“It’s just a piece of lint.” Henry said looking at Heather.

“Will you please stomp on it just in case?”

“Fine,” Henry said stepping on the lint.

“Thank you,” Heather said cheerfully. She ran off to her room.

Henry sighed, “Why does she always do this to me?”

“Henry, she looks up to you, you could at least try to be nice to her.” Henry’s stepmother Jillian said.

“I know, I know, but she’s just so weird and-”

“Unique,” Jillian interrupted. “she’s just unique, that’s all.”

“Okay, she’s unique, but she gets scared about every little thing. Like the other day when we went to the park, there was a lady-bug on the slide and she wouldn’t go down, even after I got it off. She said it left germs.”

“Henry, she doesn’t want to get hurt.”

“Well what about the ghosts then?” Henry asked.

“Your father and I think that Heather is afraid to die so she came up with the ghost stories.”

“But-”

“Just try to be nice, okay?”

“Fine I’ll try.”

“Good , now go tell Heather dinner is ready.”

Henry walked down the hall and into Heather’s room.

“Heather dinner’s- whoa! What happened to her?” Heather was sitting on the floor of her room holding a Barbie doll with one leg missing. “Barbreea fell off her monster in the monster rodeo.” Heather held up Ken, who was scribbled all over with marker, “This is her monster.” She said. “Now Doctor Henry will you fix Barbreea up and give her a cowboy band aid? Please?”

“Her name is pronounced Barbie, and, um, maybe later, come on dinner’s ready.

“I’ll check on you later Beastie Beastie.” Heather to said to Ken.

 

After dinner, as Henry pushed open the  screen door, he called over his shoulder.”I’m going down to the swamp to catch beetles.”

“I wanna come! I wanna come!”Heather yelled jumping up and down excitedly. “Beastie Beastie needs more food.”

“Eww gross.” he muttered to himself. “I’me not catching beetles any more.” he called again to his stepmother.

“Oh, come on! Henry I want to catch beetles.” Heather whined, using her I’m-so-sad puppy face. “Please!”

“Nope, sorry not going. But how about playing hide-and-seek instead?”

“Yay!”

“You hide and I’ll seek.” Henry said.

“Go and count Henry. Go, go, go!”

Henry left the room and started walking towards the front door. “One, two,  tree” he called.

“It’s not tree it’s three” Heather called from her hiding spot.

“Okay, three,”

Once outside, Henry pulled a walkie-talkie out of his pocket. “New plan Owen, we have to meet at the graveyard instead of the swamp. Out”

“Roger that,” said a voice crackling over the radio. “Be there in ten minutes. Out.”

Henry started walking towards the graveyard.

“Henry! Do you give up? Can I come out now?” Heather’s voice drifted towards Henry. “Henry?”

Henry started running.

Owen arrived at the graveyard shortly after Henry did.

“So, how’d you lose your sister?” he asked.

“She’s not my sister, and, one of the oldest tricks in the book.”

“Ah, the old hide-n-seek ditch. I’m so proud of you bro! High-five!”

After they high-fived each other, Henry asked. “So, when’s Aiden gonna get here? It’s almost initiation time.”

“Oops,” replied Owen. “I forgot to tell him there was a change of plans.”

“Owen you idiot! You forgetful idiot!” yelled Henry.

“Hey I didn’t forget the tub of swamp water!” Owen retaliated defensively.

“I’ll just call Aiden, tell him to come here instead.” Henry sighed. Henry pushed the button on the side of his walkie-talkie.”Aiden, new plan , we’re meeting at the graveyard. I hope you have a towel. Out.”

“Okay, I’m on me way. And, I brought a towel. Out.”

“So?” asked Owen.

“He’s on the way, Mr. Forgetful.” Henry said leaning against the big apple tree.

“Give me a boost bro.” Oen ordered.

“Why?” asked Henry.

“Look  at those apples!” Owen said pointing at two big juicy apples.”Now do you see why I want a boost?”

“Owen, that’s not gonna work out.”

“Why not?”

“Well, first of all, you’re afraid of heights, second of all, you don’t know how to climb a tree because of that fear.”

“Hey how hard can it be? And, I think I’m over that.”

“Okay, if you say so.” Henry knelt down and cupped his hands.

“Ready Owen.”

Owen stepped into Henry’s hands. Henry lifter, and Owen grabbed onto the closest branch. Owen hoisted himself onto the branch, then reached for the branch above him. He wobbled a little, but soon found his balance again.

Once Owen started, he was like a monkey Very soon, Owen had both apples in hand.

“Toss them down to me, then climb down.” Henry instructed.

Owen looked down at Henry. He let out a help of surprise, dropped both apples, then clung to the branch.

Henry saw the apples fall, then dove.

Henry caught one apple, but the other slipped his grasp. Owen can have that one, Henry thought.

