The Smoky Corridor

122

Zack heard his dog yelp.

And then what sounded like his father shouting: “Where’s my son?”

And Judy: “Put me down!”

His parents were in trouble—and somewhere close.

He peered into the gold chamber. Saw a ladder bolted to the wall. It had to go back up to the furnace room. And since Malik and he couldn’t climb up the way they’d come down …

“I’m going in,” he whispered to Malik.

“Are you crazy? There’s a zombie in there with Azalea, who isn’t really Azalea right now!”

“Don’t worry. I have his soul!”

“What?”

Zack didn’t answer. He climbed through the hole and into the room filled with gold.