A Change in Altitude by Cindy Myers Page B

most interesting, and that had to count for something. He had also been the first one to make friends with her when she enrolled in Eureka Middle School, and that counted for something, too. “But do you think this house your parents are fixing up is haunted?” she asked.
    â€œNot my parents—my mother and her boyfriend. But they’re engaged, so he’ll be my step-father, which is a kind of parent, I guess.”
    She nodded. Lucas always explained things—even things that didn’t need explaining. “But have you seen the ghost?” she asked.
    â€œNo, but things keep disappearing from the house. We’ll leave tools or stuff behind and the next day they’re gone. Once I left a half a peanut butter and pickle sandwich, and the next day it was gone.”
    â€œPeanut butter and pickle? Seriously?”
    â€œIt’s really good. The sweetness of the pickles complements the saltiness of the peanuts.”
    She made a face. “So your ghost has weird taste in food, too. Maybe it’s just a thief.”
    â€œBut a thief would take big stuff that was worth money—power tools and stuff. Everything that’s gone missing so far is little stuff.”
    â€œMaybe some animal is taking them.”
    He nodded. “I thought of that. Which is why I want to set up a camera to catch it.”
    â€œSo why do you need my help?”
    â€œI don’t have a camera,” he said. “You do.”
    She leaned back, as if that would put enough distance between them. “You can’t have my camera.”
    â€œI just want to borrow it. For one night. I’ll give it back, I promise.”
    â€œWhat if your ghost steals it? My father gave me that camera.” She loved the way the words sounded. As if her father was this loving, generous person who lavished her with expensive gifts. He wasn’t, but maybe he would have been, if his circumstances had been different. The camera proved that.
    â€œThen you could come with me. We could wait together for the ghost—or whatever it is—to show up; then you could snap the picture.”
    â€œYou mean, spend the night at the house with you?” A haunted house?
    â€œWe probably wouldn’t have to wait the whole night,” he said.
    â€œLike my mom is going to let me do that.”
    â€œYou’d have to sneak out.” He moved his chair closer, his voice scarcely above a whisper. “You could do it. Wait until she’s asleep and climb out the window. I can meet you on my bike. Haven’t you ever snuck out before?”
    â€œNo.” What would have been the point? Where they’d lived, there was nowhere to go.
    â€œAt least say you’ll come to the house with me this afternoon, after school.”
    â€œDo you think we’ll see the ghost in daylight?”
    â€œProbably not, but at least you can see the house. I’ll show you my room, and the ride over there is pretty cool.”
    â€œI don’t have a bike.”
    â€œYou can ride on my handlebars. It’ll be fun.”
    She chewed her lower lip. Her mom was working late and she’d be home alone with nothing really to do. Homework never took long, and they didn’t even have a TV. “Okay. But I have to be back before seven.”
    â€œGreat. I’ll meet you at your house at four.”
    â€œOkay.” She looked down at her notebook. “But for now we’d better work on the social studies project.”
    â€œI was thinking we could make a rocket,” he said. “One that really flew.”
    If she could make a rocket, she’d fly back to Vermont and bring her brother back to Eureka with them. He’d said he wanted to stay with their father, to run around in the woods shooting animals and pretend enemies. He repeated things their dad said, about the government and the end of the world, as if they were his own opinions. But if she could just get Adan away from there,