New! Emmy and the Haunted House Mystery

Submitted to us by Julie Sullivan

Emmy loved a good mystery as much as she loved reading a good book.

She had a great detective kit, which included a large magnifying glass, a notebook to record all clues, and a flashlight that she thought was brighter than the moon itself. Her bedroom wasn’t just a place to sleep; it was half detective office, and half to hold her candy stash too. What was happening tonight? Tonight was going to be Halloween, which was the best night of the entire year to wear fabulous costumes, eat caramel apples, and help solve curious cases that were taking place.

Emmy dressed as a vampire detective. Black cape, red bowtie, and a badge that said “Official Investigator of Spooky Stuff.”
She joined her friends for trick-or-treating, but her eyes kept drifting toward the end of the street. There, past the pumpkin-lined sidewalks and glowing jack-o’-lanterns, stood the old Waverly House.
No one ever trick-or-treated there. It was dark, crooked, and whispered rumors of ghosts haunted the area. Some said you could hear piano music at midnight. Others claimed the curtains moved even when the windows were shut.

Emmy was intrigued.
“I’m going in,” she said, gripping her flashlight.
Her best friend, Max, gulped. “You sure?”
“I have a mystery to solve,” Emmy said. “And maybe they give out king-size candy bars.”
The gate creaked a bit as Emmy pushed it open. The porch let out a loud groan under her feet. She knocked once, then twice, but no answer came.
She turned the knob on the door slowly and found that it wasn’t locked.
Inside the house, the air carried the scents of old books and cinnamon. A chandelier also flickered above. Cobwebs did a slow
dance in the corners of the living room.
“Hello, anyone here?” Emmy called out nervously.
There came no reply at all.
Emmy went tiptoeing throughout the hallway, her flashlight making sweeps across many faded paintings and dusty furniture gathered there.
Then she saw it — there was a trail of visible candy wrappers leading straight up the stairs.
“Clue number one,” she whispered, jotting it down.

Upstairs, the wrappers stopped at a door with a sign: ?￯ﾸﾏ‍ “Solve the riddle to enter.”
Below it was a note:
“I have a face but no eyes, Hands but no fingers, I tell you time but never speak. What am I?”
Emmy grinned. “Easy. A clock.”
The door creaked open.
Inside was a cozy room with glowing lanterns and… music. A piano played itself in the corner. A ghost floated by, wearing a bowler hat and sipping tea.
“Welcome,” said the ghost. “You solved the riddle. You may ask one question.”
Emmy stepped forward. “Are you real?”
The ghost chuckled. “Real enough to play the piano and eat marshmallow ghosts.”
“Why do people think this house is scary?”
The ghost smiled. “Because they never came inside. Mystery fades when you’re brave enough to look.”

Then he handed Emmy a candy bar the size of her arm. “For your courage.”
Emmy left the house with a grin, her notebook full of clues and her pockets full of candy.
She didn’t just solve the mystery—she made a new friend.
And from that Halloween on, the Waverly House was the most popular stop on the block.