{"product_id":"empty-smiles-isbn-9780593109205","title":"Empty Smiles","description":"\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author Katherine Arden thrills once again in the finale to the critically acclaimed, bone-chilling quartet that began with \u003ci\u003eSmall Spaces\u003c\/i\u003e. Now in paperback.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIt’s been three months since Ollie made a daring deal with the smiling man to save those she loved, and then vanished without a trace. The smiling man promised Coco, Brian and Phil, that they’d have a chance to save her, but as time goes by, they begin to worry that the smiling man has lied to them and Ollie is gone forever. But then a terrified and rambling boy who went missing at a nearby traveling carnival appears with a message for the trio from the mysterious man who took him: \u003ci\u003ePlay if you dare\u003c\/i\u003e.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eGame on! The smiling man has finally made his move. Now it’s Coco, Brian, and Phil’s turn to make theirs. And they know just where to start. The traveling carnival is coming to Evansburg.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMeanwhile, Ollie is trapped in the world behind the mist, learning the horrifying secrets of the smiling man's carnival, and trying everything to help her friends find her. Brian, Coco and Phil will risk everything to rescue Ollie—but they all soon realize this game is much more dangerous than the ones before. This time the smiling man is playing for keeps.\u003cb\u003e\u003cu\u003ePraise for \u003ci\u003eEmpty Smiles\u003c\/i\u003e:\u003c\/u\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“For a fully fearful \u003cb\u003eadventure\u003c\/b\u003e, pick up this . . .\u003cb\u003echilling ghost story\u003c\/b\u003e . . . certain to keep even the bravest readers up until the sun comes up.” —\u003ci\u003eB\u0026amp;N Reads\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“The terror continues for Ollie, Coco, Brian, and Phil in this \u003cb\u003efrightening \u003c\/b\u003eseries finale. . . Arden never disappoints with her \u003cb\u003ethrilling, spine-tingling\u003c\/b\u003e scenes and this book is full of them. First came scarecrows, ghosts, and monsters, but \u003cb\u003eshe has saved the best for last\u003c\/b\u003e: evil clowns! Verdict: Fans of the series won’t be disappointed.” —\u003ci\u003eSchool Library Journal\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Arden once again flexes her gift for \u003cb\u003eatmospheric writing\u003c\/b\u003e to envelop readers in the story’s \u003cb\u003eeerie\u003c\/b\u003e mist. The \u003cb\u003eexpert\u003c\/b\u003e use of pacing and sensory cues—sights, sounds, and smells—helps heighten the \u003cb\u003egenuinely terrifying\u003c\/b\u003e chase scenes. Chess matches and conversations between Ollie and the smiling man humanize the shape-shifting villain, exposing just enough of his motives to wrap up unanswered questions. . . \u003cb\u003eA thrilling and chilling end to a standard-setting series\u003c\/b\u003e.” —\u003ci\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“The final book in Arden’s quartet that started with \u003ci\u003eSmall Spaces\u003c\/i\u003e (2018) \u003cb\u003edeliciously ramps up the scares\u003c\/b\u003e. . .\u003cb\u003eFittingly creepy\u003c\/b\u003e. . .the unsettling atmosphere \u003cb\u003ewill delight middle-grade horror fans\u003c\/b\u003e who want to send a chill up their spines.” —\u003ci\u003eBooklist\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Delivering an \u003cb\u003eatmospheric, scary carnival horror\u003c\/b\u003e with \u003cb\u003enail-biting twists and turns\u003c\/b\u003e, \u003ci\u003eEmpty Smiles\u003c\/i\u003e is a \u003cb\u003espooky, sinister and satisfying \u003c\/b\u003econclusion to the beloved Small Spaces series. Readers looking for answers, an epic showdown and intense scenes that are \u003cb\u003esure to induce goosebumps \u003c\/b\u003ewill get their money’s worth!” —\u003ci\u003eThe Nerd Daily\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cu\u003ePraise for \u003ci\u003eDark Waters:\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/u\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAn Amazon Best Book – August 2021\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Arden \u003cb\u003eskillfully blends\u003c\/b\u003e a creature feature with a survival tale, taking the series into new territory without deviating from its successful formula. The deliberate pacing maintains \u003cb\u003ea palpable sense of dread\u003c\/b\u003e, equally anxiety-inducing and terrifying. . . Another \u003cb\u003edeliciously hair-raising\u003c\/b\u003e entry in a series that continues to make a huge splash.” —\u003ci\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Describing the \u003cb\u003ecreepy setting\u003c\/b\u003e where all the action takes place with \u003cb\u003ecinematic detail\u003c\/b\u003e, Arden \u003cb\u003epiles on the terror\u003c\/b\u003e, weaving in Lake Champlain history and pirate lore.” —\u003ci\u003eBuffalo News\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“The ending definitely \u003cb\u003eramped up the stakes\u003c\/b\u003e once more and I’m now anxiously awaiting the conclusion to this \u003cb\u003edark, creepy middle-grade series\u003c\/b\u003e. If you haven’t picked up this series yet, now is the perfect time to do so, if only to suffer with us all through the wait for the final book.” —\u003ci\u003eThe Nerd Daily\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“\u003cb\u003eGenuinely spooky\u003c\/b\u003e . . . Arden’s \u003cb\u003eexpert pacing\u003c\/b\u003e and \u003cb\u003evivid descriptions\u003c\/b\u003e ratchet up the tension deliciously, build \u003cb\u003eeerie atmosphere\u003c\/b\u003e, and make for some \u003cb\u003etruly scary\u003c\/b\u003e moments . . . [and] a \u003cb\u003etense cliff-hanger\u003c\/b\u003e, which will leave readers \u003cb\u003eon the hook\u003c\/b\u003e for the next installment.” —\u003ci\u003eBooklist\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Those who are attracted to \u003cb\u003emystery, adventure, and spooky stories\u003c\/b\u003e will be drawn to this sequel like a moth to a flame.” —S\u003ci\u003echool Library Journal\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“In this \u003cb\u003ehair-raising\u003c\/b\u003e novel . . . middle-grade readers, ages 8-12, and their adult reading companions, \u003cb\u003ewill be thrilled\u003c\/b\u003e, and \u003cb\u003efrightened\u003c\/b\u003e, by this latest adventure. . . This is a \u003cb\u003every fun\u003c\/b\u003e, and \u003cb\u003eeerie\u003c\/b\u003e, read-aloud.” —\u003ci\u003eAddison County Independent\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cu\u003ePraise for \u003ci\u003eDead Voices:\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/u\u003e★\u003c\/b\u003e “Arden handily transforms the \u003cb\u003ehaunted house story\u003c\/b\u003e into something much richer, scarier, and more sinister. . . Middle-graders who \u003cb\u003ethrill to spooks and scares\u003c\/b\u003e will find plenty (maybe even more than they bargained for!) here.” —\u003ci\u003eBooklist\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003cb\u003estarred review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e★\u003c\/b\u003e “Arden's high scare factor, richly drawn mountain setting, relevant themes of loss and belonging, and vividly eerie descriptions evoke \u003cb\u003ethe very best of horror\u003c\/b\u003e for this age set.” —\u003ci\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003cb\u003estarred review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e★\u003c\/b\u003e “In this \u003cb\u003espooky sequel\u003c\/b\u003e to \u003ci\u003eSmall Spaces,\u003c\/i\u003e Arden excels at creating an atmosphere of claustrophobic tension with \u003cb\u003ememorably menacing\u003c\/b\u003e details. Readers will again be invested in the \u003cb\u003eghoulish surprises\u003c\/b\u003e in store for the resourceful, likably flawed protagonists.” —\u003ci\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003cb\u003estarred review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cu\u003ePraise for \u003ci\u003eSmall Spaces:\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/u\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cu\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/u\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e★ ★ ★ \u003cb\u003eThree Starred Reviews\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e22 State Awards\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eA \u003ci\u003eKirkus\u003c\/i\u003e Best Book of 2018 – Middle-Grade\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eA \u003ci\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e Best Book of 2018 – Middle-Grade\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eA Chicago Public Library’s Best of the Best Books of 2018\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAn Amazon Best Book – October 2018\u003cbr\u003eA CCBC Choices List Pick – 2019\u003cbr\u003eAn ALA Notable Children’s Book – 2019\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e★\u003c\/b\u003e “\u003cb\u003eAtmospheric\u003c\/b\u003e horror at its best. \u003cb\u003eChillingly tender\u003c\/b\u003e.”—\u003ci\u003eKirkus\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003cb\u003estarred review \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e★\u003c\/b\u003e “With a \u003cb\u003e\u003cb\u003etantalizing\u003c\/b\u003e pace\u003c\/b\u003e and palpable suspense, all nicely grounded in realistic emotions, this well-wrought \u003cb\u003espine-tingler is destined to be a hit\u003c\/b\u003e (just makes sure the lights stay on).”—\u003ci\u003eBooklist\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003cb\u003estarred review\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e★ “\u003cb\u003eRiveting\u003c\/b\u003e…\u003c\/b\u003eThe story moves at a good pace with just enough clues to keep the reader intrigued and guessing.”