Annie brushed her fingers over the cover of an old leather-bound journal, the pages yellowed with age. "Look at this, Mary. It's someone's journal," she whispered, her voice filled with awe.
Mary leaned closer, her eyes wide with curiosity. "Let's see what secrets it holds," she replied, excitement bubbling in her voice.
Annie paused, her finger tracing a line of text. "Masklophobia... an irrational fear of costumed characters," she read aloud.
Mary frowned, a thoughtful expression crossing her face. "You know, the kids in our neighborhood are always terrified of Mr. Giggles, the mascot at the park," she mused.
Annie nodded, a sense of determination sparking in her eyes. "Maybe there's more to this than we thought," she said, closing the journal with a decisive thud.
The park was deserted, save for the ominous silhouette of the mascot costume hanging limply on a bench. Mary shivered, glancing nervously at Annie.
"Do you really think we should confront it?" she asked, her voice wavering slightly.
Annie squeezed her friend's hand reassuringly. "We have to find out why it scares the kids so much," she replied, steeling herself for what lay ahead.
Annie reached out and lifted the mascot's head, revealing a hidden compartment inside. Her eyes widened in surprise. "There's some kind of speaker system here," she exclaimed.
Mary peered over her shoulder, eyes narrowing in suspicion. "No wonder the kids are scared. Someone's been using this to play creepy sounds," she deduced.
Annie gasped. "Mr. Thompson, the park caretaker?" she blurted out in disbelief.
Mr. Thompson looked sheepish, his eyes downcast. "I never meant to scare the kids," he confessed. "I thought it would be a fun prank, but it got out of hand."
Mary grinned at Annie as they closed the attic door behind them. "Who knew a dusty old journal could lead us to such an adventure?" she remarked.
Annie chuckled, her eyes sparkling with the thrill of their discovery. "And who knows what other secrets are waiting to be uncovered," she replied, already eager for their next mystery.
