12

“The curse isn’t broken!” Kelsey screamed. “It’s driving me crazy!” Then she snatched up the card and stomped off.

“Hey! Wait up!” Drew yelled. “Where are you going?”

“Back to the Amazing Zandra,” she hollered.

Kelsey broke into a run. Drew chased after her. But she didn’t stop until she burst through the door of the Amazing Zandra’s shack.

Zandra was sitting behind the table with her feet propped up, nipping through a fashion magazine.

She wore a gypsy dress. But it was hiked up so high that Kelsey could see her cutoff jeans underneath it.

And she didn’t have long, dark hair anymore. It was short and blond. The long, dark hair was a wig – and without it, Zandra looked even younger. She didn’t look much older than Kelsey.

“You’re a fake!” Kelsey shouted at her.

“We’ve got the card to prove it,” Drew added.

Kelsey flung the card down in front of the Amazing Zandra. “Look,” she said. “It even has the red X you drew on it. How do you explain that?”

Zandra stared at the card. “Where did you get this?” she asked suspiciously.

“It just appeared,” Kelsey told her. “Right after I was attacked by a swarm of horseflies.”

“What kind of trick are you two trying to pull on me?” she asked.

“Us?” Kelsey shot back. “You’re the one who ripped me off. You said you removed the curse. But you didn’t. I was nearly eaten alive by those horseflies! You didn’t remove that stupid curse – and this card proves it!”

“That,” Zandra declared, “is a different card. The one you brought to me is safely locked inside this box.” Then she reached for the metal box and placed it on the table.

“Really?” Kelsey smirked. “Then show it to me.”

“No problem,” Zandra replied. “I will.” She dipped her hand into the pocket of her dress and pulled out the key. She slipped it into the lock and turned it.

Zandra hesitated only for a moment before she lifted the lid.

“Oh, no!” She gasped, staring down into the box. “How can this be?”

Kelsey’s eyes were glued to the box. She knew exactly what they would find inside.

Nothing.

Zandra tilted it so that Kelsey and Drew could take a look.

But the box wasn’t empty.

And Kelsey shrieked when she spotted what was inside.

Загрузка...