The Hanging Hill

95

Zipper watched the old man start climbing a ladder bolted to the basement wall.

“This’ll be faster,” the man said. “Take us straight up to the wings and the stage manager’s desk.”

“I’ll be right back, Zip,” Zack said as he grabbed a ladder rung.

Zipper knew Zack to be a boy of his word.

So he sank down on all fours. Panted a little.

He’d wait.

“Hurry!” Zack called out to the man climbing up the ladder ahead of him.

“Movin’ as fast as I can.”

“We need to move faster!”

Zipper barked. Zack was right. The old guy was slow.

He heard their feet clunk-clunk-clunking up the ladder.

Real slow.

Now he heard a hiss. He perked up his ears. Swung his head to the right.

His hackles shot up like porcupine quills.

The cat.

The crazy thing was back.