Dark Ride Read Online Free PDF

because?”
    â€œYou tell that brat that next time Denise will have him expelled from the pool—for good.”
    â€œShe can't do that. Besides, she's a lifeguard.” He repeats the word slowly for emphasis, “Lifeguard. Isn't she supposed to get wet? I say occupational hazard.”
    â€œOh, you guys think you're so cute. You know, your little pranks are going to catch up with you one day. What if Denise was mad enough to call her boyfriend, who's on the wrestling team, by the way? She could simply say one word like, ‘sick 'em,’ and Mason would be begging for mercy.”
    â€œâ€™Sick ’em’ is actually two words.”
    â€œOh, you are really smug, aren't you?”
    â€œWhat are you gonna do, have Colton Spurlock beat me up? Maybe you guys can talk about that at the mall tonight. You can arrange your hit then.”
    Jack could see Blair reaching her breaking point. And like all good younger siblings who smell blood, Jack goes in for the kill. “Maybe mom and dad would be interested to know Colton is on your speed dial. I thinkthat information would intrigue them since you were forbidden to date him.”
    â€œYou little!” Blair's face twists into an angry snarl.
    Evasive maneuvers are required. The sandwich drops to the floor, and Jack leaps off the couch and heads for the stairs. Turning to gauge the distance between him and Blair, he realizes that her arm is coming forward with an object in it. Jack ducks as the phone whistles through the air.
    Crash ! The projectile smashes into a family portrait hanging above the piano.
    Both siblings look at the portrait in horror.
    The picture is one of those false illusions. All four of them dressed in khaki pants and white button downs sitting on the beach. It's their mom's favorite thing in the entire house. She paid a photographer loads of money while the family was on vacation to come and snap the photo. Jack always gets a kick out of how happy and peaceful they all look. Mere seconds before the photo was taken, Jack had been arguing with Blair, and their mom had been riding Wallace about taking a call from work on the beach.
    A thorough investigation reveals a small chip in the glass.
    â€œNow you're in for it, Blair. Looks like someone is going to get grounded.”
    â€œMom will never notice. You better keep this quiet.”
    â€œOh, mom won't notice, huh?”
    â€œNo, she won't unless some useless little brat tattle-tells.”
    The insult inspires Jack to push on. “So mom won't notice what you did, huh?”
    The sinister idea just pops into his head. Jack bends down and lifts the phone to the picture. With a quick forward motion he slams the instrument hard against the crack.
    A thin trial of shattered glass stretches out from the original crack like a spider web.
    â€œI think she'll notice now. Looks like someone is in big trouble.”
    â€œYou…you!” Blair screams.
    Blair's scream is so loud that Brenna Braddock is called away from folding clothes upstairs. The familiar footsteps patter down the carpeted steps.
    â€œWhat in the world are you two fighting about now?”
    Neither Blair nor Jack makes a move.
    Brenna scans the room. “My picture!” Her face shows a look of total despair.
    â€œBlair did it, mom. She got so angry, she threw her phone at me.”
    â€œNo, he did it. Mom, he took my phone and slammed it into the picture!”
    â€œEnough!”
    The ferocity of his mother's voice sends a cold chill up Jack's spine. He realizes this is serious . The look, the tone—they were reserved for capital offenses.
    â€œI have had it up to here with your antics, both of you. Where did I go so wrong that my two children treat each other like this?” She pauses, red-faced, to think. “You're both grounded for at least a week.”
    â€œBut mom, it was all Blair's fault.”
    â€œI don't care whose fault it was. One week—no TV, no movies,