“Uh,” it was Aiden.

“Sorry,” said Henry,” Owen got stuck in the tree. Again.” He sighed.

” Guess I have to go up and help him down.”

Henry jumped up and grabbed the closest branch. He quickly climbed to Owen.

“Just don’t look down,” Henry muttered. Owen didn’t move.

“Why do I have to do this?” Henry moaned. He grabbed Owen and pulled.

“Hey! What are you doing?!”

Owen shrieked and scurried down the tree. Henry climbed down after him.

“Why’d you do that?” Owen asked offensively.

Henry ignored him, “Are you ready for the initiation?”

“Yeah, but…”

“Just get it ready while I talk to Aiden would ya?”

“Fine,”

“Aiden, I have a few friendly tips, when I say, plug your nose, close your eyes, and shut your mouth.”

“Ookay,” Aiden answered.

“Now stay there and don’t move.”

Henry hurried behind a large tombstone behind Aiden. He came out with Owen. Between them, they held a tub of swamp water.

“Okay Aiden, now.”

“One,” counted Owen.

“Two, Henry whispered back.

“Three!” they shouted together.

They ran up behind Aiden dumping the swamp water on top of him.

Aiden gasped as cold mud and weeds washed over him, and got a mouthful of mud.

Aiden spat out the mud, grabbed his towel, and started rubbing furiously.

“How was that?” Owen asked. “When Henry and I started this club, we had to push each other into the swamp!” He shivered.

” Not fun, Definitely not fun.”

” Now time for the oaths. Now repeat after me. I solemnly swear,”

“I solemnly swear,” Aiden and Owen began.

“Not you Owen, you’ve already done the oaths. I will never, and I mean never, tell anyone about this. Not even my mother. And if I break this oath, I will be banned from this club and anything to do with it.”

Aiden repeated this and they moved on.

” Now to show you the club house.” Henry said excitedly.

” It’s really cool.” Owen added.

Henry went over to an especially large tombstone. He knelt down  and slowly traced his fingers across the tombstone. A minute later, he stood up. Before him had opened up a long, twisty, stone stairway.

“Ta Da,”  Henry said. ” Now follow me down to the secret club house.” Henry started down the staircase.

“What the-? Huh?” Aiden asked looking at Owen with a shocked expression.

“Just get moving” ordered Owen, striding over to the stair case.

Down, down, down they went, Henry still in the lead.

” Here we are.” Henry announced.

They walked into a round chamber lit by hundreds of long lasting glow-sticks set inside old torch brackets and plastic cups lined against the walls.

There was a pretty girl with sleek black hair, restocking glow-sticks.

“Miranda? What are you doing here this early?” asked Henry questioningly.

“Might I ask the same about you?” Miranda shot back haughtily, without turning around.

A slight blush crept up Henry’s neck and into his cheeks.

” Well,” murmured Henry awkwardly.

“Aiden, this is Miranda. She is also part of the club.”

Miranda shrieked,” Get away from me, you fool!” She stared at Owen fiercely. “Don’t you ever do that again,” She growled,” or else.”

“Owen,” Henry sighed, “You didn’t jump start her again, did you?”

“Well,…”

“Yes he did!” screamed Miranda shrilly. “He did! He did! He did!” she shrieked again, without stopping again to take a breath.

“Owen, how many times do I have to tell you, leave Miranda alone. Will you ever learn?”

“Nope,” grinned Owen sheepishly, ” I don’t have any capitoly of learning.”

” Capability, not cat- whatever you said.  And it was a rhetorical question.”

“A what?” asked Owen.

“Umm?”

Everyone turned towards the entrance.

“Uhh,” Aiden stammered, embarrassed at being forgotten,” where are we? I- I know we’re underground, but, but- Where are we?” he finally stammered.

“Oh yeah, how could I forget!?” Henry said to himself. “Welcome to the club house,” Henry said in a comically low voice, spreading his arms wide, Owen and Miranda mockingly mimicking him behind his back.

Aiden stifled a laugh.

The room was cluttered. walkie-talkies were strewn across the floor, and on the table that was pushed against the wall. Batteries were also laying around in piles.

A shimmering, translucent figure drifted through one wall, and through the other.

Aiden slumped to the ground. “I think I’m having hallucinations.” he moaned.

“Whatcha mean?” Owen asked. He was sitting on the table trying to shove double A batteries into a walkie-talkie that took triple A batteries.

“I think I saw a ghost.” answered Aiden shakily.

“Nah, that was just  a hologram,”said Henry from over by multiple gadgets with blinking lights, Miranda by his side. “We’re working on a new security device. We;re going to make one where you have to give a DNA sample as soon as we perfect the holograms.

“Oh. Where’d you get all the stuff to make all that?”

“Junkyard,” answered Miranda pushing a few buttons, then typing something  on a flat keyboard.

