14 GONE FOR GOOD

CHAPTER 14 GONE FOR GOOD Maybe they're in a different part of the library," Kaz said. "Let's go look for them." He started to pass through the glass wall when, finally, he saw Claire and Maddie walking into the library. "There they are," he said. "Over here, Claire!" He waved. Claire smiled. "We need a private place to talk," she told Maddie in a quiet voice as she stomped the rain from her feet. "Kaz is back. And there's another ghost boy with him. But it's not Little John or the ghost from the Underground. Should we go in one of the bathrooms?"

"You want to take boy ghosts into the girls' bathroom?" Maddie shrieked. A couple of girls turned to look at Maddie and Claire. Maddie's face reddened. She probably realized how that sounded. She leaned close to Claire and said, "I know where we can talk," she said. "Follow me." She led Claire and the ghosts up the escalator to the third floor. They went over to the teen area, past some bookshelves, and over to a black tape that stretched from the wall to a pillar. Maddie ducked under it. "Are we allowed back there?" Claire asked. "Yes. This is the teen work room," Maddie said. "It's where teen volunteers go to work on projects." Claire ducked under the tape. Kaz and Oliver sailed over it. And now they were in a small room with a table and chairs and a row of cabinets.

"There are librarians back there," Maddie said, pointing to another door they could sort of see through next to the cabinets. "We should talk softly." Claire nodded. "That means you guys shouldn't wail," she said to the ghosts. "You'll tell me everything the ghosts say, though. Won't you?" Maddie asked. "Of course," Claire said. She sat down at the table. "So, who's your friend, Kaz?" "His name's Oliver," Kaz said, wafting closer. "Oliver, this is Claire and Maddie." "Hi, Oliver," Claire said, waving at him. Oliver waved back. "Claire can see and hear you, but Maddie can't," Kaz told Oliver. "Claire, Oliver is the ghost who's been crying in the dumbwaiter. He got separated from his family. That's why he was crying. He knows where Little John is, but he wants you to help him find his family before he'll tell us about Little John."

Claire repeated all of that for Maddie. Kaz also told Claire about the deal that some solid people and ghost people made about the library a long time ago and how that was why the ghosts had messed up the children's center. Claire repeated that for Maddie, too. "So now we know who's been haunting the library and why," Maddie said. "But we can't do anything about it. The party's already canceled." "How many ghosts are in your family?" Claire asked Oliver. "And where did you last see them?" "There are five ghosts in my family," Oliver said. "My mom, my dad, my brother, Owen, my sister, Olivia, and me. I last saw them at home, before I accidentally passed through the wall." "You mean we just have to take you home and then you'll be with your family?" Claire said. "That's easy. Where do you live?" "In the castle by the sky church," Oliver said. Claire turned to Maddie. "He lives in the castle by the sky church. What's that?"

"No idea," Maddie replied. "It's a big, big screen that plays music videos," Oliver said, stretching his arms wide. "There's a huge pile of instruments, mostly guitars, that goes from the floor to the big, high ceiling. You can watch movies about outer space and play video games. Lots of solid people come to visit, too. Our haunt is kind of a museum." Claire repeated that for Maddie. "Oh, he probably lives at the MoPOP," Maddie said. "What's the MoPOP?" Kaz asked. "It's a museum that has music and science- fiction stuff," Claire replied. "Yeah... that's... where... I... live...!" Oliver wailed. He was so excited that he started to glow. Maddie laughed. "Well, let's take you home, Oliver!"

"I thought you said that girl couldn't see or hear us," Oliver said, pointing at Maddie. "You're glowing," Kaz said, trying not to feel jealous. "I am?" Oliver looked down at himself. "Hey, I am! I didn't know I could glow." He beamed with pride. Kaz sighed. Everyone could glow. Everyone except him. "We have to shrink so we can fit in Claire's water bottle," Kaz told Oliver. "That's how we'll