Chapter 13

Chapter 13 HOME, SHEET HOME! EXCEFT THERE'S NOTHING PARTICULARLY SWEET ABOUT A HAUNTED MANSION. "We should tell someone," Harper said. "We should tell Doc. Or Ms. Minerva." "We will," promised Morgan. "We just need a little more information first." "You think we'll find answers in that mansion," said Ash. "I hope so," Morgan said, and he slipped on his pair of VR goggles. In moments, they were standing on the mountain, in the shadow of the mansion. The sun

was setting, and Morgan thought the building looked even more haunted than before. "Let's do it," said Po. "Before I lose my nerve." The interior of the mansion, at least, was just as Morgan expected it to look. They entered a grand foyer, a large room with several doors and a big stone staircase leading up. "Which way?" Jodi asked. Morgan and Ash both shrugged. "The inside of a mansion is random," Ash explained. "No two are alike." "Just like snowflakes!" Po said. "LIKE HORRIBLE, CREEPY, AND POSSIBILY HAUNTED SNOWFLAKES." "I hate to do anything at random," Harper said. "But it seems there's no other way to explore this place." "We should leave a trail of seeds," Morgan said. "So we can find our way back here." He smiled at Jodi. "I learned that trick from my brilliant sister." "AW, SHUCKS," said Jodi. Behind the first door, they found a room that was empty except for five potted flowers. They took

a vote and decided to leave the flowers—and everything else they found—untouched.

The next room was all dark oak and cobblestone, and held a solitary jack-o'lantern. Morgan didn't like the way the pumpkin seemed to leer at them. The third room was filled floor to ceiling with blue wool of various shades. "Upstairs it is, then," said Po. Upstairs was a maze of connected rooms, most of them dank and gloomy. All that dark wood made the place feel cramped and old. They passed through libraries, and dining halls, and bedrooms. When they entered a room filled with cobwebs, Morgan readied himself for a fight. But nothing stirred from the corners. "ISN'T THERE USUALLY A SPIDER SPAWNER IN THIS ROOM?" Ash asked. "If so, we can guess what happened to it," said Harper. "It was somehow moved to that mineshaft." "This place is way too empty," Morgan said. "Not just this room. We've definitely been through ROOMS WHERE HOSTILE MOBS ARE SUPPOSED TO SPAWN."

"I would say it's nice to have good luck for once," Jodi said, "but we all know luck has nothing to do with it." The next room was the strangest yet. The far wall was a huge, pixelated piece of art. It looked like a giant illager head. But its eyes, which should have been green, were bright red. And the room was crowded with people. Except they weren't people. Not really. They looked like Minecraft avatars, but they were completely still. Lifeless. They sat at school desks and leaned against the walls. Some seemed to be frozen in midconversation.

And there was something eerily similar about them. "ARE THESE SUPPOSED TO BE…OUR CLASSMATES?" Jodi asked. "It can't be," said Harper. "Look there," said Ash. "Those look like they're wearing Wildling Scout uniforms." "And the ones over there are wearing basketball jerseys," said Po. "It's like the Evoker King is determined to build everything he sees at Woodsword," Morgan said.