“Yeah, thanks to Miranda, we will have a security system even the president doesn’t have. She’s a computer genius.” added Owen.

“Mmm” murmured Miranda. “I’ll be right back.” Miranda said after a while of typing. “I’m gonna go make some sandwiches.” she went up the stairway the boys came down a little while before.

“Don’t touch anything Owen.”she called over her shoulder.

“Ah man.” Owen groaned. Miranda’s footsteps faded away.

Owen jumped off the table and made his way over to the gadgets.

“Owen,” Aiden said warningly.”you’re not supposed to do anything.”

“What could happen?”

“Well, actually anything could happen,” said Henry in a matter-of-fact voice. “Now, i’m going to find the last part that will make the hologram clearer. And, Aiden? Don’t let Owen touch anything.” Henry went up to the stairway, following in Miranda’s footsteps.

Aiden began to try out some of the walkie-talkies.

Owen crept up to the gizmos, and started pushing buttons.

Suddenly, red lights flashed everywhere. An awful sound was echoing all around the room.

Miranda raced down the stairs. “OWEN! WHAT DID YOU DO?!!” she shrieked. Miranda started typing frantically on the keyboard. The flashing and the noise stopped. Miranda slumped into her chair.

“Don’t ever do that again,” she said breathlessly. A series of beeps started, getting faster  and faster. “GET DOWN!” she screamed pushing the others to the ground.

An explosion followed soon after the beeping. Walkie-talkies and debris went flying in every direction.

They were still laying on the floor when Henry came down. He looked at the dust billowing from the ceiling, then, to all the remains of the walkie-talkies on the floor.

“Owen,” Henry cried falling to his knees. “what did you do to my equipment? What did you do?”

“You just had to go and explode all of the equipment! Didn’t you Owen?! Now I”ll have to start all over again on the security equipment! That took me a year to make! Do you hear me?! A YEAR!” Miranda ranted at Owen, making more dust billow from the ceiling.

“I’m sorry okay?” Owen yelled right back.”I don’t try to wreck things! It just happens!”

“Then maybe you should just leave!” screamed Miranda, her ponytail flipping back and forth, hairs still out everywhere.

Owen looked shocked.”Fine!”
“Fine!” he yelled.

“Fine!” Miranda shouted at him.

“Fine!”

“Fine!”

This continued as Owen made his way all the way up the stairs.

“FINE!”

Miranda stormed over to her chair. Aiden and Henry just stood there with their mouths hanging open. Aiden spoke first.

“My mom’s expecting me.” he said hurriedly.”My Aunt Beatrice is coming over for dinner.”

“Yeah, Heather’s probably looking for me.” Henry added. “Bye!” They both hurried up the stairs, leaving Miranda still fuming in the remains of all her  gadgets and walkie-talkies.

“Henry?” Henry slowly opened his eyes.

“AAH!” he yelped almost falling off his bed. “Heather,” he said angrily. “don’t do that again!”

“Your friends are here,” she said ignoring Henry’s orders. “they’re in the living room.”

“Wha- what?” Henry exclaimed. “They’re here?”

“Yup.”

“Now?”

“Yup.”

“Get out, get out, get out!” Henry yelled shooing her out the door. He slammed the door behind her. Henry threw open his closet doors and quickly threw on some tan cargo pants, and a navy blue T-shirt. He ran into the living room. Aiden, Owen, and Miranda were about to leave.

“Hey, Henry, Heather told us you weren’t available today. What does that mean?” asked Miranda.

“Well-”

“He’s going to play with me today!” Heather chanted skipping around Henry.

“Knock it off. I didn’t say that.”

“As soon as you dump the trash,” Owen said nodding at Heather. “meet us at the hideout. Oh, I almost forgot, we rode our bikes, just in case we need a ‘quick getaway’.”

“Okay, see you soon.” Henry sighed.

“Hopefully.” Aiden  added.

“Hey Heather,” Henry said once his friends were out the door. “Go get Barbie ready, we’re going to get her a partner for riding in the rodeo.”

“Okay!” She said running to her room.

Henry ran out the door, and jumped on his bike. He pedaled as hard as he could, and had already booked it out the driveway and was on his way to the graveyard when Heather walked out with Barbie.

When he got to the graveyard, a couple was kneeling by a grave. He scooped up a few dandelions so it would look like he was there to visit a grave too. He walked over to the apple tree where Miranda, Owen, and Aiden were waiting.

“We’ve got a problem.” Aiden muttered running his fingers through his hair.

“So, we’ll just wait for them to leave.” said Henry, tossing his backpack under the tree, and sliding down be side it.

“Henry,” hissed Miranda. “look at the gravestone and what they’re doing to it.

“It’s fi-” Henry jumped up. The couple was tracing the stone! The stone that lead to the hideout!