I was dying to examine the bottle more closely but Mom liked everyone at the dinner table on time I scooped up Gran’s things and put them back into the box Except the bottle of garam masala I picked it up Ouch It was so hot I dropped it Oh no Luckily it landed on the carpet with a thud Watch it butterfingers What Who Come out and show yourself I said inching toward the door Bai had texted to let me know he was back from his vacation in China and had precisely one day to get ready for school I needed to ask if he knew anything about ghosts because either my room was haunted or I was losing it but I’d have to wait until tomorrow No one appeared I was the only kid in this house But the voice I was hearing 4
in my head also belonged to a kid It kind of sounded like this horrible boy in my class Matt I gazed at my reflection in the mirror Brown eyes stared back at me from under a mass of wriggly black hair Kiara you’re only eight and you’re losing your mind I said to myself That’s sad Yup the voice in my head agreed
I picked up the bottle which was barely warm now and put it on the desk This was so weird Kiara Prasad I want you at the dinner table now Mom’s voice had a sharp edge I glanced at the bottle once more before I left the room The smoke inside was now blood red 6
Chapter Two I raced through dinner even though it was my favorite shrimp curry and rice Normally I would enjoy each bite and take a second helping But today I had Zayn Garam Masala on my mind I couldn’t wait to get back to my room First day of school tomorrow Kiara said Grandpa Ready for third grade No If Gran were here I would have confided to her that I was scared 7
