Fear Hall: The Beginning Read Online Free PDF

talking about her mother.
    Somehow the two were linked in her mind. Two bad news characters, I guess.
    Except I knew that Hope really cared about Darryl.
    â€œI don’t know what made me think of Mom’s nickname for me,” Hope said, pacing the room. “But that wasn’t the worst thing she did.”
    I realized Hope wasn’t talking to Jasmine and me. She was actually talking to herself.
    Jasmine lowered her head to her book. But I turned away from the desk to listen to Hope.
    â€œMom was so obsessed by my weight,” Hope said, shaking her head. “She was as skinny as a rail. Really. She was as skinny as Angel. And I don’t know why it bothered her so much that she had a chubby daughter. Maybe I looked like my dad or something. I don’t know.”
    Jasmine raised her head again. “You don’t know what your dad looked like?”
    Hope shook her head. “I never met him. And Mom never kept any snapshots around.” She let out a bitter laugh and started pacing again.
    â€œOne day I brought three kids home after school,” Hope continued. “I guess I was in fourth or fifth grade. I don’t remember.”
    She thought for a moment, then went on. “It was a hot day, and we were all hungry. So I took out a half-gallon box of ice cream from the freezer. And I dished out big bowls of chocolate ice cream for everyone.
    â€œWell, we were all sitting around the kitchen table. We had just started eating the ice cream when Mom popped in. She looked around the table at my friends. Then she had a total fit that I was eating ice cream.
    â€œShe started screaming and carrying on, calling me Buttertubs in front of my friends. Then she grabbed up their ice cream bowls. Took the ice cream away from my friends and shoved all the bowls in front of me.
    â€œâ€˜You like ice cream so much?’ Mom screamed. ‘Well, go ahead—eat them all.’
    â€œShe stood over me and forced me to eat all four bowls of ice cream,” Hope continued, her mouth twisted angrily as she remembered the story.
    â€œMy friends wanted to leave. I mean, my mother was scaring them! But she made them all stay at the kitchen table and watch me.
    â€œI started to cry. But Mom didn’t care. She made me eat while I was crying. She made me eat all four bowls of ice cream while my friends stared in shock.
    â€œThen, when I had choked down the last spoonful, Mom grabbed my head—and shoved my face into the ice cream carton. She pressed my head down and made me finish the carton. Made me lap it up—like a dog—until I’d finished it all.”
    I gasped. “You’re kidding!”
    But I could see by her expression that she wasn’t kidding. The horrible story was true.
    â€œWow,” Jasmine muttered from her bed. “Wow.”
    Hope turned her back to us. Her shoulders were trembling. She swept both hands back through her unbrushed blond hair.
    â€œThat’s why I don’t write home to Mom,” she said in a choked whisper.
    I gazed down at the letter I’d started.
    Dear Mom,
it said.
There’s been a little trouble here at school. A boy was murdered outside our dorm. But I don’t want you to worry. I think
    That’s as far as I’d gotten.
    â€œHey—let’s go out,” Hope suggested. She forced a smile to her face. “Come on, guys. Some fresh air. Let’s go.”
    â€œI can’t,” Jasmine said. “I have to finish this chapter. Besides, it’s late.”
    Hope’s face fell in disappointment. She turned to me. “How about you, Eden?”
    I hesitated. I wanted to finish my letter and take a long, hot bath. But I decided that cheering up Hope was more important.
    â€œOkay,” I told her, jumping up. “I’ll get a sweat-shirt. Let’s go out.”
    That brought a smile to her face.
    I crossed the room to my dresser and pulled out a blue-and-gold Ivy State