The Haunted Hangman

Chapter 15

There was nowhere to hide!

The first flight of glowing ghosts zoomed down on the roof. Their voices rang in our ears. "Malik! Malik!" they screeched.

The haunted hangman lunged at them with his fists. The cat leaped up, ripping at them with its claws. The ghosts swerved away as another formation dived down.

Niall called my name. "Louis! Are you sure ghosts are frightened of water?"

"Yes. They're dead. And they can't swim." I shot him an angry look. "But we don't have any water here, so why ask?"

Niall shouted something to Liam, and together they raced across the roof to the fire stairs. They returned a moment later, the fire hose snaking along the ground behind them.

While Liam gripped the hose, Niall darted back and turned a lever by the doorway. The next moment, a powerful jet of water spurted across the roof. A hundreds wails of terror rose into the night sky. They directed the hose at one group of glowing ghosts after another.

One formation of ghosts was about to land. The jet of water streamed up at them. It sent them spinning off into space.

Another flight of ghosts had landed. They raced to where the hangman and his cat were fending off more ghosts. Suddenly the powerful jet of water dashed into their midst. Ghosts were sent shipping and sliding across the roof and over the side.

"Yo!" yelled Harry, as more drenched ghosts tumbled over the parapet and dropped away into thin air. I glanced across at the distant canal. More lights were rising and speeding towards us.

We'd been lucky so far. I knew. But now hundred ghosts were on their way. We couldn't fight them all!

And then, through all the din of fighting ghosts, I heard the clang of a fire alarm. It was echoing throughout the block. It must have been activated when Niall and Liam turned on the hose. Speeding through the streets below came fire trucks, their sirens blaring.

"We've got to get out of here!" I yelled.

If we were accused of setting off a false alarm, we'd be in more trouble than anything the ghosts could do to us.

The other three had heard the sirens too. They dropped the hose and bolted for the fire stairs. As Niall raced past the control box, he swung the lever and shut down the hose.

From out on the roof, the haunted hangman waved us farewell.

As we ran home from Liam's block, I wondered whether we'd ever see Zayn Malik and his cat again.

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