“We could get a coffin,” Watch suggested from behind the tombstone. “And I could lay inside it upside-down and the two of you could carry me over here.”
“The coffins they sell in town lock when you close them,” Sally said, lying back and staring up at the sky. “Remember the scratching sounds.”
“I don’t think we have the strength to carry you in a coffin,” Adam said, distracted as he watched the dull red light radiating from the top of the nearby castle tower begin to flicker. Actually, it wasn’t so dull anymore. Maybe Ann Templeton had decided to light more candles or throw another log on the fire.
What did she do up there? Adam wondered. Was she really a witch? Could she really turn boys into frogs and girls into lizards? Adam couldn’t get her voice out of his head. While Watch continued to poke around behind him, and Sally lay snoozing, Adam thought of the strange things she had said to him.
“Nothing is the way it looks. Nobody is just one way. When you hear storiesabout me—perhaps from this skinny girl here, perhaps from others—know thatthey’re only partially true.”
But she had seemed to like him.
“You have such nice eyes, did you know that, Adam?”
Adam didn’t think she’d try to hurt him.
“I will see both of you later—under different circumstances.”
The light in the tall tower flared again.
Candles didn’t usually burn so red.
Adam found himself unable to quit staring at the light.
At the tower.
He thought he saw the shadow of Ann Templeton step to the window.
“Would you like to visit me there someday?”
She looked down at him. Smiled down at him.
Her lips the color of fire. Her eyes glowing like a cat’s.
“Oh no,” Adam whispered to himself.
Sally nudged him in the side.
“Adam?” she said, sounding worried.
“Yes,” he mumbled, feeling hypnotized.
Sally shook him. “Adam!”
He looked over at her. “What’s the matter?” he said.
“What’s the matter with you?” Sally looked up at the castle tower. “She’s trying to put a spell on you.”
Adam shook himself. The red light was gone, as was the image of the beautiful woman. The structure could have been deserted for two hundred years. “No. I’m fine, really.” He did feel kind of cold, though. “But I think we should get out of here.” He glanced around. “Where’s Watch?”
Sally frowned. “I don’t know.” She jumped to her feet. “Watch! Watch! Adam, I don’t see him! Watch!”
They called for ten minutes straight.
But their friend was gone.
10
They found Watch’s glasses in the dirt in front of the tombstone. Adam half expected to discover a bloodstain on them when he picked them up. But they were only dirty.
“Watch can’t walk ten feet without his glasses,” Sally whispered.
“But he must have walked out of here,” Adam said.
“No,” Sally replied gloomily.
“What are you saying? He’s gone.”
“But he didn’t walk out of here. He vanished.”
“I didn’t see him vanish,” Adam said.
“What did you see?”
Adam was confused. “I don’t know. I was staring up at that tower.” He pointed through the skeleton trees toward Ann Templeton’s home. “There was a red glow coming from the highest window.” He shook his head and peered up at the sky.
“It seems later than it should be. Did we fall asleep?”
Sally, also, appeared puzzled. “I didn’t think so. I know I just lay down for a minute. But then—I think I dreamed.”