Chapter 11
There, hanging on the wall, was the same portrait of Stauf that had been moving. Joseph suddenly had a huge adrenaline rush the instant he saw that image. He thought Stauf was there to get him, but after Joseph calmed down, he realized that nothing happened in the picture. Stauf looked evil, and his expression looked at Joseph like he was saying, "What are you doing here?" Joseph reluctantly walked closer to the picture to look at it more closely. Suddenly, Stauf's face was turning red and green in nine sections on his face. Some colors were the same as they were in the original painting. Joseph figured that he should make Stauf's face return to its normal self.
Joseph was always trying to get Stauf's face to look normal, but always after he touched one section, another color would appear there. "This is a lot like the coffins," Joseph said. At last, 30 minutes later, Joseph had finished the puzzle and walked away from the painting. "Well, that concludes all the puzzles tonight. Now that I've finished all but one, I'd better get some sleep for tomorrow's adventure. The final puzzle will get Stauf out of his house!" Joseph exclaimed.
At that moment, Joseph opened his mouth and had another adrenaline rush. Stauf in the picture was moving and began to talk to Joseph. "I don't think so, little boy!" Stauf sneered. The picture became normal soon after Stauf had spoken to Joseph. Joseph was shocked! He had never seen anything like that in all his life!
Then, Joseph turned to the front of the room and saw the picture of the music room. Joseph wondered how he would get out of the portrait gallery. Suddenly, Joseph was pulled through the picture and was back in the music room. "Interesting," Joseph said. Then, Joseph turned around and headed for the door. Joseph pulled the doors open and found that once again the lights had been turned off. "Whoever had been doing this, I command you to show yourself!" Joseph yelled, his words echoing through the house. Then, Joseph went back to the dimmer switch and saw that the aluminum foil had been pulled off.
Joseph repaired the wiring and then took his huge toolbox and put everything in it and closed it. Then, he went up the stairs to bed. Joseph headed down the right hall and opened the door to the room where Chris and he were sleeping that night. Joseph closed the door and set his huge toolbox down. Joseph got into bed, zipped the curtains closed, pulled the covers over himself, and went to bed.