“Okay. So this is real. But what if we decide not to play this game of yours? Will you just keep generating scary spiders to rush at us?”

“That does sound like an idea,” the MasterMind said, giving a horrible grin that made Ahmad shudder. “But I’d say the stakes are higher. I won’t give away too much, because what’s the fun in that? I will tell you, though, that the game tends to hold on to the players who can’t make it past the finish line.”

That sounded bad enough.

And then a horrible thought occurred to Ahmad.

“This park . . . is the only place frozen right now, right? Our parents must be missing us.”

That was an understatement. Honestly, his parents probably called the police by this point. Ahmad’s heart squeezed. It was just another way to disappoint them. But the MasterMind only smiled.

“Are you kidding me?” The MasterMind rolled her eyes. “Wake up and get with the program. Of course they are frozen. You see, I’m the type of girl who goes for big plans. If I have to freeze any corner of this grubby, crumbling city you call home, why not take it all? And then maybe the entire world?”

She waved her hand, and her face faded to an aerial view of the city. Ahmad and Winnie gasped in horror. It was all frozen. New York City, the city that never slept, was as still as a cemetery. Tourists’ feet hovered over crosswalks and little kids skipped in midair, never landing.

“Go big, or go home,” the MasterMind said smugly as they stared at her handiwork.

Winnie dug her fingers into Ahmad’s arm. “My parents,” she whispered.

Ahmad stared at the screen, at the cheery couple in the middle of their kitchen. Winnie’s father was still reaching toward an open cabinet for a set of dishes. Winnie’s mother was frozen in laughter, her head thrown back.

The screen flashed, cutting to his house.

“No one’s home,” Ahmad whispered as the camera panned over the pristine hallway and through the kitchen. But then, it reached the living room.

Ma leaned on the vacuum cleaner, her brow puckered with worry. Perhaps that had been the moment she realized he wasn’t home yet, or maybe the bag inside the machine had overflowed again. Maybe she was about to put it away entirely and call the school. But she stood there, still as stone.

Baba sat on the couch, cell phone to his ear and a newspaper held between one stiff hand. The camera moved up to take in his half-open mouth, his eyes glancing downward to read something off the page.

Anger welled up in Ahmad. “Why did you have to do this to them?” he yelled. “If you want us to play the game, fine. But why involve our parents?”