“Sure, Mom,” Abby called back. Then she typed one more message to Leah.

  AbbyGirl: GOTTA TAKE CHESTER FOR A WALK. CALL U LATER?

  Leah601: U BETTER! WE HAVE SO MUCH TO DISCUSS! BYE!

  Abby bounded down the hall. “Chester!” she said. “Let’s go for a walk, cutie!” Chester trotted up to Abby, wagging his tail. She fastened a red leash to the dog’s collar and walked toward the front door.

  But as they approached the door, Chester’s fur suddenly bristled. His mouth twisted into a snarl as he started growling, a long, low, menacing sound that sent chills up Abby’s spine.

  “What’s the matter, boy?” Abby asked as she moved closer to the door and glanced outside. Across the yard, golden sunlight streamed through the trees in the nature preserve. It looked like a beautiful autumn afternoon—and completely ordinary. Abby couldn’t imagine why Chester seemed so tense, but there was definitely something outside that was making him growl so fiercely.

  “Shhh, it’s okay, Chester,” Abby said soothingly as she stroked his head for a few seconds. Eventually he stopped growling, though he wouldn’t take his eyes off the door.

  But the minute Abby reached for the doorknob, Chester started barking so furiously that Mrs. Miller called out, “Abby! I’m on the phone!”

  “Okay, okay!” Abby replied as she scooped up Chester and hurried through the front door. Once they were on the sidewalk in front of the neighbor’s lawn, the dog calmed down immediately, but Abby couldn’t stop wondering what had bothered him. “Was it a squirrel, buddy?” she asked. “Or another dog, maybe?”

  Chester just trotted alongside her, wagging his tail happily. Abby shook her head and gave up trying to figure out what had spooked her pup; she decided to think about more important things as she turned off Elmhurst Lane, like imagining what she and Jake could talk about at the dance. But that made her nervous. She could feel her palms start to sweat. Why are you being so silly? she thought. You’ve known him forever. She smiled at her foolishness and started mentally rummaging through her closet instead, analyzing each potential outfit she could wear. Definitely not a dress, she mused. I don’t want to look like I’m trying too hard. Maybe my new skirt?

  As dusk began to fall, Chester started to seem a little tired from their long walk. Abby started heading back home. As soon as they got inside, Chester curled up in his dog bed in the living room and fell right asleep.

  Abby walked into the kitchen, where her mom was making a big green salad. Eddie was lounging on the kitchen floor, clearly happy that the dog wasn’t around. “Mmm, something smells good! What’s for dinner?”

  “Your favorite—lasagna,” her mom said.

  Abby’s stomach growled. “Score! Can I help?”

  Mrs. Miller shook her head. “It’s already in the oven,” she explained. “Dinner will be in about half an hour, okay?”

  “Yum. I can’t wait,” Abby said, grabbing a handful of baby carrots from the colander on the counter. Then she paused. “Um, Mom? I have to ask you something.”

  “Go ahead, honey,” Mrs. Miller said as she chopped a tomato.

  “Um . . . ,” began Abby awkwardly. “There’s a dance at school this Saturday night, and, uh . . . Jake Chilson said he could give me a ride—er, his mom would drive, of course—so . . . is that okay?”

  Mrs. Miller looked up, smiling at her daughter. “Of course, Abby!” she said. “That’s exciting! Is Jake your date?”

  “Um, maybe,” Abby said, looking down and squirming a little. “It’s just a ride to the dance, you know? It’s not like a big deal or anything.”

  “Do you want me to pick you two up when the dance ends?” Mrs. Miller asked.

  “Uh, I think Mrs. Chilson will pick us up, but I’ll ask Jake,” Abby said. “Anyway, I’m going to get started on my homework.”

  “Okay, sweetie,” Mrs. Miller said. “Don’t forget to set the table before dinner.”

  When Abby got back to her computer, she had another instant message waiting from Leah. It said:

  Leah601: I FIGURED OUT WHAT U SHOULD WEAR TO THE DANCE, CUZ I’M BRILLIANT! YOUR NEW BLUE TOP (THE ONE WITH THE BELT). IT’S GORGEOUS AND J WILL LOVE IT!

  A smile spread across Abby’s face. She knew just the top Leah was thinking of; it was pale blue with a skinny black belt that looped around the waist. She pulled the top out of her dresser and tried it on, then examined her reflection in the mirror. The color was a perfect contrast against Abby’s dark brown hair. Leah is brilliant! she thought happily as she twirled in front of the mirror.

  Then, out of the corner of her eye, Abby thought she saw a flash of color in the mirror’s reflection. She spun around just in time to catch a glimpse of red outside. She raced over to the window for a better look.

  In the twilight, she saw the shadowy figure of a girl running away from the window, right through her yard.

