Anton: Hey, Bro. What’s up?

Ravi: Not much.

Anton: Where r u?

Ravi: By the old Shepherd place. Creepy!

Anton:???

Ravi: I’m walking Misty. Went by Taisha’s. Taking short cut home.

Anton: Ha. U see her?

Ravi: No.

Anton: Maybe she’s with Devon.

Ravi: Thanks a lot. Lljhjg

Anton:???

Ravi: Misty chasing cat. Got to catch her.

Anton: U there?

Anton: Ravi, u OK? It’s been 10 minutes. Need help?

Ravi: Door on Shepherd house half open. Cat ran in. Misty, too. She’s not coming out.

Anton: U going in there???? Really????   

Ravi: Better idea?

Anton: Guess not. Want me 2 come?

Ravi: Wd take 2 long.  Hang on with me.

Anton: K.

Ravi: OMG!

Anton: What?

Ravi: Somebody’s living here. Cigarette butts in coffee can. Dishes in sink.

Anton: HS kids hanging out? 

Ravi: What about that guy who escaped from prison?

Anton: Get Misty and get out!

Ravi: Noise in cellar. I think she’s

Anton: Ravi? 

Anton: Ravi?

Anton: Taisha, u there? I think Ravi’s in trouble.

Taisha: ?

Anton: U know the spooky Shepherd house? He’s inside trying to find Misty.

Taisha: Texting  Leann and Cin.  U text Dre and Ron. See you in 10.

Ten minutes later, a posse of six stood in front of the Shepherd house. The yard was overgrown with weeds and the front door ajar.  Abandoned years before, a few windows were broken. The porch sagged and the steps looked rickety.    

“So what’s the plan?” asked Taisha.

“Plan?” They all looked at each other.

“Let me try texting Ravi again,” Anton said.  “U there guy?”

No answer.

“Maybe we should call somebody?” said Cin.

“We called each other! Now, let’s do something,” Taisha said “Cin, you wait here. If we’re not out in 10 minutes, call 911. The rest of us are going in.”

“We are?” said Anton.

Taisha rolled her eyes. “You wait with Cin if you want.”

“No, I’m coming.”

The walked to the door and peeked in. It was gloomy inside and because the electric had been turned off long ago, they couldn’t turn on any lights.

“My cell has a flashlight.”

“Mine, too.”

The floor creaked and Leann and Dre jumped.

“Ravi?”

“Rrrrrrrr.”

“What was that?”

They shone the flashlights around what was once a living room. A few broken chairs, a pile of rags, some soda cans and an old magazine littered the floor. Wallpaper peeled from the walls.

Tiptoeing into the kitchen, they found cupboard doors hanging open, the cupboards bare.

“Rrrrrrrrr!”  Was the house haunted?

“We need to go down the cellar,” said Anton. “That’s where Ravi was headed when I lost contact.”

They heard a low moan as they shone their flashlights down the cellar stairs. “Ravi?”

There at the bottom of the stairs was Ravi, with his dog, Misty by his side, protecting him and keeping him warm.

Ravi moved slightly. “Oh, my leg! I can’t get up.”

“Call 911,” Taisha said to Anton. “And go outside so you can direct the paramedics in.” Taisha headed down the stairs.

“Rrrrr.”

She held out her hand to Misty. “It’s OK, I’m here to help.”

“She’s my friend,” said Ravi. “It’s OK.”        

A few hours later, Ravi was home, his leg in a cast. His friends gathered around him.

“I found your cell phone. It must have gone flying when you fell.” Taisha handed it to Ravi.

“But where did the cat Misty was chasing go?” asked Anton. “I didn’t see a cat.”

“There was definitely a cat,” Ravi said. “I saw it. So did Misty.”

“Strange that Misty never found it,” said Taisha, and they all felt a chill and decided to change the subject.