Trust your sister to help
From Create Your Own Story
Your sister swings into action. She kneels at the key hole and shine the torch through it.
"Easy!" she says, and reaches into her back pocket.
She pulls out a piece of paper, unfolding it carefully. It is that stupid photo of Joe Jonas from the Jonas Brothers that she carries everywhere. Kissing it, she slips it under the door. Then she picks a hairpin from her hair and starts jiggling the key through the lock.
"Don't be silly! That trick only works in movies!" you scoff. You start laughing. Kwan the rat is twittering, too.
Clunk!
Charmaine carefully pulls the piece of paper back to your side of the door. There, sitting across Joe's face, is a key.
Right at that moment you hate to admit it, but - well, Joe doesn't look all that bad!
"I knew he would save me one day," Charmaine beams proudly, returning the picture to her pocket.
She turns the key in the lock. The door swings open. Beyond it, stars lead up, out of the cellar.
"Good work, Charmaine," you hug her. You look down at Kwan. "Okay, you rat, let's get out of here!"
Eeeeeep!
Kwan bounds up the stairs, leaving you to follow behind. The air begin to smell fresher with every step. But you have learned your lesson. You still aren't out of danger yet. You just pray that Chang wouldn't catch you again.
The stairs seem to go on forever, higher and higher. You hope they would take you all the way to the roof. Then, you could signal for someone to help you. Or you could climb down a drainpipe. Anything would be better than being inside this crazy house.
"YOU CAN'T GET AWAY..."
Charmaine screams. You jerk to a stop. The hairs on the back of your neck are tingling.
It is Chang's voice. But where is he?
"I KNOW EXACTLY WHERE YOU ARE..."
His voice booms all around you in the gloom. Then he makes a frenzied cackling sound. Even the stairs are vibrating.
"Go away! Leave us alone!" Charmaine shouts.
"Oh, I can't do that. The Master has put me in charge!"
"He's mad," you whisper. "A madman. In this mad mansion."
"Am I?" the hideous voice asks. His cackling laugh is even louder, even more terrifying.
You fall back against the wall and freezes.
The wall is alive again.
Pulsating.
Breathing.
It isn't just Chang you are up against.
It is the whole horrible house!
Charmaine clings to you.
"How does he know where we are?" Her voice is hollow, really frightened.
"It's the house," you say. "The house must-must tell him somehow."
"That's silly," Charmaine shakes her head. "Houses can't talk - or think!"
"This one can!" Chang laughs. His mad, evil voice surrounds the two of you on all sides.
You guide Charmaine's hand to the wall. As soon as she touches it, she shrieks.
"It's b-b-breathing!"
"This house is alive! It will never die!" Chang chortles. "They want to pull it down years ago! But it won't let them!"
You signal for Charmaine to be quiet. You have one of your ideas.
