Editor’s note: This is Chapter 3 of a 12-part fictional Christmas tale. Parents are encouraged to read aloud with their children.

“Hey,” Tyler called, the box of mugs forgotten as he stood next to Anna, watching the door slowly open all by itself. “Is someone in there?”

Silence answered from inside the door, and Anna frowned as she tried to make sense of what she was seeing.

She could see people moving beyond the door, in a room that looked like a cozy living room. It didn’t make any sense for a room like that to be back here.

“What are you doing?” Tyler held her arm, and she realized she’d been moving toward the door. “We need to get Mr. Hinkly, this isn’t right.”

“Yeah, I know. We will. I just want to see …” She peeked inside, her eyes widening as she recognized the person inside as the old woman who lived across the street from her.

“Mrs. Campbell! What are you doing here?” she asked, stepping closer. An odd vibration went through her as she passed through the door and she paused, fully taking in her surroundings.

She didn’t know how, but they were no longer in The Book Secret. This was Mrs. Campbell’s living room, filled with the same furniture and knick knacks she recognized from when she’d gone with her mom to help Mrs. Campbell around the house when the older woman had fallen and broken her arm.

“What … how … why …” Tyler couldn’t seem to form a question, and Anna didn’t blame him. How on earth could they be in Mrs. Campbell’s house?

A sob cut through the air, and Anna’s eyes widened when she realized Mrs. Campbell was on her couch, quietly crying while dabbing at her eyes with a tissue. Her left arm was covered in a sling, one she hadn’t been wearing just a little while ago when Anna had waved to her as she’d left her house.

“Mrs. Campbell, what happened? Are you OK?” Anna rushed over to comfort the woman, but it was like she hadn’t even spoken. Mrs. Campbell acted like she didn’t see either one of them.

Slowly, Anna reached out to touch the woman’s arm, and it was like touching a dense, warm fog. With a gasp, she backed away. Tyler knelt in front of Mrs. Campbell, waving a hand in front of her face and trying to talk to her. He got no reaction.

“This doesn’t make any sense,” he said, looking around. When his eyes landed on a cracked mirror hanging on the wall, he frowned. “Hey, didn’t we help Mrs. Campbell take that down and throw it away?”

“And why is her arm back in the cast?” Anna asked. “She had that taken off months ago.”

Anna and Tyler looked at each other, and she imagined her expression matched his: Wide-eyed disbelief and confusion.

“It’s so silly,” Mrs. Campbell suddenly said, but she wasn’t talking to them. She was talking to herself, looking down at a photo album open on her lap. “It’s just a necklace. Not even one I’m going to wear again! But it was the one you got me for our first anniversary, and then later you got me the bracelet and ring to match. I can’t believe I accidentally put it in the give away bin. I’m sorry, Jeffrey. I meant to keep it forever.”

“Jeffrey … that was Mr. Campbell,” Anna whispered, even though Mrs. Campbell couldn’t hear her. He had died a few years ago, which was why Anna and her mom tried to help out as much as they could. And she remembered the give away bin. Mrs. Campbell had been very clear that it was filled with items just taking up space, and Anna and her mom had taken it to the local thrift store to donate.

Anna crept closer and peered down at the photo album. It was open to a picture of a young Mr. and Mrs. Campbell, both smiling brightly at each other. A beautiful beaded necklace hung around Mrs. Campbell’s neck.

Without warning, Mrs. Campbell snapped the book shut. Anna jumped back with a gasp as Mrs. Campbell stood from the couch. It was clear the older woman was still oblivious to their presence, and it was also clear that they weren’t really in Mrs. Campbell’s house.

“Come on,” Tyler said. “We need to go back. I’ve seen too many scary movies, Anna. I don’t want that door to close on us and be stuck here … wherever ‘here’ is.”

Mrs. Campbell had disappeared down the hall, and Anna nodded. “Yeah. Let’s go.”

They both dashed back through the door, and ran right into Mr. Hinkly.

Read Chapter 4 in Saturday’s newspaper.