You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
4<br />
All three of them were staring in my direction with their eyes bulging and looks of horror still on their<br />
faces. But I could tell they were goofing.<br />
“Give me a break, guys,” I said. “I’m not as stupid as I look. No way I’m falling for your dumb<br />
joke.”<br />
“But, Max—” Lefty insisted. “We’re serious!”<br />
“We can’t see you!” Erin repeated.<br />
Dumb, dumb, dumb.<br />
Suddenly, the light started to hurt my eyes. It seemed to grow brighter. It was shining right in my<br />
face.<br />
Shielding my eyes with one hand, I reached up with the other hand and pulled the chain.<br />
The light went out, but the white glare stayed with me. I tried to blink it away, but I still saw<br />
large bright spots before my eyes.<br />
“Hey—you’re back!” Lefty cried. He stepped up and grabbed my arm and squeezed it, as if he<br />
were testing it, making sure I was real or something.<br />
“What’s your problem?” I snapped. I was starting to get angry. “I didn’t fall for your dumb joke,<br />
Lefty. So why keep it up?”<br />
To my surprise, Lefty didn’t back away. He held onto my arm as if he were afraid to let go.<br />
“We weren’t joking, Max,” Erin insisted in a low voice. “We really couldn’t see you.”<br />
“It must have been the light in the mirror,” April said. She was pressed against the wall next to<br />
the doorway. “It was so bright. I think it was just an optical illusion or something.”<br />
“It wasn’t an optical illusion,” Erin told her. “I was standing right next to Max. And I couldn’t<br />
see him.”<br />
“He was invisible,” Lefty added solemnly.<br />
I laughed. “You guys are trying to scare me,” I said. “And you’re doing a pretty good job of it!”<br />
“You scared us!” Lefty exclaimed. He let go of my arm and stepped up to the mirror.<br />
I followed his gaze. “There I am,” I said, pointing to my reflection. A strand of hair was poking<br />
up in back of my head. I carefully slicked it down.<br />
“Let’s get out of here,” April pleaded.<br />
Lefty started to toss his softball up, studying himself in the mirror.<br />
Erin made her way around to the back of the mirror. “It’s too dark back here. I can’t see<br />
anything,” she said.<br />
She stepped around to the front and stared up at the oval-shaped lamp on top. “You disappeared<br />
as soon as you pulled the chain on that lamp.”<br />
“You’re really serious!” I said. For the first time I began to believe they weren’t joking.<br />
“You were invisible, Max,” Erin said. “Poof. You were gone.”<br />
“She’s right,” Lefty agreed, tossing the softball up and catching it, admiring his form in the<br />
mirror.