Brandon Terrell - Phantom of the Library

Twelve-year-old Jaden Williams had never been afraid of walking into a bathroom before.He stood in the empty hallway in the abandoned section of Fleischman Middle School.The run-down brick walls were in need of repair, and the area had been closed tostudents the entire school year. The bathroom door in front of him had a sign tapedto it that read: Out of Order. The lights in the hall were off, casting the areain shadow.

But it wasnt the darkness and emptiness that freaked Jaden out.

It was the person waiting on the other side of the door.

He was a legend. A ghost. His name was whispered by kids who didnt study for theirtests. For the right price, the answers to a test or a quiz or a copy of a perfectlywritten research paper could be yours.

And Jaden was meeting the legend right now. Well, as soon as he mustered up the courageto push open the door.

Jaden exhaled long and slow. You can do this, he whispered to himself. Then headjusted his baseball cap so the brim almost covered his eyes. The door moaned asit opened like a butler announcing the entrance of a new guest.

At first, Jaden couldnt see much in the dim light of the bathroom. The window highin the wall was cracked open. That was good. There was a row of sinks and a narrow,dusty mirror that someone had drawn a smiley face on with their finger. Across fromthe mirrors was a row of toilet stalls and a pair of large black boots in the closestone.

Jaden gulped.

H-hello? he managed to squeak out. Im looking to b-b-buy a test...

For a moment, nothing happened. Jaden watched the pair of boots. Finally, after whatfelt like forever, they began to move.

This is a bad idea, he repeated over and over in his head.

The stall door opened, and the kid wearing the large black boots stepped out.

Jadens face screwed up in a look of shock and confusion.

The boy was short and skinny, not at all the huge, Paul Bunyanlike giant Jaden hadimagined hed be meeting. His boots looked comically large. A pair of thick-rimmedglasses perched low on his nose. He used one finger to push them back into place,his eyes never leaving Jaden.

Jaden didnt recognize the boy. Carlos was right, Jaden thought. Big Boots must beanother eighth-grader. Thats why Jaden had been sent in to meet the cheater insteadof another member of their gumshoe detective crew. Jaden was a sixth-grader, so itwas doubtful the older boy would recognize him.

Jaden felt Big Boots piercing gaze. Despite his small size, Jaden was still intimidatedby him. Its... cool, Jaden yammered. I mean, Im... heh... Im not wearinga wire or anything. He laughed nervously, patting his chest to prove his point.

Big Boots said nothing...

Youve got to be kidding me, Hayden said to herself. Jadens twin sister sat inone of the trees lining the sidewalk outside the school. With one hand, she clutchedthe tree trunk. With the other she held a strange-looking device shed built earlierthat day. It was a video game controller shaped like a sci-fi blaster with an old,clear-plastic bowl glued to one end of it. A microphone was attached to the controllerinside the dish. A cord ran through the controller and into Haydens phone.

Thirteen-year-old Keisha Turner stood at the base of the tree. The seventh-gradegirl craned her neck up to look at Hayden. Is your microphone picking anything up?she asked.

Just my brother almost blowing our operation, Hayden whispered. She pointed themicrophone at the window and hit record on her phone. Because of the shape of thedish, the microphone could pick up the conversation inside the old bathroom...

... where Jaden stood frozen in fear, having and losing a staring contest withBig Boots.

Um, everything okay? Jaden asked.

Slowly, Boots nodded. Follow me, he said in a nasally voice.

Boots led Jaden to the last stall by the open window. Jaden hoped his sister wasjust outside and that this little operation was almost over.

Boots stepped into the stall and lifted the tank lid off the stalls toilet. Inside,instead of water, was a computer tablet. What do you need? Mrs. Jamiesons pop quiz?Mr. Lins multiple choice?

Yeah. Um, that one.

Boots looked over his glasses at Jaden. Which one?

The... the multiple choice.

Boots silently tapped his fingers on the screen. Then he took a small USB drive fromhis pocket, plugged it into the tablet, and popped it back out a moment later.

Here ya go, he said as Jaden took the device. Youll get one day with the drivebefore it erases itself. Then poof, the test is gone, and the drive is worthless.So study up.

Do I, uh,... pay you now? Jaden reached into his pocket like he was diggingfor money.

Thats usually how this works, Boots said.

Cool. In that case, Jaden raised his voice. Cue ball in the corner pocket.

In the tree outside, Hayden whispered, Thats it! Weve got what we need! Time tosend in Carlos!

Keisha relayed the message to Carlos on her phone.

Boots took a step toward Jaden. What did you say?

Even though Jaden was a good six inches taller, he stepped back.

CUE BALL IN THE CORNER POCKET! Jaden shouted at the top of his lungs.

The bathroom door burst open to reveal Carlos Diaz, the fourteen-year-old leaderof Snoops, Inc. Carlos wore a wide smile; he loved solving mysteries and bustingcrooks more than anything in the world.

Right behind Carlos was the imposing principal of Fleischman Middle School. PrincipalSniders face scowled, and his bald head gleamed in the dim bathroom light. Snidersmuscular arms were folded across his big, barrel-like chest.

Well, if it isnt Eugene Fairbanks, Principal Snider said disapprovingly. Lookslike your cheating days are over.

Now it was Boots turn to look scared.

Jeez, Jaden said to Carlos, What took you so long?

Rushing into the bathroom, out of breath, came Keisha and Hayden. Hayden carriedher makeshift microphone like a futuristic space laser gun. A small twig stuck outof her hair.

Are we in time? Did we miss the best part? Hayden wheezed.

Nope, Carlos said.

Can I say it? Jaden asked. Please?

Carlos sighed. Fine.

Smiling, Jaden said, Looks like youve been busted by Snoops, Incorporated.

And by one angry principal, Principal Snider added sternly.

The following evening, as the four Snoops walked toward their destination PendletonPublic Library they saw storefronts and homes decorated for Halloween. Jack-o-lanternssat grinning on doorsteps. Fake skeletons hung in windows. The crisp fall air wasbrisk and refreshing. Every bit of it made Carlos smile. He absolutely loved thistime of year.

Their adventure for the night excited him. It didnt involve the usual bike thievesor shoplifters. It involved books. Specifically, the recently discovered unpublishedmanuscripts of the late horror author Alistair Pendleton.

Come on, Jaden, Carlos said. Jaden was staring at his sisters old electronic tabletand had fallen behind. Whats the hold-up?

Sorry, boss man, Jaden said. Just watching some clips of the Ghost Grabbers inaction.

He showed the tablet to Carlos. On it was Jadens favorite web series, Ghost Grabbers.

I cant wait to see the Ghost Grabbers up close and personal at the library tonight,Jaden gushed. Can you believe it? Our library! How cool is that?

They paused at the next intersection, waiting for the light to turn green. Trafficzipped along.