Body of Immorality Read Online Free PDF Page B

murderous things. She couldn’t take her eyes off the candle flame. Was that a cold draft making the flame dance?
    “I have to pee,” Michael said, suddenly.
    “So, go pee,” Hector told him.
    “I don’t want to go by myself!”
    “You mean you want to pee together?” Hector said. “You are really sick.”
    “Come on,” Samantha said, nudging Dot aside.
    “Make sure you hold his hand,” Cathleen said, snickering as she peeked out from under the blanket.
    Michael glared at Cathleen. “Why don’t you shut-up!”
    “ You shut-up, you big baby. You have to have your big sister with you wherever you go!”
    “Do you want to sleep outside?” Samantha asked Cathleen.
    Cathleen quieted, but not before giving Samantha a deadly glare.
    Michael stood up, and he and Samantha went into the hallway. Samantha turned on the bathroom light.
    “I hate Cathleen,” Michael said. “What did I ever do to her?”
    Samantha shrugged. “Beats me,” she said. “She’s just a little witch sometimes.”
    “I didn’t mean to yell,” Michael said. “Don’t tell mom. Okay?”
    “Don’t worry about it.”
    Michael paused for a minute, shuffling his feet. “Samantha?”
    Samantha looked at him, raising her eyebrows.
    “Is there really such thing?” he asked. “As a shadow that kills people?”
    Samantha silently cursed Hector. “No,” she said. “Nothing like that is real, can ever be real. Got it? It can’t happen.”
    Michael chewed his lip. “But…” Samantha raised her eyebrows. “About the candles…” Michael said.
    “What about the candles?”
    Clearly, he was uncomfortable. “You know, the doorways. Hector said it opened doorways into the spirit world.”
    She sighed and closed her eyes. Being in charge seemed more than it was worth sometimes. “They’re just candles, Michael. No spirits. No doorways. Okay?”
    He smiled weakly, but didn’t seem convinced.
    “I thought you had to pee?” she said.
    Michael nodded and disappeared into the bathroom. Samantha stood awkwardly in the hallway. Soon, the toilet flushed. Michael came out seconds later, more relieved. Together, they returned to the living room.
    “Did you have to hold his hand?” Cathleen sneered.
    “I’m not joking about you sleeping outside,” Samantha told her.
    “I don’t care. I’m telling Mom and Dad about how mean you were to me. You’ll never get to baby-sit us again.”
    “That would be a relief,” Samantha said.
    Michael smiled, happy someone was on his side.
    “You’re a dork,” Cathleen said to Michael.
    Michael stuck his finger in his mouth. He pulled it out with a wet popping sound, and displayed it for Cathleen, astonishing everyone.
    “Sit on that,” he said.
    Samantha and Hector burst out laughing. Cathleen was furious.
    “I’m telling Mom!” she said.
    “Be quiet, Cathleen,” Samantha told her.
    “Did you see what he did?” Cathleen said, pointing at Michael.
    “I’m warning you, Cathleen,” Samantha said. “I don’t want to hear it anymore. Keep it up, and you can go to bed right now.”
    Cathleen fought to defend herself, but the more Samantha glared, the more flummoxed she became. She hung her head and withdrew into the blanket like a turtle.
    Wow, Samantha thought. All I had to do was be mean? How come Mom didn’t tell me?
    Wind howled through the neighborhood streets. Branches scraped the window.
    Samantha looked at Hector. He was staring out the window with wide, terrified eyes, his face pale and beaded with sweat. She frowned.
    “What’s your problem?” she asked.
    Hector turned. If he was acting, he was doing a good job. Chalk one up for Hector!
    “I thought…” he started. “I mean…I thought I saw someone outside.”
    “Oh, please,” Samantha said, pulling Dottie onto her lap. “ That’s fresh!”
    Michael wasn’t convinced. He stared at Samantha, then at Hector.
    “Anything to get everyone riled up,” Samantha said. “Why don’t you grow up for a