Chapter 5

The kids followed Violet back downstairs and then to the basement. When they got down there, they saw the place looked like a scientist's lab. Bobby said, "What is this place?" Violet said, "The basement of the mansion. I used to sneak down here all the time while my master wasn't around." Emma said, "Did you bring us down here for a reason?" Violet jumped on the table and stood on a book. Violet said, "This book is a spell book. It belonged to a witch named Sarah Belington. It was given to her by the devil himself. My master never used it because he or his kids never could. He also believed no good could come from it, so he prevented his kids from using it." Mike said, "Why couldn't they?" Violet said, "None of them were a Wiccan nor a witch. Only they can use the book. That's why no one can ever get rid of these ghosts. Everyone who walks in these doors is mortal, and the book is useless to them." Alex said, "We'll see about that?" Alex read one of the book's spells, but the book sensed that he wasn't a Wiccan or a warlock; therefore, he couldn't use it.

Violet said, "What'd I tell you? Only Wiccans and witches can use it." Emma said, "Susan, you're part Wiccan, right?" Susan said, "Only 1/13th." Violet said, "Good." The kids all paid attention to Violet and wondered what she meant. Violet said, "Listen, there's a spell in here that will make all the ghosts vanish and return the mansion to what it was before I got my immortality." Emma said, "But that means you'll die in the process." Violet said, "Maybe, but I can't die for now. Grab the book, and let's get out of here before he finds us." Mike said, "Before, who finds us?"

A tiny sludge monster approached them and growled at them, but they weren't afraid. Violet said, "Before he does." Bobby said, "Why, he's not scary. He's cute." Once the monster knew they liked him, it shape-shifted into a cat and hissed at the kids and Violet. Violet said, "What'd I tell you? This guy can read people's minds and shape-shifting into their worst fears." Then the monster shape-shifted from a cat into a dog and barked at Violet. Violet then scratched the beast with her claws and hissed at it.

Emma then grabbed Violet while Pablo grabbed the spell book. Then they all ran back upstairs and locked the monster in the basement before it figured out what they feared. Violet skimmed through the spell book for the spell that would banish the ghosts in the house. When Violet found the page with the chant, she showed it to the kids. Violet said, "Here's the spell." Helga grabbed the book and took a good look at the spell. Helga read it out loud and tried to make it work. While she was reading, Violet jumped on the book and closed it. Helga said, "What'd you do that for?" Violet said, "You're not a Wiccan nor a witch. That means the book is useless to you."

While they were talking in the kitchen, the wall started oozing blood. Mike said, "Quick question. 'Was that wall dripping blood before?'" The kids began to get scared and slowly backed away from the wall. Emma said, "I don't think so." Sam said, "I don't think we're safe anymore." Pablo said, "What makes you say that?" The lights in the room started to flicker, and they all looked up at them. Mike said, "What's going on?" Then the lights went out, and none of the kids could see a thing. Lou said, "We probably just popped a breaker. Sam and I will go check it out." On their way to the basement, they passed through the living room, and Sam heard some strange creaking coming from underneath her. Sam looked beneath her, and the floor broke under her feet. Then she fell to the ground, but Lou and Mike ran up and grabbed her arms. Then they pulled her up, and Sam thanked Mike and Lou for saving her.

After they saved Sam, a vacuum cleaner turned itself on and tried to suck Sam, Mike, and Lou into it. Once they saw the vacuum, they ran for their lives and screamed in terror. Then Emma and Bobby took the boards off the front door, and when they did, the door opened by itself. Emma and Bobby looked out the front door but didn't see anybody. Then, one of the apple trees came to life and shot its apples at them. Then the tree ran off, and Emma said, "Follow that tree." Emma and Booby followed the tree to the backyard, and when they got there, they saw it wasn't alive anymore. Then, the statue in the fountain in the backyard came to life and chased after Emma and Bobby. Emma and Bobby ran for their lives while the sculpture chased after them. They ran inside when they reached the front door, but the statue was too giant to go through. The ghost left the sculpture and chased after Emma and Bobby. The ghost didn't see anyone inside because all the kids were hiding. The spirit phased through the wall, and all the kids emerged from hiding. Lou said, "It's safe." After she said so, a rope came to life and lassoed her legs. Lou said, "Little trickster." Emma said, "Lou, are you ok?" The girls helped her, but the rope flew over Lou's head and wrapped the girls up.

Once they fell to the floor, the rope tied itself into a knot and tied the girls together. Then the string returned to a plain old rope, leaving the girls tied in it. Then, a doll on the floor came to life, and she wondered what she would do with the girls. The toy took a pretend gun from a desk and aimed it at the girls. Sam whispered, "Don't worry, those weapons only have toy plungers." The doll pushed a button on the gun and unloaded all her ammo. When the girls saw what the toy did, they got confused. Then, the toy re-loaded the gun with real bullets and aimed the gun at the girls. Then the doll laughed evilly while the girls stood still. Emma said, "You were saying?" Sam said, "Ok, she's smarter than I thought." Helga said, "I would hit you right now if I weren't tied to you instead." The doll laughed evilly again and got ready to shoot. Before it shot the girls, Violet jumped out from under the sofa and tackled the toy. Once she attacked her, the doll dropped the gun, and Emma kicked it away with her feet. After Emma got rid of the gun, Sam tried to break them free. Sam kicked the desk the doll got her gun from with both her feet and shook a pair of scissors off it. When they fell, Sam caught them in one of her hands, opened them, and cut the rope. Helga said, "Thank heavens."