He headed right, away from Willa’s warning.
Down the narrow hall, a jog left, he faced a metal exit door with a panic bar. He hesitated, for at that very second an icy frost splintered and cracked the inside surface of the door. Something—someone—was just on the other side, and it wasn’t security guards.
The frosty image slowly took the shape of a human hand. Finn jumped back. He could see his breath now, could feel that same penetrating cold getting to him again.
He turned to run, but could not move his legs. He teetered, ready to fall. The frost on the inside of the door spread from the thin fingers of the hand like a web. Finn glanced down to see that the floor had iced up beneath him. It was like standing on a skating rink. Then his body moved forward, all on its own, sliding on the ice, as if drawn by a magnet.
He put out his hands to stop himself, but they stuck to the door. That force continued to pull him. Now his body glued itself to the door. Inch by inch his head was pulled until his cheek froze to the metal. Pulled against the door’s panic bar, he feared the door might come open. Whoever, whatever, was on the other side wanted the pens and pencils in his pocket. The Overtakers.
The plans squirted out from under his arm and came unrolled as they hit the floor. Finn could see they were faded blueprints of the various parks. One by one, the sheets slipped under the door while Finn was helpless to stop them.
The panic bar inched ahead and, as it did, the mechanism drew the bolt of the lock away from the lip of metal that secured the door shut.
Behind him, the voices inside the gallery grew louder as the security guards drew closer. “Hey, Manny! Over here! Think I got something!”
The guards were in the back hallway.
Whatever was on the other side of the door made a sound like wintry wind.
Finn tried to dismiss it, ignore it, but it grew louder.
Then, from outside the door, Finn heard shouting. The roar of the wind immediately lessened, fading away, replaced by the sounds of running feet. The ice on the inside of the door slowly melted, sending streams of water rushing down.
Finn heard the slap of boots as the security guards drew closer. He pushed the panic bar. The ice cracked and the door opened. Finn tore some skin off the palms of both hands as he pulled away from the icy bar.
Bright late-afternoon sunshine blinded him. He could just vaguely make out Willa, a good distance away, running toward him.
Behind him, a girl with long hair.
Jez? Amanda?
Finn took off in that direction, curious to find out who had caused that ice.
The fleeing girl rounded the building’s back corner, out of sight.
Finn sprinted to catch up calling, “Hey! Wait! You! Wait up!” He was no longer afraid of this person. He wanted answers.
He, too, hurried around the corner. He collided with someone and they went down hard. Finn came to his knees, dazed.
“You?” he said.
He sat face-to-face with Amanda.
“You?” he said again, desperate for an explanation. “You cause the cold?”
“Finn—”
“You’re the one?” he gasped in disbelief, hating her for all her lies.
“Me?” She looked astonished. But was she just acting?
She said in a whisper, “Did you get what you came for?”
Finn couldn’t get a word out, his chest tight, his fists clenched.
“Finn, please. You’ve got this wrong.”
He rose to his feet and backed away from her, but not daring to take his eyes off her. “I trusted you,” he said.
“Finn,” she pleaded. “There’s so much to explain. But not here.”
“Not anywhere,” he fired back. “Not ever.”
“Run!” Willa called out, catching up. “They’re com-ing!
Amanda, still seated on the pavement, had tears in her eyes.
Willa came to a breathless stop. “Finn! The guards!”
He and Amanda had not broken eye contact, though they did now. He backed up at first, still looking at her. Then he turned and ran as hard and as fast as he could.
29
Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, the most fun of any of the park’s special events, was not to be missed. It provided a good opportunity for the kids to bring the pens to Wayne, since they would have to deliver them in person, not as DHIs.
All five of the kids had planned to attend, using up one of their “legal” visits to the park. Finn wasn’t sure who to trust anymore, but certainly not the pirates. Their apparent connection to Jez made him all the more curious, and all the more cautious.
The party took place at night, after hours. Main Street was decorated to match the occasion, costumes were all but mandatory, and ghoulish characters walked the streets, adding to the chills and thrills.