—\u003ci\u003eSchool Library Connection\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003cb\u003estarred review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Is it a mystery? A fairy tale? A horror thriller? As the suspense gripped me, I just wanted to know one thing—WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? \u003cb\u003eTerrifying and fun\u003c\/b\u003e.”—\u003cb\u003eR. L. Stine\u003c\/b\u003e, author of the \u003ci\u003eGoosebumps\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eFear Street\u003c\/i\u003e seriesKatherine Arden is the \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author of the Winternight trilogy and the Small Spaces quartet. In addition to writing novels, she enjoys aimless travel, growing vegetables, and running wild through the woods with her dog. She lives in Vermont.\u003cb\u003eChapter One\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Summer in East Evansburg, and a sun like a hot white eye glared down at the cracked and shriveling earth. It hadn't rained in weeks. Months. The April showers had come on time, but May was dry as dust, and June brought in a thick, sticky heat that refused to go away. The sun parched the new leaves as they opened, and made them curl up like caterpillars on their twigs.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e July came, but the rain didn't. Families' wells went dry, so they had to truck in water, and the sticky air lay like a hot puddle in houses and never seemed to go, no matter how often they opened and shut the windows. The only people who enjoyed the heat were kids and the makers of creemees. And even for kids, riding bikes around town started to lose its appeal, with the sun glaring down.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Swimming holes were mobbed every weekend.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The East Evansburg swimming hole was on Lethe Creek. A cold green place in the stream where the water slipped under a covered bridge. Little kids liked to play on the rocks there. On really hot days, parents set up their chairs right in the water, dipping their feet and calling to their neighbors.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e On a Saturday in late August, the heat lay on people's necks like a hand. Parents in chairs kept soaking their T-shirts and wearing them wet against the white-eyeball sun. Kids chased dogs into and out of the water. People shouted and people laughed.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Six parents sat with their chairs arranged in a tight circle, right in the water, so their bare feet stayed wet. Three of them were moms, and three were dads.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e They weren't laughing.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Coco won't talk to me,\" one said. Her blond hair was plaited down her back, and she wore a plaid shirt over her swimsuit, to protect her skin from the sun. Coco was her daughter. \"But something's wrong. I just know it.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The man next to her had dark, sad eyes. He took her hand but didn't say anything. He'd had a daughter named Olivia, but she was dead. She'd died in a boating accident on Lake Champlain. Just that May. A few months ago. Sometimes he dreamed that she wasn't dead. Sometimes he dreamed that she was looking for him. But he knew those were just dreams. She was dead.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e He loved Coco, though. Loved her almost as much as the daughter he'd lost.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Brian won't talk to us either,\" Brian's mom said. Her swimsuit was orange, her expression serious.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"It's just—darn it—\" another dad said. He had glasses and threw his head back when he drank his ginger ale. His son's name was Philip Greenblatt. \"Something's wrong, but they won't trust us with it! They just say, 'No, everything's fine, Dad, I'm going to Brian's for a sleepover.' Or wherever. But they're all jumping at shadows. I \u003ci\u003eknow \u003c\/i\u003ePhil isn't sleeping.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Coco's mom said, \"Coco cries in her sleep sometimes. She's been having nightmares. I—she used to talk to me all the time, but now it really is like she doesn't trust me anymore.\" She rolled her drink between her hands without drinking it. The sun beat down on all of them.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"I'm worried,\" Brian's mom said.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"We're \u003ci\u003eall\u003c\/i\u003e worried,\" put in her husband.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Especially since those two kids disappeared,\" Brian's mom went on. She lifted her hair off her neck. \"Parents have a right to be worried, don't they? What were their names? Ruth and Tim? Just snatched right out of the Rutland fairgrounds. Awful.