Daniel took off, running full speed.

"Way to go!" My heart pounding, I leaped up from the sidewalk. "You are the most awesome brother in the entire universe!"

I was so excited and happy, I threw my arms around Carlo. "He saved my life!" I shouted. "He saved my life!"

"Hey—give me a break!" Carlo cried, squirming away.

I hurried after Daniel. I watched him bend down to pick up something. Something small and round and brown.

But a gust of wind rolled the Grool away from him.

"Hey—!" he cried out. He stumbled after it. The wind blew it out of his reach again.

"Got you!" Daniel cried, pouncing on it. "Bring it here!" I yelled.

"Oh, wow," he murmured. His face fell. "Sorry about that. It's not the Grool." I grabbed the thing from his hands. "No, it's not," I whispered sadly.

Not the Grool. Only a brown paper bag, all wadded up in a ball. Daniel hurled the paper bag to the ground and stomped on it. My stomach lurched. I really felt sick.

Time is running out, I thought. And we have no idea where the Grool might be.

A tear came to my eye, and I blinked it away quickly. I didn't want Daniel and Carlo to see how scared I was.

The panic rose in my chest. Would I really die if we didn't find that evil creature? I suddenly pictured Mom and Dad sitting around crying and missing me. I

pictured Aunt Louise wailing, "It's all my fault. I didn't believe her." I imagined Daniel walking to school all alone.

I gazed down at my brother, who slumped sadly on the curb with Carlo. And I had a truly terrifying idea. Maybe the Grool wasn't lost.

Maybe the creepy little creature had decided to hide. To hide from me.

So it could perform its most evil trick of all.

Hide for twenty-four hours so that I'd have the ultimate bad luck. Death!

Carlo startled me by jumping to his feet. His dark eyes glowed excitedly. "I—I have an idea!" he cried.

"An idea?" I demanded. "What kindof idea?"

He smiled at me and grabbed my arm. "Come on. Hurry. I think I know where the Grool might be!"