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Summary: In Duston Heights, Massachusetts, a small suburban town, Johnny Dixon lives with his grandparents. For many nights, a horrifying nightmare wakes Johnny in the middle of the night, filling him with fear. In the nightmare, he finds himself standing in front of a deserted, one-room schoolhouse that stands near a country road, not far from Duston Heights. As he moves closer to the schoolhouse in his dream, he notices a wooden plaque with Hebrew letters set in a wreath of golden rays over the door. The door opens, and he goes in. Inside, it is cold, dark, and musty. At the far end of the room a tall, ornate candlestick stands next to an oblong block that looks like an altar. In the middle of the altar is a grayish lump. As Johnny moves closer to see what the thing is, moonlight floods the room.
To his left, Johnny sees three tall, stained-glass windows. The one on the left shows a hooded figure in a long, black robe. The face of the figure is completely hidden by the hood, and something that looks like an octopus tentacle dangles from the left sleeve. The window on the right shows the menacing shape of an angel dressed like a Roman soldier. He wears a golden breastplate and carries a shield. In his upraised right hand is a sword with a flickering orange flame. The angel's eyes are wide and unearthly and stare restlessly at Johnny. In the middle window, lit by moonlight, is the picture of a gaunt old man in a shimmering blue gown. In one hand he holds a skull and in the other, a scroll with the words ZEBULON PATRIACHA.
Suddenly the old man stands before him on the dusty floor of the room. Johnny is paralyzed. He cannot move a muscle. As the old man begins to speak, the words seem to burst in Johnny's brain.
"I am Zebulon Windrow," says a harsh, grating voice. "You have done great wrong to a member of my family. I seek vengeance, and vengeance I will have. Know that the spirit of Warren Windrow still walks the earth. Be warned, foolish child!"
With that, the old man vanishes, and the room is plunged into darkness. Instantly Johnny hears a horrible rustling sound like the fluttering of a million insect wings echoing all around him.
At that point in the dream, Johnny wakes up. While the dreams are occurring, Johnny has inexplicable fits of rage. After having one of the fits, a change comes over Johnny. His face twists into a hateful sneer, scars appear, a welt appears going around his neck, making him look like he has been hanged, and his voice sounds like that of a grown man. Suddenly the horrible truth is revealed by Professor Childermass -- Johnny has been possessed by the spirit of Zebulon Windrow.
After everything else fails, the professor comes up with a crazy plan to save his dying friend. The professor and Johnny's friend Fergie (Byron Ferguson) battle death and the evil spirit of a wizard who will stop at nothing to get his revenge. They are almost killed when the church collapses, but they escape with their prize, the Urim and Thumim (two powerful magical orbs). Their next challenge is to get into Johnny's room at the hospital. After creeping into the room, they lift the oxygen tent and put the magic talisman on Johnny's forehead. After a few moments a nurse comes in and sends the Professor and Fergie away. Just as they are about to leave, the nurse calls them back, and Johnny wakes up. He is saved!
Amazon.com: * * * * *
Behind the Books: A Closer Look at John Bellairs: "Spooky, delicious book that readers are sure to devour." * * * *1/2
