“Can’t see any rats,” said Benny.

“They’d hardly come out to see what the fuss was about,” Tyler said. “They’re probably scampering off into the corners or something. You’ll be fine.”

“This is stupid,” Chrissy said. “You might cut yourself on a rusty nail and need a tetanus shot. And we don’t know if there’s anybody in there. There might be homeless people living here.”

“Or the ghost of Bubba Moon,” Pete said in a scary voice.

“Shut up,” Chrissy said sharply, and Pete laughed, but I could tell the laugh was forced. He wanted her to like him as much as I wanted her to like me.

“Hold it open,” I said, and I lay down on my belly. Tyler did the honours, and I slithered forward, my flashlight in my lead hand. There were a load of cobwebs that I had to brush aside, and I forced myself not to cry out when I saw the huge spider scurrying away from the destruction of its home and dinner plate. I got my head through, shone the light on the floor below, making sure it was clear. All I saw were small piles of dead, dried leaves. No one waiting to grab me.

I brought my legs up and turned, lifting my hips slightly to avoid the latch, and let my feet go first. I was looking back at my friends as I lowered myself down. There could be anyone sneaking towards me now, any number of gnarled hands reaching for my ankles.

When my legs were down as far as they could go and I was halfway in, I glanced up and for the first time looked Chrissy right in the eyes. She had such beautiful blue eyes. Her dark hair fell in slight waves to the middle of her back. She was as tall as me and so pretty. She was the prettiest girl in school, but she refused to act like it, and here she was, out with a bunch of guys at a haunted house at a little past midnight on the weekend, and she was looking at me like she was scared she was going to lose me. I’d never felt braver.

I let myself go, and dropped into the basement.

I turned quickly, adding my beam to the shaking lights held by my friends. I wished they wouldn’t shake like that – it threw moving shadows across the far wall. I took three small steps, making sure there was nothing waiting for me in my immediate vicinity, and then broadened the sweep of my flashlight. My fleeting moment of bravery was gone, replaced by a flesh-rippling fear that was creeping up behind me no matter which direction I faced.

“See anything?” Tyler asked.

“Junk,” I managed to say. My voice sounded weird. Strangled.

“Any black magic stuff?”