Ghost Town by Phoebe Rivers Page A

created by knotting the stems together. I felt my gaze drawn behind her. There stood the old man with the cane. His eyes bore into me.
    With a disgusted groan, I wrenched my gaze away.
    â€œI’m not doing anything wrong, you know,” Miranda said.
    â€œHuh?” I tried to focus on Miranda, but he kept pulling me toward him.
    â€œI was just having fun.” Miranda pushed the cherry bundle onto her napkin. “You don’t have to look so grossed-out.”
    â€œI’m not.” My voice came out in a squeak. I wriggled in my chair, trying desperately to control my body. My fingers found their way into my pocket. The stone. I needed the pink stone.
    Sara.
    He wanted my attention. My full attention.
    Sara . . .
    He called to me. My stomach heaved, and the smell of the sugary caramel caused me to gag.
    â€œGross,” Miranda whispered to Lily.
    I wanted to turn and see Lily. What was her reaction? But I couldn’t. The old man’s spirit had invaded my vision.
    All I saw was him. His fear. His anguish. And then orange.
    The aroma of acrid smoke invaded my nose.
    The orange became red then yellow.
    Sweat trickled down the back of my shirt as heat spread around me. Within me.
    Flames danced before me.
    I needed help. I tried to scream but couldn’t.
    My fingers clawed the cold linoleum of the table.
    Suddenly I understood.
    The fire was not here.
    The fire I saw, I smelled, I felt, was happening now—at the haunted house!

CHAPTER 14
    I jumped up from the table, sending the bowl of colored sprinkles skittering across the table in a rainbow explosion.
    I couldn’t stop to clean it up. I darted around the other customers and bolted out the door.
    â€œSara!”
    Lily’s worried call rang out behind me, but I didn’t turn back. My flip-flops smacked the boardwalk as I raced toward Midnight Manor.
    Would I make it in time? Had the building already burned down?
    I passed the fudge shop, and the purple house rose into view. No smell of smoke in the air. No flames. The house looked fine. Normal.
    But I didn’t stop. I couldn’t.
    I searched the area for David. Where was he?
    Then I spotted him by the side door.
    â€œIs—is there a fire?” My breath came out in ragged gasps. I bent over, hands on my knees as I struggled to calm my pounding heart.
    â€œSay what?” David screwed up his face.
    I quickly scanned the building again. I could see it wasn’t burning. I could hear Lily and Miranda running up behind me. I knew the smart thing—the normal thing—would be to walk away or turn the whole thing into a joke. But the feeling—it was still with me.
    Darkness.
    The heat of the invisible flames.
    The pull to the house.
    I wasn’t wrong.
    I grabbed David’s shoulder. I had to make him understand. “Listen, I know I sound all weird. I get that, but you’ve got to listen to me. Something bad is going to happen here. Now. I can’t explain how I know it, I just do. Please! Trust me.”
    David’s eyes widened. I’d definitely gotten his attention.
    For what felt like the longest minute ever, he staredat me intently. He searched my face and looked deeply into my eyes. I guess he saw something that made him believe me.
    Then he sprang into action.
    He opened the mansion door and hit the main light switch. “Out! Everybody out!” he screamed. He left me to walk through the house.
    My brain was spinning. Fire. If the house wasn’t burning now, would it start soon? Had the old man’s spirit been giving me a clue?
    I needed to do something, but what? How could I stop a fire?
    â€œWait, I’m not following,” Miranda said. “Why did you make David get those kids out?” She pointed toward the six grumbling kids who were exiting.
    â€œIt’s not safe,” I replied, still trying to untangle the puzzle in my mind.
    â€œWhat gives you the right to say that?” Miranda