Crossed Out Read Online Free PDF

thinking of this being – a form of evil – that apparently had my number.
    Now I knew I’d be sick.
    “I have something to share with you, Stephanie.” Dr. Anthony got up from his chair and made his way to a back closet. Opening the door, he reached in and removed something bulgy covered with a cloth.
    Omigod! My hand flew to my mouth in horror and disgust. Large brown stains caked the once-white fabric. A broken piece of a wooden cross stuck out. Bile lodged in my throat, threatening to spew forward.
    I didn’t wait to see more, I ran from the room. All it took was one glance at the bloody cross cradled in his hands and I was history. I didn’t want to know what was under that cloth.
    I expected to get struck down by God or the heavenly guardian who was in charge of taking care of disrespectful teenagers like me.
    Everything Dr. Anthony had shared with me seemed so unbelievable. I knew what he was talking about. A demon.
    Talk about too much information.
    Thank goodness Dylan had left. I couldn’t deal with him right now.
    Now that I had fled the office, I found myself with a major problem. Should I accept his help or go on like I’d always done? No, that wouldn’t work. Allison had tried to warn me about something too, but what?
    I decided to do nothing. For all I knew, this new counselor was in league with the nameless demon.
    I had to admit, it was weird how Dr. Anthony popped up just before my experience at Hillary’s house.
    And to top this off, Dr. Anthony expected me, even when he knew what I’d been through, to suddenly open up and trust him?
    Like I said before, I’d done fine on my own.
    I ran down the corridor. I had to get out of there or else I’d scream!
    “Stephanie!” I heard Dr. Anthony call for me, but I ignored him.
    The glass doors came into sight. Finally . A few steps more and I could put my weird experience with the counselor behind me.
    As soon as the cool air hit me, my eyes misted. Life was so unfair. I wished I could find Dylan. Sure, he’d drill me on what was going on and ask why I’d run out of a building like a crazy person. Deep down inside I had the feeling he wouldn’t roll his eyes or make fun of my gift if I confided in him.
    But if I was right and Dr. Anthony was hinting about a demon wanting a piece of me, well, I sure didn’t need Dylan getting mixed up in it.
    His ability to sense bad things around people might get him hurt. And that wasn’t an option.
    Oh, why couldn’t my life be like a radio station so I could just turn the station to something more upbeat and happy?

Chapter 4
     
    The day I dreaded, arrived. Monday. And I had less than forty-eight hours to do my job – find this spirit, from Hillary’s mirror who wandered between the world of the living and the recent dead, and help her to the light. So far, I had been unsuccessful contacting her.
    And oh yeah, did I say it was Monday – another school day? Humiliation right around the corner. I shuddered at the memory of knocking Hillary on her rear, leaving Cura behind without explanation, and running out of the house.
    Don’t even get me started on the whole counselor fiasco either.
    Mom hadn’t even batted an eye when I showed up at Starbucks after that so-called counselor freaked me out. Strange considering she’d been so big on me going to begin with.
    Anyway, no way was I going back. I had other things to worry about. Like what would be everyone’s reaction at the school once they’d read Hillary’s text message about the other night?
    With this troubling thought, I made my way to my locker. As I passed, a few of the overhead fluorescent lights blinked on and off. Just great . Was this foreshadowing of what my day would be like? I pictured eggs dripping and sliding down my locker over the words ‘Loser! Freak!’
    But as my sneakers announced my arrival to that row of banged up tin containers, only decals, graffiti, and a lip-locked couple greeted me.
    A surge of relief flooded my body. Maybe