The Hanging Hill

26

Zack decided he’d skip the table meeting.

They’d be rehearsing the show for three whole weeks, so what was the big deal about being there for the first read-through?

Why not give the Pilgrim Guy a chance to vacate the premises?

There was a knock on the door.

Ghosts usually didn’t knock; they more or less seeped their way in. But maybe this was a trick.

Another knock.

“Zack?”

It was a girl and she sounded older than the juggling ghost.

“It’s me. Meghan. Zack? I know you’re in there. I can see your feet.”

Zack glanced at the door and saw that there was a huge gap between its bottom and the floorboards, because the building was so old it sagged.

“Oh, hi!” he said “I was just getting Zipper some water.”

“Cool. Hey, how come you wear two different kinds of socks?”

Zack looked at his feet: one red, one argyle. Another mismatched pair, courtesy of the sock gremlins.

“Um …” He tried to think of a good explanation. “Uh.”

There wasn’t one.

“It’s a cool look,” said Meghan. “I mean, who says socks have to match? Why not wear a different one on each foot? Mind if I steal the idea and start mixing up my socks, too?”

“Uh, no. Sure. Go ahead.”

“Thanks. You going down to the table meeting?”

“I dunno,” said Zack. “Are you?”

“Uh, yeah. I’m in the show, remember?”

“Oh, yeah. Right.”

“You wanna head down with me?”

“You mean together?”

“Uh, yeah.”

Moment of truth. Admit that he was still slightly afraid of ghosts, especially any that dive-bombed down stairwells with nooses wrapped around their necks, or leave the room to be with a girl who might turn into a pretty neat new friend?

“Okay,” said Zack. He rose from the bed. Patted Zipper on the head. The dog moaned slightly but he was sound asleep, nestled tight against the pillows.

“We’d better hurry. My mom says I shouldn’t be late for my first day of work.”

“Okay.” Zack walked toward the door.

“Oh, by the way, the elevator’s still broken. We’ll have to take the stairs.”

He hesitated. Ran through his options again. Hide under the bed? Hike down the steps with Meghan? He took in a long, deep breath.

“Okay,” he said.