“What did you dream?” Adam asked.
Fear entered Sally’s eyes. “About the day they buried the witch. I saw them carry her body in here. They were all scared. They thought it might come back to life and eat them.” She shook her head. “But it was just a dream.”
Adam gestured with Watch’s glasses in his hand. “We have to find Watch.” He turned toward the back of the cemetery, where they’d entered. Sally stopped him.
“Watch didn’t leave the cemetery,” she said firmly.
“Then where is he?” Adam asked.
“Don’t you see? He found the end of the Secret Path.” She pointed at the witch’s tombstone. “He went through there.”
Adam shook his head. “That’s impossible. Why would he be the only one to vanish? Why not us?”
“He did something—special. You’re sure you didn’t see him?”
“I told you, I didn’t.”
Sally walked around the tombstone, talking all the time. “He was trying to figure out what the end of Bum’s riddle meant. He must have hit upon the solution, maybe even by accident.” She paused to consider, reciting the lines once more. “
‘Follow her all the way to her death, and remember, when they brought her to her grave, they carried her upside-down.’ ” Sally shook her head. “Watch couldn’t have walked up to the tombstone upside-down. There was no one to carry him.”
Adam had an idea. “Maybe we’re looking at the riddle too literally. It is a riddle, after all. ‘Upside-down’ is—in- a way—another way of saying ‘backward.’ ”
Sally came closer. “I don’t understand.”
Adam pointed toward the cemetery entrance. “Bum might have been telling us she was brought in here backward. Maybe all we have to do, here at the end of the Secret Path, is approach the tombstone walking backward.”
Sally jumped. “Let’s try it!”
“Wait a second. What if it works?”
“We want it to work. We have to give Watch his glasses.” Sally paused. “You’re not getting scared again?”
Adam spoke impatiently. “I wasn’t scared to begin with. What I’m saying is even if we do go through the doorway into another dimension—how do we
know we’ll end up in the same dimension Watch is? Bum said there were many Spooksvilles on the other side.”
“I guess there’s no way to tell unless we try it. We’ll just have to risk it.”
Adam shook his head. “I’ll risk it. Alone. You stay here and stand guard.”
“What am I standing guard against? All the danger’s on the other side. I’m coming with you.”
“No. You said it yourself—it could be dangerous.”
Sally stared at him. “You’re not just trying to impress me, are you? Because if you are, it’s not necessary. I like you already.”
Adam sighed. “I’m not trying to impress. I’m just trying to keep you from getting killed.”
Sally snorted. “Adam, you just got here. I grew up in Spooksville. Dark doorways are an everyday occurrence for me.” She reached for his hand. “Come, well go together, holding on to each other. That way if we end up in the witch’s evil realm, I’ll have someone cute to keep me company for the rest of eternity.”
Adam hesitated. “You really think I’m cute?”
“Yes. But don’t let it go to your head.” She paused. “Don’t you think I’m cute?”
Adam shrugged. “Well, yes, I suppose. You look all right.”
Sally socked him. “All right? I look all right? Brother, you have a thing or two to learn about insecure females.” She took his hand. “Let’s do this quick before I lose my nerve.”
Adam could feel her trembling. “You are scared, aren’t you?”
Sally nodded. “I’m terrified.”
Adam nodded. “So am I.” He tightened his grip on Watch’s glasses. “But we’ve got to try. Our friend could be in danger.”
“You sound like a hero on a movie of the week,” Sally said.
“I’ve been called worse.”
Together they walked to the entrance of the cemetery. Then, still holding hands, they began to walk backward toward the tombstone. It was difficult because they had to keep glancing over their shoulders to keep from stumbling. Adam found, as they neared the grave, that his heart was pounding wildly. The sky seemed to dim more. Out the corner of his eye, he thought he saw red light flicker in the tower of Ann Templeton. He believed he saw her image beckoning him.
Laughing at him.
The tombstone rose up behind them.
The wind stirred. Dust flew. Blinding them.
“Adam!” Sally cried suddenly.