  The girl had long red hair.

  CHAPTER 5

  Abby yanked off the top, threw on a T-shirt, and ran outside as quickly as she could, her heart pounding wildly. She was determined to catch up with that girl and find out who she was—and why she was looking in Abby’s window.

  “Hey!” Abby yelled, careening out the back door. “Who are you? What are you doing here?”

  But there was no answer.

  She can’t be far, Abby thought as she strode through the yard. “I said, who are you?” she shouted again.

  Still no response.

  Abby paused as she reached the edge of the nature preserve. She looked back at her neighbors’ yards but didn’t see anyone running through them. There was only one possibility: The girl must have disappeared into the woods.

  Abby hesitated for just a moment as she glanced at the neon orange sign that read WARNING: TRESPASSERS WILL BE PROSECUTED. She had never set foot in the nature preserve before.

  Then again, she’d never caught some stranger staring into her window, either.

  Abby took a deep breath and stepped through the wild and overgrown brush. The trees cast long, looming shadows that made Abby shiver—from fear as well as from the sudden chill in the air. The sun was setting. It would soon be dark.

  The thought pushed her forward.

  “I just want to talk to you,” Abby called. “I just want to find out why you were looking in my window.”

  But the only sound was the crackle of dry, dead leaves being crushed beneath Abby’s feet as she walked deeper into the woods. As night seemed to fall faster and faster, she paused. She started to reach for her cell phone.

  Suddenly she heard footsteps behind her!

  Abby sucked in her breath sharply as she spun around, ready to face whoever had been peeking in her window.

  “Hey, kiddo!” Mr. Miller said from the edge of the nature preserve, his suit coat slung over his shoulder. “What are you doing in there? Don’t make me call the police to report a trespasser!”

  “Ha, ha!” Abby said, so relieved to see her dad that she actually laughed at one of his dumb jokes.

  “I thought I saw you run back here when I got home,” Mr. Miller continued. “What’s going on?”

  “Nothing, Dad,” Abby said, hoping that her voice sounded normal. With one last glance into the nature preserve, she walked back to her yard. She knew that with her father standing right next to her, there was no hope of finding the mysterious red-haired girl or figuring out why she’d been staring in Abby’s window.

  “Come on, let’s go inside. It’s starting to get chilly out,” Mr. Miller said. “How was school today?”

  “Good,” Abby replied. “Mom made lasagna for dinner.”

  “Fantastic!” exclaimed Mr. Miller as they walked inside. “That sounds delicious.”

  “Abby, honey, did you set the table?” Mrs. Miller called.

  “In a minute, Mom,” Abby replied as she reached for her cell phone, dying to tell Leah all about the strange red-haired girl.

  “Abby, it’s almost time to eat,” Mrs. Miller said as she poked her head out of the kitchen. “Can you please set the table now?”

  With a sigh, Abby shoved her phone back into her pocket and walked into the kitchen, where she grabbed a stack of plates and a handful of silverware.

  “Did you tell Dad your big news?” asked Mrs. Miller as she carried a platter of sliced bread into the dining room.

  “I don’t have big news,” Abby replied, confused.

  “Well, of course you do!” Mrs. Miller exclaimed. “Bob, Jake Chilson asked Abby to go to the dance with him!”

  “Mom!” Abby cried. “Why are you making a huge deal out of this?”

  “Wait a minute—do I need to have a talk with Jake before you guys head out to the dance?” asked Mr. Miller. He frowned, but Abby could tell by the twinkle in his eyes that he was teasing her.

  “Dad, it’s just Jake,” Abby said. “And he’s just giving me a ride.”

  “Still, perhaps I should have a chat with him before—,” began Mr. Miller.

  “Ugh!” Abby groaned. “Absolutely not! Why are you—”

  “Kiddo, I’m just fooling around.” Mr. Miller grinned at Abby. “I’m sure you’ll have a lot of fun.”

  Abby sighed once more as she placed the last fork on the table. Then she slipped down the hall to send Leah an instant message in peace.

  “Don’t get sucked into the Internet, honey,” Mrs. Miller called after her. “Dinner is in five minutes!”

  “I just have to go hang up my new top, Mom!” Abby replied, rolling her eyes since she knew her mom couldn’t see her. “I’ll be right back!”

  She ducked into her room, closing the door behind her as she breathed a sigh of relief. Then she stopped and sniffed the air, catching a whiff of—what was it? A flowery scent, like jasmine or gardenia, but more exotic. It reminded her of something. Something that she couldn’t quite place, a memory that she couldn’t quite recall. With a slight frown, Abby sat down at her computer and sent an instant message to Leah.

  AbbyGirl: JUST CAUGHT A RED-HAIRED GIRL STARING IN MY WINDOW!!!

