9752873896523593

Zack took a step back from the mirror and crossed his arms in front of his chest. His eyes
glowed with excitement.
“How do I look?” Erin teased.
“You never looked better,” Zack joked.
“I like what you did with your hair,” April teased, glancing up from the watch.
Even April was joking and having a good time. Why couldn’t I relax, too? Why was I suddenly
so frightened?
“You feel okay?” I asked Erin. The words nearly caught in my throat.
“Fine,” Erin replied.
I could hear her footsteps as she walked around the room.
“If you start to feel weird, just say ‘ready’, and Zack’ll pull the string,” I said.
“I know,” she replied impatiently. “But I won’t be ready to come back until I break the record.”
“I’m going next,” Zack told Erin, arms still crossed in front of him. “So your record won’t last
for long.”
Suddenly Zack’s arms uncrossed. His hands flew wildly up in the air, and he began slapping his
face with both hands.
“Ow! Cut it out, Erin!” he yelled, trying to squirm away. “Let go!”
We heard Erin laugh as Zack slapped himself a few more times, then finally managed to wrestle
out of her grip.
“One minute,” April announced from behind us.
“Ow! You hurt me!” Zack said, scowling and rubbing his red cheeks.
Erin laughed again.
“You still feel okay?” I asked, glancing into the mirror.
“Fine. Stop worrying, Max,” Erin scolded.
My T-shirt suddenly pulled up over my head. Erin laughed.
“Give me a break!” I cried, spinning away.
“Two minutes,” April announced.
I heard the attic stairs creaking. A few seconds later, Whitey poked his head in. This time, he
stopped in the doorway and peered into the room without entering.
“Go back downstairs, boy,” I told him. “Go down.”
He stared back at me as if considering my request. But he didn’t budge from the doorway.
I didn’t want to take another chance of him getting too close to the mirror. So I grabbed him by
the collar and guided him to the stairs. Then it took a while for the dumb dog to get the idea that he
was supposed to go down the stairs!
When I returned to the little room, April had just called out four minutes. Zack was pacing
impatiently back and forth in front of the mirror. I guess he couldn’t wait for it to be his turn.
I found myself thinking about Lefty. Lefty knew I had called everyone and canceled the
competition. So why had he called Zack, Erin, and April and told them it was back on?
Just one of his practical jokes, I decided.
I’d have to find a way to pay him back for this.
Something really evil…