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e They all exchanged dark looks. Behind them, most of the kids of Evansburg were splashing and yelling in the water.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Phil's mother said, \"I have half a mind to keep Phil and Mikey home. When the fair comes here this year.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Or at least keep a close eye,\" Coco's mom said.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Brian's mom said impatiently, \"But whatever's bothering the kids—it started before this summer. It started with that field trip last October. Doctor says Brian's fine, but . . .\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Maybe we should keep the kids apart?\" Coco's mom said.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The rest of the parents turned to look at her.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e She went on, haltingly. \"If— Do you think they—that they—I mean, they're all good kids, don't get me wrong. And I know they're best friends. I was so glad to see Coco making friends when we first moved. But maybe they-I mean-sometimes it seems like they've built up this imaginary world together. No grown-ups allowed. And it—scares them, somehow? Coco was never a very imaginative kid—she liked books about flowers and insects, for God's sake—and now she wakes up in the night screaming.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Hesitant nods all around the circle. Brian's mom said, \"I hate to say it, Zelda, but you might be right. I can't think what else to do, not unless they tell us—\u003ci\u003esomething\u003c\/i\u003e. We don't have to be obvious about it, you know? Just keep the kids close to home until school starts. And maybe if anyone does pry it out of their kid, for God's sake, text everyone else. I \u003ci\u003ehate\u003c\/i\u003e, I hate not knowing what to do.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"We all do,\" Zelda said.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e***\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"What do we even \u003ci\u003edo \u003c\/i\u003enow?\" Brian Battersby demanded of his two friends. He wanted to pace in frustration, but the three of them were clustered above the swimming hole, on a small rock ledge right under the trestles of the East Evansburg Bridge. There wasn't room to pace. His friends, Coco and Phil, were sitting with their backs against the struts of the bridge, their feet dangling. Above them was the shadowy span of the old covered bridge. The water below threw up white glimmers of light that speckled their hands and faces.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Instead of pacing, Brian stood restlessly, shifting from foot to foot. He was wearing green swimming trunks, his nose and shoulders striped pale with sunscreen. His expression, usually easygoing, was one of built-up frustration, his dark eyes narrowed. If it were a different summer, he'd be in the water, laughing, dunking, joking with a crowd of friends. But not this summer.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The bridge vibrated now and again when a truck or car passed overhead. The shrieks of six kids on a dragon floatie soared up from the creek under the bridge.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e It was a beautiful spot. Cool. Quiet. The water was icy and clear, and the struts of the bridge half hid the three of them from the crowd at the swimming hole. This ledge had been the favorite sitting spot of a girl named Olivia Adler.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e But Ollie wasn't there. Ollie was gone.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Brian glared down at the water. His friend Coco Zintner said, \"For Ollie? We can't do anything but wait. You know that, Brian.\" Coco wore a purple swimsuit. Pinkish blond hair straggled damp over her neck, and her eyes were the same light blue as the August sky. The remains of sparkly polish spotted her bitten fingernails.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Brian said, \"I know. I hate it, though.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"We all do,\" Phil Greenblatt said. He had a freckled snub nose and boy-band brown hair that fell into his eyes.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Brian sank back down on the ledge beside his friends. \"Why'd Ollie do it?\" he whispered. \"She didn't ask us—she didn't ask us to help her or to try another way. She just—did it. Left us. \u003ci\u003eChose to leave us\u003c\/i\u003e.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Coco said, \"Don't be mad at her. She did it to save her dad. Just like I would have done for my mom, or you for your parents. Maybe she should have talked to us, but Mr. Adler was \u003ci\u003edying\u003c\/i\u003e, right there. She didn't have time.