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can't keep track inside here. Listen, you have to unmask him somehow. If you don't, you're all in terrible danger.
     
    Just then we heard the front door open and close.
    Talk about terrible danger.
    Broxholm was back!

 

     
     
Microsoft Corporation

CHAPTER TEN - Solo Effort
     
    My mouth went dry. My hands started shaking. Peter's eyes were so wide they looked like ping- pong balls.
     
    Shhh! cautioned Ms. Schwartz. Don't make a sound.
     
    I appreciated the advice, but I had already figured that much out on my own.
     
    What are we going to dol I thought.
     
    To my surprise, Ms. Schwartz answered me.
     
    Wait till he reports in, she said. Then you can sneak out.
    Did you just read my mind{ I thought.
    fust the message you sent me, she replied.
     
    That was a relief! There's a lot going on inside my head that I don't want anyone to know about— not even Ms. Schwartz.
    I looked around the attic. If Broxholm came up here we were sunk. I couldn't see a single thing to hide behind.
    Suddenly I heard that horrible music again.
    "This is our chance/' I whispered. "He must be in his dressing room. I bet he's taking off his face and getting ready to report to the ship."
    "Then let's go," said Peter.
    "Wait," I said desperately. "What about Ms. Schwartz? We can't leave her here like this!"
     
    You have to, she thought at us. I'm all right for the time being. The best thing you can do for me is unmask the aliem
     
    I still hesitated.
    GO 7 she shouted inside my head. The message was so powerful I staggered back from the force field.
    Casting a last look over my shoulder, I took Peter's hand. He didn't pull away. This wasn't romance, it was terror. Each of us needed someone to hold on to as we sneaked down the stairway.
    When we reached the bottom, Peter opened the door as quietly as he could. The tiny click was lost in the awful screech of the alien music. Moving slowly, he peered around the edge. "No one in sight," he whispered.
    "Then let's go!"
    My heart was pounding in my ears. I don't think I've ever been so frightened in my life. I had a feeling Broxholm would jump out and grab us at any second. For one horrible instant I wondered if the mirror on his dressing table might be at the right
    angle to show our reflections as we stepped out of the attic. I imagined him racing into the hallway, his Mr. Smith face hanging down around his chin, ready to turn us into a pair of puddles on the floor—or whatever a person from his planet did to kids he caught snooping in his attic.
    The screeching music continued.
    Still moving slowly, Peter closed the door behind us. That seemed like a waste of time, until I realized he was afraid that if he didn't secure it, the door might swing open after he let go of it.
    One noise like that and we were dead meat.
    Dropping to our hands and knees, we crawled along the edge of the wall. I couldn't help it—when I was opposite the door of Broxholm's room, I glanced in. Broxholm was sitting there, peeling off his face. I prayed that he wouldn't see me, and crept forward.
    We slid down the stairs, slipped out the front door, and ran for all we were worth. After about three blocks we stopped to catch our breath. But not for long. In addition to everything else, I was worried that since Broxholm was back my parents might be home, too.
    But when we reached my house I could see that I had made it back first. That wasn't too surprising. My folks often stayed to gab with the other parents after the formal meeting was over. It was even possible that the meeting was still going on, and Broxholm had managed to slip out early.
    Peter walked me to my door. I thought that was brave of him—especially when I watched him walk off into the darkness and realized how frightened I would be if I had to go home alone. That skinny kid had more courage than anyone I knew.
    As for me, I was terrified. I went around and turned on every light in the house. (Don't ask me what good I thought that would do. All I know is