Page 72 of Cadenbury Town Does Halloween

“I’ve thanked magic, fate, everyone,” he tells me.

“Just as I have,” I say, letting out a yawn.

“Let’s get some sleep, you have magic to perform tomorrow and games to cheat at.”

“Pot meet kettle,” I say with a tired grin. “Night babe, sleep well.”

“And you sweetheart,” and with a gentle kiss on the top of my head we both fall asleep.

The next eveningsees us back at the haunted house. We decided that we would walk it just us witches.

“This will be fun,” Temp says grinning madly.

Yeah, he’s so going to do something.

“It will be,” Nix agrees, opening the front door to the haunted house.

We laugh as he jumps and curses as he’s hit by the bungee jumping spiders and the smoke.

“At least you didn’t scream like a teenage girl, Temp did,” Titus says with a laugh.

“I did not, I’ll have you know I let out a manly yelp,” he replies, in a snooty tone, nose in the air.

“No, you didn’t,” I say laughing and the others rib him and Nix.

As we’re laughing, we walk into the first room. I’m the last one in but for some reason, the others aren’t there.

Callum designed this room. It’s a lavish dining room with people sitting down at the table. It all looks normal until you realise those people are headless, their heads are on spinning plates in front of them. That, however, isn’t the weirdest part, those heads are singing children’s nursery rhymes, and standing by the table conducting them is a mannequin wearing one of those scary plague masks and a long cloak. This room is seriously creepy. Callum has such a weird imagination.

“Hey guys,” I call out. Did they all ignore this room and go straight to the next one? I should have still seen them leave though. “Guys,” I call again.

I thought I heard a faint call of my name. I try again. “Guys.”

“Ernest, help me.”

I hear the faint call again. “Keep talking so I can find you,” I say.

I start looking around and send my magic out to help. It stops by the mannequin. I rush over and gently pull the plague mask up and gasp when I see Nix. “Nix, I’m here,” I tell him. “Guys help,” I shout.

“Ernest,” Nix whispers.

I watch in horror as his eyes start sinking into his eye sockets and his skin turns grey and starts shrivelling.

He starts to fall and I catch him, gently lowering him to the floor, keeping an arm around him.

“Hold on Nix,” I say, putting my hand on his chest and pushing my magic into him.

Nothing happens, so I send more. “Stay with me Nix,” I urge.

“Ernest,” Nix whispers. “Look after Nora and Cam.”

His head falls to the side.

“Nix,” I shout. But it’s too late. Nix is dead, his body looks like all the moisture was sucked out of him.

I feel a tear slip down my cheek. I lay Nix down, but keep my hand on his chest, hoping my magic will work.

Babe, can you come to the Haunted House and bring Cam? Something bad has happened.