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"She should have trusted us,\" Brian said. He was mad at Ollie. He missed her and he\u003ci\u003e was \u003c\/i\u003emad at her. Was that strange?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"She didn't want us to stop her,\" Phil said.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"We'd have found another way,\" Brian insisted.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Neither of his friends said anything. None of them knew if that was true.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"We'll get her back,\" Coco said instead, encouragingly. Coco was an optimist. \"Remember what the letter said? \u003ci\u003eYou have one chance to win her back.\u003c\/i\u003e Well, we're going to win, that's all. We'll get her back.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Brian said, \"But\u003ci\u003e how\u003c\/i\u003e? She's been gone for months. Yeah, maybe the\u003ci\u003e smiling man \u003c\/i\u003eoffered us a chance, but he's tricky. We don't know what that chance looks like. Maybe we missed our chance. Ollie's dad doesn't even remember what happened. No one remembers but us! Sometimes I think—that she really is gone.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e His friends didn't answer. There was nothing to say. It was a conversation they'd had at least a hundred times. Brian leaned back against the cool stone of the rock face above the ledge and shut his eyes.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Abruptly, Coco said, \"I dreamed about her last night.\" Both boys looked at her. Coco went on hesitantly, \"She was trying to tell me something, but I couldn't figure out what it was. And then someone—someone I couldn't see—dragged her away. I woke up—I think I was screaming. Mom was there. She looked worried.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e All three of them turned to look at their parents, sitting in chairs in the creek. The grown-ups seemed to be staring back at them: Brian's parents and Phil's, and Coco's mom, and Mr. Adler, Ollie's dad. Mr. Adler wore the expression of puzzled sorrow that never left his face in those days. It made Brian hurt inside.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e All the kids glanced hurriedly away again. \"Our parents look like they're plotting,\" Phil said.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Brian shook his head. \"Can you blame them? We're acting certifiably weird. Have been for months. We need to chill them out somehow. Or my mom's going to keep me at home doing chores until school starts just so she can keep an eye on me.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The other two nodded, and they lapsed into silence. When Ollie first disappeared, they'd made all sorts of plans. Met up every day. Schemed, collected food, made emergency adventure packs.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e But nothing had happened. Now they were just waiting.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Coco stiffened. \"What's that noise?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Both boys went still, turning their heads to listen. It was difficult to hear any stealthy sound at Lethe Creek on a summer day. There was the roar of the water to contend with, and the rumble of traffic going over the bridge, and the squeals and the laughter as half of Evansburg played in the stream. But Coco, Brian, and Phil sat still and listened hard, and after a few moments, they all heard it.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Furtive footsteps.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Coming nearer.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e A rustling in the bushes.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Without a word, they got to their feet. The water rippled past, fifteen feet below. Phil looked ready to jump down and escape. His face had gone so white that his freckles and his sunburn stood out like brown and red ink. Brian didn't blame Phil for being nervous. They'd been hunted that May, after all. Hunted, and almost eaten. They'd run, they'd hid. They'd survived. But they'd lost Ollie.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Brian and Coco stayed put. Brian bit his lip. He was done hiding.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The footsteps got closer.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Closer.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e And then, with a roar, something sprang out of the bushes.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Phil shrieked and fell into the water. Coco lurched backward too, although she didn't fall. Brian grabbed at whatever it was, only to feel bony limbs and hear a familiar, annoying voice yelling, \"Gerroff, Brian, stop it, was just a joke!