The Gathering by Dan Poblocki

Author:Dan Poblocki
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.

POPPY FACED THE footsteps, swinging her satchel from her shoulder and holding it hard in her hands like a weapon—until she saw the face of the person rushing toward her. She was so relieved, she nearly dropped her bag.

“Dylan!” she cried out.

“Nope,” said the boy. “But close.” His eyes were wide, and his chest was heaving.

“Dash? What are you doing up here?”

“Where’s my brother?” Dash looked almost as scared as she felt.

“We decided to split up.” She glanced over her shoulder toward the office door. “We need to find the others and then get out of here.”

“You saw something too?”

Nodding, Poppy fought tears.

This is all a lie.

“I was waiting in the foyer,” said Dash, “just like Dylan told me to. But I heard a noise. When I turned, I saw that kid in the rabbit mask watching me from the top of the stairs. He ran off, so I followed him up here—”

“I don’t know what’s going on.” Poppy couldn’t hold back. “I was in an office. There was a fire. A girl in a cat mask attacked me. I thought she was going to kill me. I ran, but the door was locked. And the window wouldn’t break. But the wall … The fire went out, which makes no sense … And … And we have to go.” She shifted past him, waving for him to follow. “We have to find the others AND GO.”

“Not that way,” he said.

“What do you mean?” She heard her voice rising. “The stairs are just down the hall.”

Dash turned his head to show her the nasty welt on his cheek. Poppy hissed in shock and sympathy. “The kid I followed attacked me too. I managed to pull off his mask.” Dash trembled and briefly closed his eyes. “There was black goo spilling out of his mouth and down his neck. He was soaked with it.” He swallowed. “I don’t want—I don’t think we should go back that way.”

Poppy met his eyes gravely. “The stairs are back that way. I haven’t seen another way out.”

Dash peered past her into the darkness stretching down the hallway behind her. “Fine. But if we come across another one of those kids wearing masks, I hope you know how to fight.”

“I’m learning,” said Poppy, leading the way, relieved to finally put some distance between herself and that office.

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