On Halloween, Maya and Philip returned with full bags of sweets. The streets of the town glowed with pumpkins and a mist hung over the pavements. A child in a black bat mask was waiting on the corner. He did not ask for sweets, but handed them a folded piece of paper. On the card was a map of the park and the words: "After silence come." The tower clock rang and the child disappeared among the pumpkins. The wind moved the lantern and the flame danced unevenly, as if blinking. Witches on scooters and one sad pirate passed by. Maja swallowed her saliva, but curiosity pushed them towards the gate. The torch trembled in her hand like a small, nervous star. The park was quieter than usual, as if someone was listening in. They walked on, though each step sounded like a drumbeat. A fish-shaped bench and a bridge were marked on the map. They passed laughing masks, rustling leaves and gossiping ravens. Beyond the bridge, a circle with a cross, drawn in thick crayon, waited. They stopped as something tapped hard on the sole under the leaves. They pushed away the wet leaves and saw a cast-iron flap with a handle. On the flap hung a plaque with an owl and the word 'Reading Room'. Philip whispered: "Maybe it's just a joke, Maja, let's go." She shook her head and touched the cold metal with her fingers. Rust was pouring from the hinges and the flap vibrated as if it was breathing. Underneath the flap it smelled of dust, paint and something sweet, like cocoa. Then a quiet knocking sounded from underground, one, two, three. Maja raised her torch as someone from below whispered her name.