As the three of you walk home from school, Tommy cracks another of his side-splitting jokes and you all burst with laughter. You were worried that you wouldn't make friends in this new town, but Tommy and Jenny took to you like bears to honey. In the week since you've moved here, the three of you have become the best of companions.

"I've got an idea!", says Tommy with a sly grin. "William here hasn't seen old lady Hendrake's place! Lets go by there on our way home!"

"Ugh!", squeals Jenny, her face screwing up like a raisin. "She's a mean old witch and I don't like her! My cat Sprinkles ran into her yard once and when I snuck in to get him, she came out and made an awful fuss! I don't like her!"

"Oh, she's all bark and no bite," claims Tommy. He pokes a dark-skinned finger at Jenny and jeers, "Are you scared?! Jenny is a scaredy-cat! Jenny is a scaredy-cat!"

"Am not!" screams Jenny and proceeds to pummel Tommy with all of her twelve-year old strength. Laughing, you dive in and struggle to separate them.

"I'm sure Jenny is not a scaredy-cat," you say quickly as Jenny glares at the still chuckling Tommy. "She just doesn't like this lady Hendrake, that's all."

"Well then, lets go see the old witch, if no one is afraid!" And with that, Tommy runs off down the street. With a shrug to Jenny, you chase after him. Presently you can hear Jenny huffing along behind you.

After a few minutes, the two of you catch up to Tommy, crouching before a wrought-iron fence which surrounds an immaculate yard. Well-tended trees dot the precisely trimmed grass before the imposing structure of an old Victorian-style house. Yet something about this place causes a cold chill to run down your spine. You don't like the look of it at all.

"This is old lady Hendrake's place." Tommy states unnecessarily. "And see what I found..." Tommy grabs one of the iron bars in the fence and pulls. With a slight rasp of metal, the lower end slides from place, making a large opening in the fence.

"Tommy, don't!" hisses Jenny as she clutches at his arm, but Tommy shakes her off. Then flashing each of you his trademark grin, Tommy slips through into the yard. Looking back he says, "Well, are you coming, or are you scared?!"

Jenny, who looks plenty scared, puffs out her chest and whispers fiercely, "I am not scared! I'll show you so!" And boldly if shakily slips through the fence.

Tommy's gaze now lingers on you. Your parents taught you that you shouldn't go into a stranger's yard, especially without their permission. But you don't want your best friends to think you're a scaredy-cat either. So do you stay out or go in?



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Page Updated: Dec. 2, 1996

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