The Smoky Corridor

111

Zack and Malik rounded a bend and came into a room where the air smelled like a roaring fireplace at Christmastime.

They heard a chugging engine, its piston arm rocketing back and forth, steam hissing out its sides.

And then they saw the back of a man feeding firewood into a red-hot furnace.

“I think that’s the old janitor,” whispered Malik. “I think his name is Wade.”

“Wade?” Zack called out.

The man kept loading lumber into the firebox.

“Hey, is that the boiler for the school?” Zack asked. Then he tried to make a joke. “Boy, talk about your long commute …”

Now the man turned around. He wasn’t laughing.

He wasn’t all there, either.

His eyes were dull and glazed over. He moved with a staggered gait. The guy had to be the second zombie Mr. Willoughby had warned him about!

That was when the Donnelly brothers materialized.

“Well, hey there, sport,” said Joseph. “Long time no see. We don’t need to bum a match off you no more. Our zombie brought his own.”

The beast lurched forward a step.

“Stop!” said Seth.

The zombie froze.

“That’s right,” said Joseph. “You don’t get to eat your supper until we say so!”

“Leave these two boys alone,” added Seth.

“Yes, master.” The janitor zombie lowered his head and retreated two steps.

Zack felt Malik tugging at his sleeve.

“Zack?”

“Yeah?”

“What are you staring at?”

“The Donnelly brothers.”

“They’re dead.”

“Yeah. They know.”

Joseph Donnelly strode across the room. “Who’s your pal here, Zack?”

“Malik. I don’t think he can see ghosts.”

“Are they talking to you?” asked Malik.

“He can’t hear you, either.”

“You two come all the way down here looking for the treasure?” asked Joseph.

“Yes,” said Zack.

“What’d the dead boy ask you?” said Malik.

“He asked if we came for the gold.”

“We did! My mother needs some medicine real bad and …”

“Boo-hoo-hoo,” scoffed Joseph. “Malik’s trying to help his mommy. Well, guess what? We don’t have no mother—and no father, neither.”

Zack pointed toward a propped-open door at the far end of the room. “What’s through that door?”

“Nothing.”

“Then why is there a door on the other side?”

“Because.”

“Aw, cut it out, Joseph,” said Seth. “Malik is trying to help his mom.”

“Oh, you think because you have a zombie to boss around, you can boss me around, too?”

“No, I’m just saying we should let these two be. It’s the teacher we’re after!”

“Ms. DuBois?” said Zack.

That got both the brothers’ attention.

“She’s probably right behind us.”

“Glory, glory, hallelujah!” said Joseph, who now seemed anxious for Zack and Malik to be gone. “Boys, you just earned yourself a free pass. Proceed through that door. Walk through the little chamber and out the door at the other end. Go through it but—and this is the most important part—make sure you lock it. Lower the iron bar on the other side.”

“Why?” asked Zack.

“If you don’t, Seth here will sic his zombie on you.”

“That’s right. I will,” Seth said with a wink. He was just pretending to be tough to keep his brother happy, but Zack could tell that the younger ghost was doing them a favor.

“Okay, we’ll lower the bar,” said Zack.

“If you don’t do like we told you, we’ll know,” said Joseph. “We can see through walls, boy-o. Heck, we can walk through ’em, too.”

“Any idea what’s on the other side of the second door?” Zack asked.

“Another tunnel,” said Seth. “But if you’re clever, it’ll take you down to the captain’s gold.”

“What’d they say?” asked Malik.

“We walk through that chamber, go out the door at the other end, lock the door behind us, and we’re on our way to the gold!”

“Yes!” said Malik.

“Hey, Zack?” said Seth. “If you find that gold, will you really give it to your friend’s mom?”

“That’s the plan.”

“Then hurry! The teacher will be here soon!”

“Hold on,” said Zack. “We’re also looking for another friend. A girl named Azalea. Black hair. Black fingernails. Black eye makeup and lipstick. Did she come down this way?”

“Nope,” said Joseph. “We sure didn’t see no girl. Heck, there hasn’t been a girl down here in years.”

Seth nodded in agreement.

But then he winked again.