  Leah601: WHAT???!!!

  AbbyGirl: I FOLLOWED HER INTO THE WOODS BUT SHE DISAPPEARED.

  AbbyGirl: HER HAIR LOOKED JUST LIKE . . .

  Leah601: ???

  AbbyGirl: I KNOW IT SOUNDS CRAZY, BUT HER HAIR LOOKED LIKE SARA’S. I’M REALLY WEIRDED OUT.

  Leah601: K, SETTLE DOWN. TAKE A DEEP BREATH.

  Leah601: EVERYBODY HAS BEEN TALKING ABOUT SARA A LOT, W/ THE DANCE AND ALL . . .

  Leah601: AND U PROBABLY FEEL A LITTLE STRANGE FOR GOING ON A DATE W/ JAKE . . .

  Leah601: I AM SURE U JUST IMAGINED IT.

  Abby’s fingers flew over the keyboard as she wrote back.

  AbbyGirl: BUT HER HAIR . . . IT LOOKED JUST LIKE SARA’S!!!

  Leah responded again in seconds.

  Leah601: THAT’S HOW I KNOW U R IMAGINING IT. SARA’S GONE. SO THERE IS NO POSSIBLE WAY THAT THIS REALLY HAPPENED. I PROMISE.

  Abby paused for a moment as she considered what Leah had written. Was it possible that she had imagined the girl? She had seemed so real, running away from Abby’s window. But by the time Abby had reached the backyard, the girl had vanished without a trace.

  It would make sense, she realized, if the girl didn’t exist at all, if Abby had raced outside to chase a figment of her imagination. After all, it was possible that the red hair Abby thought she saw was just a trick of the light from the setting sun. She felt her cheeks grow warm at the thought.

  AbbyGirl: IT SEEMED WAY TOO REAL TO BE MY IMAGINATION.

  AbbyGirl: BUT IT’S OVER NOW, I GUESS.

  AbbyGirl: DON’T TELL ANYONE, OKAY? I FEEL SOOOOOO STUPID.

  Leah601: YOUR SECRET IS SAFE W/ME, SILLY! JUST RELAX AND BE HAPPY.

  Leah601: YOUR DREAM GUY ASKED U OUT TODAY! THAT’S SO AWESOME! U SHOULD BE CELEBRATING, NOT FREAKING OUT OVER NOTHING.

  AbbyGirl: GOTCHA. LISTEN, I GOTTA GO EAT DINNER. TALK LATER?

  Leah601: ABSOLUTELY! I WILL BE HERE.

  Abby stood up and pushed in her desk chair. Then she turned around to pick up her top from the floor.

  But it wasn’t there.

  Abby frowned. I know I tossed it on the floor when I changed to run outside, she thought, so where is it?

  She looked in the hamper in the corner of her room, peeked under her bed, and even rummaged through her dresser drawers.

  Her beautiful new top was nowhere to be found.

  Okay, this is bizarre, Abby thought as she bit her lip. Where could it be?

  “Abby!” her mom called.

  “Be right there!” she yelled back.

  Then she glanced at her closet. The door was closed.

  A sudden feeling of fear washed over Abby. I know I didn’t close the closet door, she thought slowly. Step by step, she walked across the room, her heart thudding loudly in her chest. Her hand started to shake as she reached for the smooth brass doorknob; she dreaded opening the door. Who—or what—would she find behind it?

  Just do it, she told herself. One—two—three—

  Abby took a deep breath and yanked open the door. She peered into the dark closet and saw . . .

  Her clothes, hanging neatly. Her shoes, arranged in careful pairs on the floor. Her suitcase, tucked in the corner.

  Abby was so relieved that she started to laugh out loud. I can’t believe that I was scared to open my own closet door, she thought. I have got to chill out.

  Then she saw something blue jammed in the corner of the closet. She reached down to pick it up and realized that she was holding the sleeve of her new top.

  Only the sleeve.

  The rest of the top, ripped down the middle, was stuffed under her suitcase.

  CHAPTER 6

  AbbyGirl: U STILL THERE?!?!?!?!

  Leah601: YEAH, WHAT’S UP?

  AbbyGirl: SOMETHING CRAZY IS DEFINITELY GOING ON! I JUST FOUND MY BRAND-NEW TOP RIPPED UP!

  Leah601: HUH?

  AbbyGirl: BEFORE I RAN OUTSIDE TO FIND THAT GIRL, I CHANGED OUT OF MY NEW TOP, BUT WHEN I GOT BACK TO MY ROOM, I COULDN’T FIND IT.

  AbbyGirl: FINALLY I LOOKED IN MY CLOSET AND MY TOP IS RUINED! IT’S BEEN TORN INTO PIECES! SOMETHING REALLY SCARY IS GOING ON!!!

