Outside, ghosts and witches had gathered, coughing and gasping. Masks were being handed out, one by one, by Madame Shades and her tall butler. Madame Shades smiled at the crowd, her voice ringing with false reassurance.
"Don't worry, everyone," she declared smoothly, her elegant robe untouched by the chaos. "Mrs. Grave will go up to fix it and save us all!"
Ruby's chest heaved as she fought against her father's hold. "No! Don't send her up! Please! Mom!" she wailed, struggling until her throat burned, but nobody listened.
Her eyes darted upward just in time to see her mother on the roof, climbing across the fragile metal beams that connected to the main pipe. Ruby's stomach dropped.
Then an explosion.
