Fiends on the Other Side (Disney Chills 2)

The guard gave him a funny look. “You okay? You look a little sick.”

“Yeah…I’m fine,” Jamal lied, blinking to clear his head. He knew he couldn’t answer honestly. The guard wouldn’t believe him. The truth was…he felt really far from fine.

Were his eyes playing tricks on him? Or was this the shadow man punishing him for running away?

* * *

“Next year’s pep rallies are gonna be the bomb,” Malik said, sitting at a packed table surrounded by his adoring fan club. “Just wait.”

Still feeling shaken, Jamal tucked his head down and headed for the other side of the cafeteria with his lunch tray. “I wish that could be me for once,” he whispered to himself.

At that moment, someone shoved him from behind.

Jamal tripped forward, his milk carton spilling all over him and soaking his clothes, but somehow he managed to stop himself before he hit the floor. Slowly, he turned.

“Look, Invisible Boy’s talking to himself,” Colton sneered, glaring at Jamal.

His friends cracked up.

“Just wait for gym class,” Colton added in a low voice. He clenched his fists. “You’re gonna pay big-time for your little escape act yesterday.”

They left Jamal dripping with milk and dreading next period. He glanced over at Malik’s table to see if there was an empty seat, but it was packed. There were even kids standing around the perimeter, just wanting to be close to his brother. Feeling dejected, Jamal slid into a seat at an empty table. He glanced around to make sure no one was watching him—not that he needed to worry.

After all, he was invisible.

Jamal pulled out the skull necklace to examine it. It hadn’t warned him about Colton. The eye sockets remained dark. “Why aren’t you glowing right now?” he whispered. “Why don’t you protect me from Colton?”

The skull just stared back at him. He remembered how it had glowed around the shadow man, and then when the shadows attacked him in science class and the hallway.

His grandmother’s message flashed through his head.

Beware of the shadows. This will protect you.

That was when it clicked. The necklace wasn’t supposed to protect him from everyday bullies; it was supposed to protect him from Dr. Facilier and whatever dark magic he had unleashed on Jamal. The shadow monsters had to be the shadow man’s doing. He was probably mad that Jamal had refused to take his deal the day before.

That was also why the necklace hadn’t glowed in the alley when Colton and his friends started to bully him. That was why it was dark now. It all made sense.

Also, that had to be why Dr. Facilier wanted it so badly. It held some kind of power over the shadow man, even though Jamal didn’t understand it fully. But then another anxious thought raced into his head.

If the necklace really did have power over the shadow man, then what was Dr. Facilier willing to do to get it?

The shadow monsters might only be the beginning.

A hand grabbed his shoulder. Jamal jumped.

“Wow, you look like you’ve just seen a ghost,” said someone with a familiar voice.

It was only Riley.

Her eyes fixed on the skull necklace, but he quickly tucked it away. “Mind if I join you?”

“It’s a free country,” Jamal said, hating how bitter he sounded. He wished he could be excited that Riley wanted to hang out with him, but he knew that once she met his brother she would forget about him. “Not like anyone else is clamoring for the privilege of sitting with me.”

He couldn’t help it. His eyes darted over to Malik and his fan club across the cafeteria. Riley followed his gaze to his twin brother.

“You know, there are worse things than eating alone,” she said. “Trust me, this is my fifth school in the last two years. You get used to it, Invisible Boy.”

“Ugh, you heard that?” Jamal actually wanted to disappear.