Erica slipped down under the tossing waters as if being sucked under.

"I did it all for you, Rachel!" Melissa heard Erica shriek.

And then she disappeared, down into the icy darkness.

Panting loudly, Melissa pulled herself to her knees.

Her heart thudding in her chest, her entire body trembling from the horror, from the cold, she saw Luke lying down leaning into the hole.

"Erica! Erica!" He called her name again and again.

The ice cracked loudly around them.

Melissa slid over to Luke and lay beside him. "Where is she? Why doesn't she come back up?" she cried in a high-pitched, trembling voice she didn't recognize.

"Erica!" Luke cried. "Erica!"

"Look!" Melissa cried, pointing down.

At first, Melissa thought she saw a fish trapped under the thin sheet of ice.

The mouth appeared first, the lips slightly parted.

But then the nose appeared. A human nose.

And then two wide-open eyes.

And Melissa realized to her horror that she was staring down at Erica's face. Erica's face under the ice, pressed up against it, gazing blankly up at them.

"Why doesn't she move? Why doesn't she swim out from under there?" Melissa cried hysterically, gripping Luke's arm. "Why is she staring up at us like that? She isn't moving at all!"

"I don't think she wants to come up," Luke said quietly.

Melissa stared in horror at the unmoving, wide-eyed face staring up at her, pressed up against the ice.

Erica has been in a prison for a year, staring out at the world, Melissa thought grimly.

Now she's staring up at us from another prison.

Raising her eyes from the ghastly floating face, Melissa was shocked to see that a crowd of kids had gathered around them. Hushed voices murmured all around.

"What's happening?"

"Did Melissa fall?"

"Is someone in the water?"

"Did the ice break?"

"Go get help."

"Somebody-get help!"

With a sigh, Luke backed up and climbed to his feet and helped Melissa up. He put his arm firmly around her waist and, holding her tightly, started to lead her away.

Looking down, Melissa suddenly realized she was gripping the red wig in her hand.

"Ohh." With a near-silent cry, she tossed the wig to the ice, as if tossing away all the horror of the night. Then she buried her face in Luke's jacket as they skated away.

Chapter 34.

A ROMANTIC IDEA.

"I made this," Rachel said, smiling.

Melissa and Luke leaned forward on the couch and studied the painting Rachel held up in front of her. "A snowman-right?" Melissa guessed.

"Right!" Rachel said, laughing gleefully. "It's a snowman."

Mrs. McClain watched from near the den doorway, leaning against the wall, a pleased smile on her face.

"Well, that's a good painting," Luke told Rachel.

"I paint a lot at school," Rachel said, lowering the painting to her lap. As she started to roll it up, her smile faded, replaced by a thoughtful expression. "I wish I could show it to Erica," she said wistfully.

"Yes," Melissa said awkwardly, glancing at Luke. Luke was staring at his watch.

"I miss my sister," Rachel said, rolling up the painting. "But I'm going to get better. I'm going to get better and go outside by myself."

"Yes, you are," Mrs. McClain said with forced enthusiasm. She crossed the room and stepped up behind the couch, placing her hands on Rachel's shoulders. "But I think Melissa and Luke want to leave now."

"Yes, we're late," Luke said, jumping to his feet.

Melissa bent over Rachel and hugged her. "I'll come visit you soon."

"I'm going to paint another snowman," Rachel told her.

Melissa and Luke said goodbye to Mrs. McClain and showed themselves out. They stepped into a blustery March day, a thin layer of snow on the ground, high white clouds floating in a blue sky.

"That was a good visit," Melissa said, taking Luke's hand as they made their way down the driveway and headed across the street to her house. "I haven't seen Rachel since-since Valentine's Day, I guess. Three weeks."

"Don't mention Valentines' Day," Luke muttered. "What a horrible holiday."

"Yeah, you're right," Melissa agreed wistfully. A gust of wind ruffled her hair. She leaned against Luke as they walked. "You know what? Next year let's forget about Valentine's Day and send each other Groundhog's Day cards."

Luke stopped at the bottom of the driveway and kissed her. "Groundhog's Day cards," he repeated. "What a romantic idea . . ."

About the Author.

"Where do you get your ideas?"

That's the question that R.L. Stine is asked most often. "I don't know where my ideas come from," he says. "But I do know that I have a lot more scary stories in my mind that I can't wait to write."

So far, he has written over a hundred mysteries and thrillers for young people, all of them bestsellers.

Bob grew up in Columbus, Ohio. Today he lives in an apartment near Central Park in New York City with his wife, Jane.

end.