Right, let's get going. Thanks for reviewing, meangirl8, A-Plus Cassiopeia (well, the Sammy in the book said the same thing) and Lord Candycane.

Roxanne tried to ask me what happened after school, but I didn't want to talk about it. We did schedule a time to go to the haunted house Saturday evening, but when she asked, I told her nothing.

"I'm pretty good at math." she said proudly. "Do you want my help?"

"Are you blind?" I snapped. "I got that equation right!"

Roxanne ignored me. "If you ask, I'd be happy to help you. I can tell you might need it."

"Read my lips, Roxy. I. Do. Not. Need. Help. I. Got. That. Equation. Perfect!"

"All right, all right." Roxanne sighed, shaking her head. "Sheesh, Sam. You don't have to freak out about it. I'll let you know more about the haunted house tonight. I'm going to try and find information this afternoon. Can I come over to tell you about it?"

"Yeah, sure." I said absentmindedly. "See you then."

Brutus was yowling when I got in. I went to the kitchen, and found him with a terrified look. His fur stood up on end. He was snarling, and staring at a pizza.

I stared too. As I looked, a slice floated up by itself. A bite disappeared from it. I took one more look, and closed my eyes. Then I turned around and walked away from the kitchen.

I didn't see that, I told myself. I imagined it. That didn't happen. I've just been a little too involved in ghost stories and sci-fi recently.

When I turned around, the slice was gone. But there was a gap in the pizza pie. "What the-"

"What's wrong, Sammy?"

Mom was standing behind me.

"Oh, Mom, I'm glad you're home!" I said. "I think there's something wrong with my eyes! I-"

But Mom interrupted me. "I can see that someone's been eating this pizza. How many times do I have to tell you, Sammy? No snacks before dinner. You're twelve years old!"

"But, Mom-" I protested, "I haven't eaten it! Listen, this is serious, can I please see the-"

Mom interrupted again. "Sammy, stop joking around. This is serious. You have to stop stuffing yourself!"

"I don't, though!" I protested. "Why am I always the bad guy? Maybe Simon ate it or something – or maybe Brutus ate it. I don't know! All I know is that it wasn't me!"

"I don't want to hear it." Mom snapped. "Now go and clean up your room. You left it a mess this morning. You didn't make your bed and you left your pyjamas on the floor. Go and do it now."

I sighed. "All right, Mom, but can we talk about my eyes later tonight?"

"Samantha, I'm losing patience." Mom folded her arms. Okay, that meant it was time to back down. Mom knows how much I hate being called Samantha, and only uses it when she's really mad. I obediently climbed upstairs. Pushed the door to my room open.

And gasped.

My room! It was completely trashed! Cereal boxes, food containers, juice boxes...you name it, every food product was somewhere. My blanket was covered in peanut butter and jelly. Frosted Flakes coated the carpet. Under my covers, there was some of the spaghetti from last night, and half-eaten Chinese takeaway containers.

"What happened?" I murmured. I checked the other rooms on this floor. Only mine was trashed.

"Samantha Jacobs, what did you just do?" Mom was in the doorway, and I'd never seen her this angry.

"M-me?" I stammered. "I only just came up here! The room was like this when I came up. I was just checking no one else's was like this."

"Well, then, who did it?" Mom demanded. "I didn't. Your father didn't. Simon didn't. So tell me, if it wasn't you, who could have done it?"

"I don't know!" I insisted. "Maybe someone broke in or something...but why would I trash my own room? It would just mean I had to clean it up! I don't understand why you'd think I had any reason to do it."

Mom paused, and for a moment, and then calmed down. "Sammy," she said, "Look at this reasonably. Who else could have done it? If you admit to this, just clean up, and that will be an end to it."

"But I didn't-" I stopped. There was no way Mom would believe me. "Fine." I sighed. "I'll clean up." I wouldn't admit to it, but Mom would think I had, by agreeing to clear my room completely.

Mom nodded calmly. "Just make sure you don't come down until you're done." And with that, I was alone.

"Here goes." I murmured, groaning. "This is going to take days."

"I'll help."

I froze. I'd never heard that voice, and when I looked around, no one was there.

"C'mon, Sammy, we better get started." the voice continued. It was a boy, about the same age as me.

What's going on? My mind screamed. First I'm seeing things, then I'm hearing things!

I tried to ignore the voice, but my eyes were starting to see things again. Before my eyes, the cereal boxes were lifting up, going into the trash can. I couldn't believe this was real, but I touched it.

Proof. Everything I was seeing appeared to be true, but it couldn't be.

Next, my bed was being stripped. "So where are the sheets, Sammy? If I get them, you can change the sheets while I clean the floor."

"Not real." I muttered to myself. "Not real. I'm hearing things."

"No, you're not." the voice said. "I know you can't see me, but you can see I'm here, can't you? Stop stressing."

I wondered if I should talk back. Even if it was just a voice in my head. "Well, if you're real, how do you know my name? And why can't I see you?"

"I came here last night." the voice explained. "I heard your mom calling you Sammy. Although...Roxanne calls you Sam, according to what I heard. Which do you prefer?"

"Sammy." I admitted quietly. "What are you?"

"What do you mean?" the boy sounded confused. He was starting to clean up the floor, though. "Sammy, I'll answer your questions in a minute, but c'mon, pitch in. I'm doing all the work."

The voice made a good point. I peeled the food-encrusted sheets off my bed and went to get some clean ones.

"So...what are you?" I asked. "Like...a ghost?"

We'll come back next chapter! As you've noticed, Sammy doesn't see things the same way the Sammy in the book does. She thinks she's seeing and hearing things, and she handled the trashed room scenario better. Hope you liked that! Please review!