14

"Let's try the House of Mirrors!" Luke urged, pulling Clay by the arm.

"Whoa! Wait a minute!" I cried. "Don't you think we should try to find Mom and Dad?"

"They're way over on the other side of the park," Luke replied, tugging Clay along with him across the pavement. "Let's have some fun and then find them."

"They're probably looking for us," I said fretfully.

"The park isn't very crowded. They'll find us," Luke replied. "Come on, Lizzy — it looks like fun!"

I hesitated, thinking about Mom and Dad. I stared into the white glare of the glass building.

Suddenly, I felt someone tap my shoulder.

Startled, I cried out and spun around.

It was a green-costumed Horror. His bulging eyes stared into mine as he leaned close to me. "Get away while you can!" he whispered.

He turned his eyes quickly from side to side, as if making sure no one was watching him. "Please — I'm serious! Get away while you can!"

I was so stunned, I didn't say anything. I watched him run off, moving awkwardly in the bulky Horror costume, his purple tail dragging over the pavement behind him.

"What did he want?" Clay called. He and Luke were nearly up to the House of Mirrors entrance.

"He — he said we should get out while we can," I stammered, running over to them. I lost them for a moment in the blinding sunlight reflected off the glass building.

Luke laughed. "These Horror guys are great!" he declared. "They really try to scare you in this place!"

Behind his glasses, Clay's eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "He was kidding — right?" he asked quietly. "I mean, it was just a joke, wasn't it?"

"I don't know," I told him. "I guess so." I watched the Horror disappear quickly behind a tall, blue, pyramid-shaped building.

"That's his job," Luke insisted. "He goes around scaring people all day."

"Maybe he was really warning us," Clay murmured, staring at me.

"No way!" Luke declared. He gave Clay a hard slap on the back. "Stop looking so gloomy all the time. This is a great place! You like to be scared, don't you?"

Clay's expression remained worried. "I guess," he replied uncertainly.

I started to tell Clay I was sure it was just a joke, but Luke interrupted. "Hurry up! Let's check out the House of Mirrors. Let's have some fun before Mom and Dad show up and make us leave."

He dragged Clay toward the entrance, and I followed. We passed another NO PINCHING sign as we made our way to the shimmering glass building.

Outside the entrance, I stopped to read the yellow-and-green sign. It read: HOUSE OF MIRRORS. REFLECT BEFORE YOU ENTER. NO ONE MAY EVER SEE YOU AGAIN!

"Hey — wait up!" I called to the boys. They had already hurried inside.

I stepped in and found myself in a narrow, dark tunnel. My eyes were still filled with the bright glare from outside. I couldn't see a thing.

"Luke, Clay — wait up!" I shouted. My voice echoed through the low tunnel. I could hear them laughing up ahead.

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