My Haunted House Read Online Free

used to be one just like it in the first-kitchen-on-the-right-just-past-the-laundry-room, and that is what Aunt Tabby used to call it. I remember one rainy day I was so bored and I got inside the elevator and hauled myself up to the dining room. It was the best fun ever, and I spent all afternoon going up and down until AuntTabby caught me. After that she nailed a load of planks across it so that I couldn’t go in it anymore, which I thought was mean.

    So I stepped onto the platform and pulled on the rope, just as I had before. The platform kind of groaned a bit, but nothing happened. I put my flashlight down and used two hands to pull the rope really hard—and the platform moved! I guess that bit was a little scary, asthe platform started going down into what felt like a dark chimney, and I wasn’t sure where I was heading. I was pretty pleased when I saw the top of an old door appear.
    I stopped the platform outside the door. I could tell it was a very old door, as it had big iron hinges across it and looked as though it had come out of a castle or something. But I couldn’t see a handle and, when I pushed it, it wouldn’t move. Stupid door. I gave it a really big push, I even kicked it, but nothing happened. It just wouldn’t budge.
    Then I remembered what it said on the label on the little brass key— “Doth Fitt all Doors.”
    I didn’t really believe the key would fit, as it was so small compared with the door, but when I looked carefully I saw a small brasskeyhole, just like the one on the door to the secret passage. The key turned easily, and the door swung open.
    I shone my flashlight through the doorway, and it lit up a tiny room. The room had a small fireplace, some very dark and dusty pictures, and some big old candles in brass holders on the walls. In one corner there was a broken old chair with some tattered books piled up on it, and on the floor in front of the fireplace was an old rug. I just stood there for a moment, kind of holding my breath. It was so quiet that I hardly dared go in.
    But I did.
    I tiptoed in and swung my flashlight around the walls, looking for a door to the balcony. Of course there were no windows, but you wouldn’t expect any in a secret roomin the very middle of a house, would you? But sure enough, there was a door. Great, I thought. It took me three steps to cross the room. I put the small brass key in the door and it swung open. I nearly walked straight out, as I really wanted to get to the balcony by then, because time was getting on, but I knew that you always have to look where you’re going in a secret passage. It’s a good thing I did, as the door opened out into nothing . A great big deep hole, in fact. Scary.

    A gust of warm, musty wind blew up from the hole. It smelled kind of sooty and damp at the same time. I shone my flashlight and saw that there was an old wooden ladder leading down to…where?
    But I didn’t want to go down the ladder; I wanted to find the balcony. So I went backinto the room and did all the things you have to do to make a secret door appear. I tried to turn the brass candlesticks, but they wouldn’t move. I looked behind all the old pictures, but there was nothing there. I even kicked the old fireplace, but it felt as solid as a rock. There was no way out to the balcony—that was for sure.
    So I decided to climb down the ladder.
    It was a bit scary getting onto the ladder. It wobbled and creaked a lot, but I knew that you have to expect these things in a secret passage. Then the door slammed, and I nearly fell off. That was really scary.
    I set off down the ladder, which was quite difficult, as I could only hold on to it with one hand since I had my flashlight in the other hand—and the ball of string in my teeth.I don’t like the taste of string.

    The other thing I didn’t like very much was the way the air was getting hotter and hotter. I remembered about how it gets hotter