6. Icicle Alley

ICICLE ALLEY 6 Sam and Lucy watched in horror as their friend continued to freeze. Antonio couldn't move his feet or legs. The ice held him tight. "Don't worry, buddy!" Sam said. "We'll get you out of here." "H-h-how?" asked Antonio. "We'll think of something," Lucy replied.

Antonio looked his friends in the eyes. "N-n-no," he said. "Orson Eerie is trying to distract you from the real mission: getting to the teachers' lounge. So go! If you turn the heat back on, you'll stop Orson from returning. That will save everyone— even m-m-me!" Sam's mind raced. Yes, we need to get to the teachers' lounge. But we can't leave Antonio behind! Lucy said what Sam was thinking. "No way, Antonio. First, we'll get you free. Then we'll head to the teachers' lounge. It will take all three of us to defeat Orson." Sam tried to remain calm. "So," he said, "how do we free Antonio?"

Antonio's eyes lit up. "I h-h-have an idea! My science fair p-p-project taught me that s-s-salt slows down the freezing temperature of water." "So we need salt," Lucy said. "A lot of it!" "I'll run to the kitchen!" Sam said. "There could be another trap," said Lucy. "I'm going with you." "Okay," Sam replied. "Antonio, don't worry, we won't be long!" "You b-b-better not be!" Antonio said. If Sam and Lucy didn't hurry, he'd soon be frozen solid. Sam set the hammer down on the sink.

An instant later, he and Lucy were both racing toward the kitchen. The temperature continued to drop. Snow swirled through the open windows, and wind whipped down the hallway. Slushy water was up to their ankles, and it was rising fast. Sam felt like they were running through a hurricane! "Argh," Lucy groaned, as they dashed around the corner. "Nothing ruins a day like wet socks."

Sam shook his head. "That's not true. Orson Eerie ruins a day worse than anything." He could see his breath in the air. It was thick, like smoke. Sam slipped. Lucy grabbed him just before he plunged into the water. Working together, they kept each other from falling. Finally, they came to the lunchroom. "It isn't going to be easy to reach the kitchen..." Lucy said, as she stood in the doorway.

The lunchroom was dark and strange shadows seemed to dance on the walls and across the wet floor. Water dripped from the sprinklers and through the ceiling tiles. Jagged icicles hung from the room's high ceiling. It was like the ceiling was covered in giant spikes! Sam and Lucy could see the kitchen door along the far wall. But getting there seemed impossible...