Heron’s Point. She thought it was boring. And now… now she found it frightening.
At Heron’s Point, Diana heard things. And saw things. And some of her things were moved or taken. Weird stuff happened every time the family tied up the boat there.
Her dad said the strange noises were harmless. He accused Diana of forgetting where she put things, then claiming someone moved them, but Diana knew the truth. Something was going on—she just couldn’t explain it. Not yet anyhow.
Maybe she could find out tonight.
She reached the starboard steps that went from the sleepingcabins belowdecks to the main cabin above. She listened for a moment to the gentle, lapping water.
Then she gripped the handrail tightly and started up. There weren’t that many steps, but they were steep and narrow. It was easy to trip and fall.
Slowly, carefully, Diana poked her head up into the main cabin. The white deck gleamed almost as bright as in daylight.
Full moon,
Diana noticed.
Her eyes darted around the boat. Trying to see as much of it as possible. “All clear,” she murmured to herself.
Maybe it was a false alarm. Maybe a raccoon had jumped on the dock. Raccoons were big and fat. They could make a lot of noise. Enough noise to wake her up.
Bam! Bam!
Diana gasped in surprise and her foot slipped off the step.
BAM BAM BAM!
“Ohhh!” she cried out as her head bashed hard against the wall. Pain shot down her body. She clamped her eyes shut, trying to force the pain away.
She held on to the railing. Felt the boat rock from side to side. Slowly she opened her eyes.
There’s something here!
she realized.
Something on the other side of the boat.
An intruder.
NOT a raccoon.
But who is it? WHAT is it?
Diana opened her mouth to call her father. But then she stopped herself. He never believed her stories. She had to get proof on her own. She fought back her fear, took a deep breath, and climbed onto the swaying deck. Staying low, she slithered across the main cabin on her belly like a snake.
The main cabin was the family living room. There were big windows on all sides. It made looking out easy. But it made looking
in
easy too.
Don’t think about that now,
she told herself.
Keeping down, Diana reached the starboard side of the cabin. She was as close to the dock as she could get and still be inside the boat. She was breathing in short, fast gasps. She felt as if she had been running a race. Her head still throbbed from her fall. She was determined to ignore it. This time she was going to solve the mystery of Heron’s Point.
Diana climbed to her hands and knees and peered out. The full moon made the world outside nearly as bright as day. But the color had all been drained away. And the bluish black shadows were long and creepy.
Nothing looks real,
Diana thought.
It’s like I’m dreaming.
She could see the wooden dock beside the boat. She could see the moonlight sparkling on the water. Diana stuck her head up a little more.
She squinted through the window—
—and her heart stopped.
She wasn’t alone.
Someone was on the dock. Covered in shadow. She saw him only a few feet from her face.
He was staring right at her.
Diana opened her mouth to scream. She couldn’t make a sound. She froze. It was as if her entire body had turned to stone.
She stared at the man. He was dressed in the kind of old clothes her dad wore when they went out in bad weather.
Who is he? How did he get here? Where’s his boat?
Does he live on the island?
What does he WANT?
The figure moved. A strangled sound escaped Diana’s throat. She blinked. She didn’t believe what she was seeing.
The man didn’t walk. His feet didn’t move. He seemed to
glide
.
He moved to the edge of the dock. Close enough for Diana to see clearly.
He wasn’t standing
on
the dock. He was
above
it. Hovering in the air. Floating over the edge.
“Go away,” Diana murmured. Her voice came out in a choked whisper. “Please—go away. Leave us alone.” To her
At Heron’s Point, Diana heard things. And saw things. And some of her things were moved or taken. Weird stuff happened every time the family tied up the boat there.
Her dad said the strange noises were harmless. He accused Diana of forgetting where she put things, then claiming someone moved them, but Diana knew the truth. Something was going on—she just couldn’t explain it. Not yet anyhow.
Maybe she could find out tonight.
She reached the starboard steps that went from the sleepingcabins belowdecks to the main cabin above. She listened for a moment to the gentle, lapping water.
Then she gripped the handrail tightly and started up. There weren’t that many steps, but they were steep and narrow. It was easy to trip and fall.
Slowly, carefully, Diana poked her head up into the main cabin. The white deck gleamed almost as bright as in daylight.
Full moon,
Diana noticed.
Her eyes darted around the boat. Trying to see as much of it as possible. “All clear,” she murmured to herself.
Maybe it was a false alarm. Maybe a raccoon had jumped on the dock. Raccoons were big and fat. They could make a lot of noise. Enough noise to wake her up.
Bam! Bam!
Diana gasped in surprise and her foot slipped off the step.
BAM BAM BAM!
“Ohhh!” she cried out as her head bashed hard against the wall. Pain shot down her body. She clamped her eyes shut, trying to force the pain away.
She held on to the railing. Felt the boat rock from side to side. Slowly she opened her eyes.
There’s something here!
she realized.
Something on the other side of the boat.
An intruder.
NOT a raccoon.
But who is it? WHAT is it?
Diana opened her mouth to call her father. But then she stopped herself. He never believed her stories. She had to get proof on her own. She fought back her fear, took a deep breath, and climbed onto the swaying deck. Staying low, she slithered across the main cabin on her belly like a snake.
The main cabin was the family living room. There were big windows on all sides. It made looking out easy. But it made looking
in
easy too.
Don’t think about that now,
she told herself.
Keeping down, Diana reached the starboard side of the cabin. She was as close to the dock as she could get and still be inside the boat. She was breathing in short, fast gasps. She felt as if she had been running a race. Her head still throbbed from her fall. She was determined to ignore it. This time she was going to solve the mystery of Heron’s Point.
Diana climbed to her hands and knees and peered out. The full moon made the world outside nearly as bright as day. But the color had all been drained away. And the bluish black shadows were long and creepy.
Nothing looks real,
Diana thought.
It’s like I’m dreaming.
She could see the wooden dock beside the boat. She could see the moonlight sparkling on the water. Diana stuck her head up a little more.
She squinted through the window—
—and her heart stopped.
She wasn’t alone.
Someone was on the dock. Covered in shadow. She saw him only a few feet from her face.
He was staring right at her.
Diana opened her mouth to scream. She couldn’t make a sound. She froze. It was as if her entire body had turned to stone.
She stared at the man. He was dressed in the kind of old clothes her dad wore when they went out in bad weather.
Who is he? How did he get here? Where’s his boat?
Does he live on the island?
What does he WANT?
The figure moved. A strangled sound escaped Diana’s throat. She blinked. She didn’t believe what she was seeing.
The man didn’t walk. His feet didn’t move. He seemed to
glide
.
He moved to the edge of the dock. Close enough for Diana to see clearly.
He wasn’t standing
on
the dock. He was
above
it. Hovering in the air. Floating over the edge.
“Go away,” Diana murmured. Her voice came out in a choked whisper. “Please—go away. Leave us alone.” To her
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