\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Brian let go and scowled down at Phil's little brother. Mikey Greenblatt shook himself and started laughing. Mikey was seven, and had a lot more freckles than Phil, but the same brown hair. \"Hahaha, you should see yourself! I scared you, didn't I? Scared your face off!\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Brian was still breathing fast. Coco was still leaning on a strut of the bridge, panting. Neither of them liked being startled.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Phil was below them now, treading water in the creek. \"Mikey, what was that?\" he bellowed. \"When I get back up there, I swear I—\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Phil, don't yell at your brother!\" his mother shouted from her place in the ring of chairs.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Coco snorted a laugh. \"Yeah, you got us, Mikey. Don't you have anything better to do?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Mikey said, \"Um, no. Not when you guys scare so good. I mean, really, you should have seen your—\" He broke off. His face changed. He was looking downstream. \"What's that?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Brian crossed his arms. \"Oh no. Nope, absolutely not, you don't get us again. Come on, Mikey, jump back in the water and leave us—\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e But now Coco was looking in the same direction. She held up one hand to shade her eyes. \"Wait. Brian, what is that?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Mikey said, \"Is that a kid?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"It's a kid.\" Coco's voice had gone strange. \"Do you see, Brian? There, just between those rocks.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Brian followed her pointing finger.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Someone was running up the rocky creek bed. Sometimes on the bank, between the trees. Sometimes wading in the water. Brian saw a torn T-shirt. Bare feet. An open mouth. Wide, panicked eyes. And then he realized that the person was screaming. Screaming for all they were worth, but they couldn't be heard over the happy squeals of kids in the water of Lethe Creek.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e Chapter Two\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Mikey, go get your mom and dad,\" Brian said.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"But I—\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Do it,\" Coco snapped. Mikey shut up. Coco had that effect sometimes. Probably because she yelled so rarely. Brian was already jumping. The quickest way off their ledge was to cannonball straight down into the water. Brian had a mean cannonball. He dropped like a rock. Heard twin splashes as Coco and Mikey hit the water behind him. And then Brian was swimming, ducking around the kids on their dragon floatie.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Hi, Brian!\" one of the girls called. He waved back without really stopping.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e A few more strokes and his feet touched the rocky creek bed. Coco came splashing up behind him. He could hear Mikey's high, excited voice as he veered off to the right and hollered at the parents in the ring of chairs.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Phil popped out of the water beside Brian. \"What's up, guys?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Coco had gotten her feet under her; she pushed her hair out of her face and pointed.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Phil frowned. \"Who is that?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The kid was still running, slipping and sliding on rocks. Now that they were closer, they could hear his sobbing breaths. They hurried to meet him. \"Help me. Help me, please,\" the kid gasped.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Coco said, \"Oh my God. Isn't that—\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Brian had recognized the kid too. They'd seen his picture in the paper. His and a girl's. Brother and sister. Tim and Ruth. They'd vanished during the carnival at the Rutland county fair.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Phil said what they were all thinking. \"Whoa. It's Tim Jenkins.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Tim hurtled the last few steps toward them and tripped. Brian caught him just in time. Tim smelled like he needed a shower. Tears cut the grime on his face. He clutched at Brian. \"Don't let them find me. \u003ci\u003ePlease\u003c\/i\u003e. Don't let them find me.\"","brand":"Nancy Paulsen Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46301794009317,"sku":"NP9780593109205","price":9.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9780593109205.jpg?v=1767726238","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/products\/empty-smiles-isbn-9780593109205","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}