3 Chapter 3

7:20 a.m.- Mr. Walter's House

I head out the door in broad daylight and cool crisp air. I don't think of what I'm doing, I just keep moving. Not towards Phoebe's house... Mr. Walter's house. Before I know it, I'm standing in front of Shyla.

"Hi. I'm guessing you want the extra candy?" Shyla inquires.

"Yeah. "

" It's in the kitchen, I'll go get it. You can come in if you like."

I step into the warmth of their house, their living room is cluttered from all the cobwebs, skeletons, bat decorations. I move a few bats over to create a space for me to sit down and wait.

"Here you go. There's not much left, but it's something. Hey, do you want to see my new dog? "

"I didn't know you had a dog, but sure."

"I think he's downstairs if you want to see him."

We walk down the narrow, steep stairs that is squeaky on the second step.

The musty smell of the basement smells so familiar but so different, the humid air moistens my skin, the hum of furnace fills my ears drowning out every what Shyla was saying.

" The basements not the...best room in the house, but it's doable. Adelyn. Adelyn, listen to me!"

" Sorry, I blanked out. What did you say?"

" Never mind. Coco come here," a moment of awkward silence followed by a sigh. " Coco might be upstairs. I'll go bring him down."