Body Switchers from Outer Space by R.L. Stine

panic rose up inside me.
    I stared around the closet.
    Relax, Kenny, I told myself. If you bang on the door, somebody will hear you and let you out.
    I listened.
    I heard only the low hum of the electrical control panels in the closet.
    â€œHey, could someone open this door?” I shouted. “I’m stuck in here.”
    No one answered me.
    â€œHey, I’m stuck in here!” I yelled, pounding my fist on the door. “Somebody open up!”
    No one came to the door.
    With all the people out there, why didn’t anyone hear me?
    â€œI’m a kid trapped in this closet!” I yelled as loud as I could. “Help me! Somebody! Get me out of here!”
    I banged on the door with my hands. I kicked it hard with my feet.
    There! Somebody had to hear that!
    Silence.
    An uneasy feeling crept into the pit of my stomach. I stood back from the door and took a deep breath.
    Then I took a running leap at it, throwing my shoulder against it, hard.
    Nothing.
    I banged on the door until my knuckles hurt.
    Still nothing.
    Where is everyone?
    I glanced at my glow-in-the-dark watch. 8:15!
    Dalby’s closes at 8:00.
    Did everyone go home?
    How could that be?
    How could everyone have gone home and left me in here? My mom must have told someone I was missing. Why weren’t they looking for me?
    My hands began to sweat. I had to get out of this place. But how?
    I wiped my sweaty palms on my pants and checked my watch again. 8:20.
    It wasn’t that late. There had to be someone in the store. A manager. A security guard locking up. One of the department-store Santa’s stupid elves. Someone.
    Oh, I get it! They know I’m in here, I realized. They’re trying to teach me a lesson or something dumb like that.
    â€œCome on, you guys!” I yelled. “Please. Let me out of here! Now!”
    No reply.
    I grabbed the doorknob and pulled with all my strength.
    â€œHelp!” I screamed. “Help!”
    I twisted the knob. Then I pulled again, as hard as I could.
    â€œLet me out of here!” I shouted.
    No one answered my calls. I backed away from the door, wondering what to do next.
    That’s when I heard the sizzling sounds.
    I gazed around the room. I couldn’t tell what was making that noise.
    Then, suddenly, the hum in the room grew louder.
    And the floor began to vibrate.
    My legs shook hard.
    The humming grew louder. Louder. It filled the room now, shrill and strong. It seemed to come at me from every direction, all at once.
    The floor quaked under my feet.
    I started to lose my balance.
    Started to slam into the control panel—when the door slowly swung open.
    I grabbed on to the control panel and caught my balance.
    I stared at the door.
    It swung open some more. A pale red light glowed through the opening.
    I staggered toward the door on shaky legs.
    â€œWhat took you so long?” I demanded as I stepped outside. “Something crazy was going on in that room!”
    Huh?
    No one stood outside the door.
    The toy department sat in silence. Except for the dull red glow from the exit signs, it was totally dark.
    As my eyes adjusted to the dim light, I glanced around. In the shadowy light, I could make out the outline of Santa’s Village.
    In the glow of the red light, Santa Street looked eerie—like a miniature Fear Street. The deserted end of Fear Street. The part with the abandoned mansions. The mansions that people say are haunted.
    I live on Fear Street. I have to admit it—the mansions do look kind of creepy. But haunted—come on! How could anyone really believe in ghosts.
    I took a step forward.
    â€œHey!” I shouted. “Anybody here?”
    My voice echoed back to me.
    I took a few more steps. My sneakers squeaked on the marble floor.
    I stood perfectly still and listened. All I heard was my own heart beating. Really loud.
    Then I heard something else.
    I held my breath. What was it?
    It sounded like . . . bells.
    Sleigh bells.