Addie said through gritted teeth. She stomped toward the living room. “Where’s the book I left here?”
“Huh? Why? What are you going to do?” I asked, chasing after her.
“Since it’s all my fault,” Addie said bitterly, “I’m going to help fix things. We’re going to hypnotize him again. Do exactly what you did yesterday. Then
when he’s under the spell, I’ll tell him to remember everything. Then we’ll bring him out of it, and he’ll be fine.”
I realized my heart was pounding. “Do you really think—?”
“Yes. Definitely,” Addie said. She gave me a shove. “Hurry. Get the book. We’ll be a little late to school, but no big deal. When we’re finished, your
brother will be his normal, adorable self.”
“Peter, you’re going to be okay!” I cried.
I turned to the kitchen counter. “Peter?”
He was gone.
“Where did he go?” I gasped.
Addie blinked hard, staring at the empty kitchen stool.
I spun toward the doorway—and saw that the basement door was open again. “Peter?” I ran out into the hall and looked down the stairs. “Peter?
What are you doing?”
He was halfway down the stairs, walking so slowly in the dark, a step and then another step.
“Peter? Can’t you hear me?” I screamed. “What are you doing? Where are you going?”