  Leah601: OKAY, OKAY, CALM DOWN. THERE HAS TO BE A REASONABLE EXPLANATION FOR THIS. MAYBE CHESTER GOT IT AND CHEWED IT UP.

  AbbyGirl: RIGHT, SO AFTER CHESTER RIPPED UP MY TOP, HE SHOVED IT IN THE BACK OF THE CLOSET AND SHUT THE DOOR?!?!

  AbbyGirl: COME ON, HE’S A DOG, THAT DOESN’T MAKE ANY SENSE!!!

  Leah601: DON’T YELL @ ME! I’M JUST TRYING TO HELP!

  AbbyGirl: SORRY, I’M JUST REALLY FREAKED OUT.

  Leah601: MAYBE YOUR MOM CLOSED THE CLOSET DOOR?

  AbbyGirl: BUT SHE WOULD HAVE TOLD ME IF SHE CAME IN MY ROOM.

  AbbyGirl: AND SHE WOULD HAVE NOTICED IF CHESTER ATE MY SWEATER.

  AbbyGirl: AND SHE’S BEEN IN THE KITCHEN THIS WHOLE TIME, COOKING DINNER. IT’S NOT POSSIBLE.

  Leah601: THEN I DON’T KNOW WHAT TO TELL U. I MEAN, NO OFFENSE, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE U R TRYING TO FREAK YOURSELF OUT.

  AbbyGirl: WHAT DO U MEAN?

  Leah601: NEVER MIND.

  AbbyGirl: NO, SERIOUSLY, TELL ME WHAT U MEAN.

  Leah601: JUST FORGET IT.

  AbbyGirl: I CAN’T FORGET IT! SOME CRAZY STUFF IS HAPPENING TO ME, AND MY BEST FRIEND IS ACTING LIKE I’M MAKING IT ALL UP! THX A LOT.

  Leah601: WHAT DO U WANT ME TO SAY? THAT SOME STRANGE GIRL WITH RED HAIR MUST BE STALKING U? THAT SARA’S GHOST IS AFTER U?

  Leah601: IT’S NOT ENOUGH FOR U THAT THE GUY U LIKE ASKED U TO THE DANCE, NOW U HAVE TO MAKE UP THIS BIG DRAMA SO U CAN BE THE CENTER OF ATTN?

  Abby sat back as suddenly as if she’d been slapped in the face. Her eyes darted back and forth as she read Leah’s words again. Then, with quivering fingers, she sent another message back to Leah.

  AbbyGirl: I DIDN’T KNOW U FELT THAT WAY. I WON’T BOTHER U ANYMORE.

  Leah601: ABBY, WAIT. I DIDN’T MEAN IT LIKE THAT. LET’S TALK ABOUT IT, OKAY?

  But Abby didn’t want to talk to Leah anymore. With a fast click of her mouse, Abby shut the chat window and stepped away from her computer. Just then her cell phone buzzed.

  Leah, give it a rest! Abby thought angrily as she picked up her phone. The screen was blinking with a green light to announce that there was a text message waiting for her.

  It wasn’t from Leah, though. A wrinkle of confusion crossed Abby’s forehead as she stared at the phone number. She didn’t know whose number it was, but that long combination of digits seemed familiar.

  Abby pushed a button so she could read the text. In angry-looking capital letters, the message flashed onto the glowing screen.

  I’M WARNING YOU. STAY AWAY FROM HIM!!!! NEXT TIME I WILL DO SOMETHING MUCH WORSE!

  As Abby gasped in shock, the phone fell from her fingers; it skidded across the floor until it disappeared under her bed. Another text! After everything that had happened this afternoon, enough was enough. Abby’s first instinct was to get to her computer and type the phone number into a search engine to see if she could learn anything about its owner.

  She fell into the chair at her desk and tried to type the number into the text box, but her fingers were shaking so much that she kept hitting the wrong keys. She took a deep breath and tried again.

  She hit enter.

  But the search didn’t go through.

  With a frown, she hit enter again, but nothing happened. She tried to move the cursor—but her computer was frozen.

  “Oh come on!” Abby exclaimed as she slammed the keyboard in frustration. She needed to know what was going on now. She didn’t have time to waste by restarting her computer.

  Maybe I can look the number up on my phone, Abby thought as her heart sank. She dreaded seeing that scary message again, but she knew that she had no choice. She dropped to her knees and stuck her head under the bed.

  The phone, still glowing, was under the exact middle of Abby’s bed. She stretched her arm out to grab it, but the phone was just beyond her reach. With a sigh, she lay down on her stomach and crawled under the bed as far as she could, extending her arm as she reached for the phone.

 

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