Free The House Next Door by P. J. Night Page A

crash of hundreds of objects being shattered below.

CHAPTER 9
    â€œWhat was that?” Steve shrieked. Alyssa had never heard one of her guy friends sound so scared. He spun around, swiveling his head in every direction. He pointed rapidly to the floor with a shaking finger. “There’s something down there!”
    Alyssa’s heart jumped in her chest. It sounded like glass had been broken. But now it was silent. With wide eyes, she looked from Paul and Steve to John and Michael.
    â€œThis is getting way too weird for me!” Paul said nervously. “I’m out of here.”
    Paul flew down the attic steps with the crew chasing him down the hallway. When he reached the secondstaircase, he took the steps two at a time until he landed at the bottom. Alyssa was breathing deeply from exertion and fright when she caught up to everyone in the foyer.
    â€œWait,” John said. “This is an old house. It was probably just something that fell over.”
    But Steve’s hand was already on the doorknob.
    â€œYou’re both leaving?” Amanda asked. Confused, she looked to Paul and then back to Steve.
    Paul pushed past her, making his way out of the living room. But when he reached the foyer, the rubber sole of his shoe snagged the corner of an old, tattered rug. He tried to steady himself, but he tripped over his feet and started to tumble toward the floor. As he reached out to break his fall, he grabbed on to a grimy cloth that covered a small table. The tablecloth slid off the table, causing all its contents to come crashing to the floor.
    Amanda walked over to where Paul was sprawled out on the rug. The springs and cogs of a small broken clock were scattered about the floor. A vase had shattered. And several yellow-tinged papers floated about until gently settling around him.
    â€œAre you okay?” Amanda asked, stifling a laugh. The sight of Paul grappling on the floor made her completely forget just how spooked she had been only a few seconds earlier.
    He looked at her with bloodshot eyes. Amanda wondered if he was about to cry.
    Amanda and Alyssa couldn’t believe what they were seeing. Paul and Steve were scared. Alyssa bit her bottom lip and tilted her head.
    â€œEveryone else leaving too?” Steve asked.
    â€œActually,” John spoke up, “I think we’re going to stay. Who knows what other neat things might be hidden in this house? Maybe there’s a secret passageway that leads to a hidden treasure. Why don’t you stay?”
    â€œNo way,” Steve replied. He pulled on the solid oak door until it finally opened. “See ya!” he called as he ran out of the house. He jumped off the porch, leaping over the wobbly step.
    Alyssa went to the door and watched him sprint toward her home. She blinked and he disappeared into the darkness.
    Paul scrambled to his feet and brushed the dustoff of his jeans. He left big, gray handprints on his backside.
    â€œI’m still gonna head back too,” he said. Little glass pieces crunched under his feet as he made his way to the door. As soon as he hit the ground outside, he also raced off into the night, slipping away into the shadows.
    Alyssa looked at Amanda, and they both broke into a fit of hysterical laughter. Amanda was nearly shrieking as she gasped for air.
    â€œTough guys,” John quipped.
    â€œYeah,” Amanda agreed. “And they were so excited to get here earlier.”
    After they calmed down, Alyssa remembered the loud crash that came from the floor beneath them. “What do you think crashed when we were in the attic?”
    John looked at the girls and smiled. “I guess there’s only one way to find out. Let’s go see.”
    As the four kids walked through the living room, and the hilarity of the last few moments faded away, Alyssa began to feel uneasy again. She felt like she was being watched.
    She swiveled her head, expecting to see someonelurking in the shadows