Chapter 7

Finally Aunt Bette springs into action. I hear her struggle with my door on her side for a second, and then it swings open fast.

“Thank goodness,” I say, relieved. I’m about to step into the hallway when I spot some stuff on the floor. It looks like white sand, or a chalk of some kind. To the left I can see it was laid in a thin, perfect line, but directly in front of my door it’s been totally messed up by Aunt Bette’s footprints.

What in the world?

I think about stooping over and touching it, but I’m a little spooked.

Aunt Bette has always been into weird things, like smudgings and crystals and channeling different energies. She used to always bring back trinkets and lucky charms whenever she went overseas. I know that stuff is all harmless, but I point down at the chalk and say, “What is that stuff?”

Aunt Bette looks up guiltily. “It’s nothing. I—I’ll clean it up.”

I nod, like Okay, sure, while stepping past her. “I’ll see you in a few hours.”

“Wait,” she says urgently. “Where are y