The ceilings soared twenty feet high. Chandeliers the size of small cars hung from velvet-covered chains, casting the brightest light any of them had seen inside Larkspur House thus far.

Lou was thankful for it. After everything they’d just run from—the refrigerator tunnel, the haunted dog kennel—they all needed a moment of respite. What frightened her, however, was the question of why the house would allow them to have it.

They sat huddled in the center of the room, the rotting goop from the refrigerator beginning to crust on their skin and clothes. Too bad the stench was as strong as ever. “I feel like this won’t ever wash off,” said Cal.

“Don’t say that!” Nina exclaimed. “Ew!”

As the others talked about Sadie and the ukulele, Lou found herself glancing around, expecting another horror to burst through the closed doors and stampede through their temporary sanctuary.

“What do you think, Lou?” Rufus was staring at her, wearing a hopeful smile. He held his arm where the shadow-dogs had bitten him. A red welt had formed, but thankfully, they hadn’t drawn blood. “If we track our Larkspur objects down and smash them, like Sadie’s ukulele, maybe we’ll all get to go home too.”

“And not only that,” Cal added, “but maybe every time one of us leaves, another part of the house will fall down. We’ll be free, and the creature will be defeated.”

Marcus watched Lou, looking worried that she might break into pieces like the part of the house they’d run from.

“What about you, Marcus?” Lou asked. “Do you have an object to destroy?”

He shook his head. “Don’t worry about me. I’ll come up with something.”

Lou’s mouth was dry and gritty. The thought of creeping through the house, searching for their little haunted treasures, made her nauseated, but she didn’t see any other way out. “How do we get started?” she asked.

“Maybe your brother can help us again,” said Rufus, standing and walking to a far wall, where a line of tall windows was covered by heavy curtains.

“My brother?” Lou’s voice squeaked. She knew that Rufus and Nina believed the reflection they’d seen throughout the house had really been Jason. Deep down, she still worried it was a trick of the creature. But Rufus didn’t have a chance to answer. When he pulled back the curtains, he found a wall covered with peacock-green wallpaper. He dragged the next curtain aside, only to discover the same. Down the line he went, groaning louder with every discovery.

“There should be windows there,” said Lou.

“The house knew what we needed,” said Cal. “So it removed them.”

“We’re on our own?” Rufus asked, his voice echoing off the high ceilings.

Marcus blinked. “We’ve been on our own for a while now.”