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And then he was gone.

Chapter 66

In Which They Rush Home

So what’s next on the Tour, Meeka?” Jackson asked. Meeka shook her head sadly. “I’m afraid the Tour is over.”

Jackson stopped. “What do you mean?”

“Jackson, as much fun as it was, as much as I like you, you have to go back. You’ve been here all night. And I have to give other tours. It is part of my job you know.”

Jackson looked at his watch. Six thirty! His mom would be downstairs making breakfast and coming to wake him up in half an hour!

“Meeka, I have to get back by seven!” he yelled.

“Okay, but hang on!” Meeka jumped into the river, making a big splash. She dug furiously in her work satchel and pulled out the slimy, dead fish. She bent down and carefully held him in the water. His still body shuddered, his tail flicked, and he swam away.

“What the…? Meeka! Why did you have that dead fish in your bag?” Jackson asked.

“No time, no time! Follow me!” she yelled. And she took off.

Meeka and Jackson ran down the halls, turned corners, climbed up stairs, climbed down stairs, and felt their way through a dark room (“It’s a shortcut!”) until they found themselves breathing heavily beside a door.

Meeka threw her arms around Jackson, hugging him so tightly, he couldn’t breathe. And on top of not being able to breathe because he was out of breath, that’s a lot of not breathing.

He hugged her back.

“I’m going to miss you, Jackson.” A few tears fell down her little elf face.

“I’m going to miss you too, Meeka. It’s great finally having a friend.”

“Best friend?” she asked.

“Yeah, best friend,” he agreed.

Meeka smiled a wobbly smile and said, “I’ll need your glasses.”

“Can I visit again?” he asked.

“Only if you find us.”

“How am I supposed to find you? Do I just climb into Great-Aunt Harriett’s hair again?” But Meeka had slipped the glasses off Jackson’s head, and he saw nothing but hair. “Meeka? How am I supposed to find you?” he called out. But a big wad of hair went in his mouth, and he started to choke. Jackson felt little hands on his back, and he was shoved hard.

Chapter 67

In Which Jackson Hits the Floor

Jackson hit the floor with a thud.

“Landth thaketh alive, child! Can’t you aim bettaw when you faww out of bed? You almotht few on me!” Actually what she said was, “Land’s sakes alive, child! Can’t you aim better when you fall out of bed! You almost fell on me!” but I’ve translated for you. Again.

Jackson opened his eyes. He was in his room, on the floor. Great-Aunt Harriett stood over him, her eyes peering at him quite intently.

“Who’s Josh?” he blurted.

Her eyes cleared for a moment. “Josh,” she whispered. The look was gone, and her eyes clouded over again. “Well, let’s go downstairs,” she said. “I need some medicine for my awful headache. What dreams I had!” she said. She trudged toward the door and she paused. “Josh,” she whispered. “Such dreams I had.”

She shook her head and scuffled down the hall.

Chapter 68

A Chapter that Has a Key, a Book, and a Picture

Jackson! Breakfast! Hurry up and get dressed!” his mom called from downstairs.

Jackson saw the satchel beside him on the floor. It was worn and dirty and the strap was ripped. It couldn’t have been a dream, could it?

Jackson quickly shoved his hands in his pockets, searching.

He pulled out a key.

A plain, old-fashioned, gold key.

He grabbed his satchel and ripped it open, trembling with anticipation. He pulled out the Book and two white stones. He opened the Book’s pages and a picture slipped onto the floor. Jackson picked it up. It was a picture of a house. The house where he met Rayaa and Eleissa. In the picture, the front door was covered with huge, wispy cobwebs attached in six different spots with gargantuan, hairy-backed spiders waiting for their lunch. The house had big boards nailed across it. And a skull-and-crossbones sign beside it. There was even a big hole in the porch floor.

“Jackson! Let’s go!” his mom yelled.

Jackson tucked the Book into the makeshift tent on his bunk. He changed out of his pajamas into jeans and a T-shirt. He pocketed