Fiends on the Other Side (Disney Chills 2)

“Yeah, it’s official,” Jamal said, looking down at his shadow brother. “I’m the worst brother ever. I really messed this up. But I swear—I’ll find a way to fix it. Maybe if I give him the skull necklace, then Dr. Facilier will agree to reverse the curse and bring you back.”

Malik hesitated. His shadow form lightened and faded again as another cloud passed over the sun. Jamal’s heart squeezed with fear, but then Malik reappeared.

“Jamal, reversing the curse doesn’t change what you did to me,” Malik said, looking down at his shadow hands. “Honestly, I don’t know if I can ever trust you again.”

Jamal couldn’t believe it. His brother had used his real name. Jamal. Not his nickname. Malik almost never called him by his real name. That meant he was seriously upset.

Jamal felt beyond terrible—and worse yet, he knew that Malik was right. How could I have done this to my own brother? he thought, feeling sick to his stomach. If he didn’t find a way to fix it, then his parents might never remember having another son. He and Malik might never share a bedroom again or play pranks and mess around with each other.

But more than that, Jamal would lose his best friend.

“Please, I’ll make it right,” Jamal begged, fighting back tears. “Just give me a chance. We can reverse the curse. Then Mom and Dad and everyone will have to remember you.”

“I don’t know,” Malik rasped. “Also, we have to find out why the shadow man wants that necklace. Grandma left it to you for a reason. What makes it so valuable? What power does it have?”

Jamal frowned. “Yeah, you’re right. It could be dangerous.”

“I mean, clearly the shadow man can’t be trusted,” Malik warned, thinking it over. “It could be really bad if we give it to him, right? Or what if he double-crosses you again?”

Suddenly, a shadow fell over them. A real one this time.

Then a voice rang out, making them both jump.

“Are you talking about that creepy old skull necklace?”

At first, Jamal was certain Dr. Facilier was about to pounce.

But his eyes fell on…Riley.

She was standing behind them. She cocked her head. Her eyes were locked on the skull necklace. In the bright sunlight, her hair looked even more vibrantly purple than usual and her brown skin almost glowed.

“You know, that isn’t just any ordinary necklace,” she said. “So be careful with it. It’s dangerous to just pull it out in broad daylight like that. Somebody might try to steal it.”

“W-wait, what?” Jamal stammered, clutching the necklace tighter in his fist. “How do you know about my necklace? And, well…yeah…that already happened.”

Riley frowned. Her eyes darted to the shadow at Jamal’s feet.

“Also, why’re you talking to your own shadow?” she asked.

“Uh, you heard that, too?” Jamal said, feeling self-conscious. Blood rushed to his cheeks, making them hot.

“Yeah, not much escapes my notice,” Riley added with a smirk. “I’ve been watching you. And today you were acting super weirdo. Like next-level weirder than usual. Then I noticed when you didn’t come out of the locker room after gym class.”

“So you followed me out here?” Jamal said.

“Yeah, don’t worry. I’m not a stalker,” Riley said with a dramatic eye roll. “Just curious. Plus, I pay attention when my friends are acting like something’s wrong.”

Friends. She actually thought of him as a friend.

“But why are you so interested in me?” Jamal asked. “Why are you the only one who seems to notice me?”

Riley shrugged. “I dunno, to be honest. But my whole life, I’ve been different. It kind of runs in my family, I guess. I can see things that nobody else can. So can my grandmother.”

Jamal took that in. He felt like she was a kindred spirit. He had always felt different, too. Though he’d never had any superpowers…until the skull necklace and the shadow man.

“Also, I noticed that skull necklace,” Riley went on. “The other day in the cafeteria. The way you were pulling it out. I was worried you didn’t know what it really was….”

“The necklace?” Jamal said. “What do you know about it?”