Mr. Lambini's Haunted House

page 2 / 3

"Cool," she said, turning toward the right. "Maybe we'll go through the whole house."

"But we don't really know him," Beth said.

Cindy realized Beth was right. She knew the man's name, but nothing else about him. Still, she wasn't going to turn back. Cindy wasn't scared. "Lot's of kids have been here. There's nothing to worry about." She headed down the hall, feeling pleased to hear the shuffling of the others following after her.

Cindy hadn't gone more than ten steps when the vampire jumped out from behind a sheet.

"Mwwwwaahhaaaahhaahhaaa!" he screamed. Then he vanished behind the walls.

Cindy wasn't scared. But she had to admit the vampire makeup was pretty good.

Beth gasped, but she stayed next to Cindy, clutching her arm so hard Cindy was sure there'd be a bruise the next morning.

Little Ted wailed like a banshee and ran off, his cowboy hat flying from his head as he galloped for safety. Wally chased after him.

Cindy went deeper.

The headless man popped out of nowhere and swung an ax at her. Even in the gloom of the narrow corridor, she could see the blade was rubber.

Sure enough, it bounced off her.

Cindy glanced back when she realized nobody was grabbing her arm. "Beth, hold on," she called, but it was too late. She caught a last glimpse of Beth as her friend vanished around the corner, heading back the way they'd come.

Dwayne was still there -- until the skull came flying at them, hissing like a snake, sparks flying from its eyes.

Dwayne made tracks for the door. Cindy watched the skull swing back and force on the piece of fishing line. "Pretty cool," she said.

Cindy wasn't scared, not even when the bats dropped from above. Not even when the man with the chainsaw leaped out of the darkness or when the grasping hands burst through the walls on either side of her, their nails dark with fresh-turned earth.

She came, at last, to the end of the tour. "Well done," a man said. Cindy figured this was Mr. Lambini. He pointed to a door. "Nobody else has been this brave." He reached into a plastic pumpkin on a table next to him and handed her a candy bar. "Oh, take two. I've got plenty." He handed her a second one.