushed open the door. The man at the reception desk rose from his seat as I approached.

”How may I help you?” he asked, just as he had yesterday. I could see that he didn't remember me.

”I ... I'm here to see Mr. Ronald Hennessey, please,” I said. I was still breathing hard from all that running.

The man's eyes lit up. He did remember me! But then a sad look came over his face. He walked around his desk and put his hand on my shoulder. He looked straight into my eyes and said, ”I'm so sorry to have to give you this unhappy news, but Mr. Hennessey pa.s.sed away just last night.”

Chapter 15.

I was in shock. Mr. Hennessey was dead! I just couldn't believe it.

And I couldn't say a word. I must have looked pretty silly. Finally, someone spoke. ”Aren't you Stacey McGill?” It was the woman, Ruth, who had wheeled Mr. Hennessey out to see us.

”Mr. Hennessey couldn't stop talking about you after you left,” she said. ”He was very pleased to make your acquaintance. He left this note for you.” She pulled a folded piece of paper out of her pocket and handed it to me.

I took the note and thanked her. Then I walked over to the lounge and sat down to read it. Sure enough, my name was on the outside of the paper. ”Miss Stacey McGill” Stacey McGill” it said, in an old-fas.h.i.+oned-looking script. I opened it up. it said, in an old-fas.h.i.+oned-looking script. I opened it up.