Midnight Games Read Online Free PDF

reflecting so brightly? White light. Almost blinding.
    I shut my eyes for a moment, trying to fight off the dizziness.
    I opened them when I heard a shrill scream—and saw Ada falling . . . Ada tumbling . . . toppling headfirst down the staircase.

9
    Screaming all the way, Ada thudded down the stairs.
    The music and voices were so loud, but I could hear every bump , every time her head hit a wooden step.
    And then the voices and singing and laughter stopped. As if someone had turned a switch. A few seconds after that, the music stopped too.
    And now I felt as if I were swimming in silence, an ocean of silence. A bright white ocean of silence and light.
    I grabbed the banister. I peered down through the billowing whiteness, forcing my eyes to focus.
    And saw Ada. Crumpled up. Sprawled in a heap, surrounded by glittering lights. It tookme a while to realize the lights were pieces of broken glass.
    â€œIs she okay?” I screamed into the silence.
    Kids were rushing to the stairway now, dropping down beside Ada. Brushing away the shards of shattered glass. Reaching for her. Eyes wide with worry and amazement.
    Ada groaned. She slowly pushed herself up to a sitting position.
    I saw bright red blood streaming down the front of her T-shirt and staining one sleeve. Bits of broken glass shimmered in her hair.
    She groaned again and wiped her hands through her hair. Then, slowly, she raised her eyes to me.
    I gasped when I saw the fierce anger on her face.
    â€œYou PUSHED me!” Ada screamed.
    I heard gasps and low cries. All eyes were raised to me.
    My legs felt wobbly, about to give way. I gripped the banister tightly to hold myself up. I felt my heart start to pound.
    â€œN-no,” I stammered, shaking my head. “I didn’t touch you!”
    Ada raised herself to her knees. She shooka blood-smeared fist at me. “You DID, Dana!” she cried. “You shoved me!”
    I couldn’t help it. I burst into tears. “That’s a LIE!” I cried. But my sobs muffled the words.
    I gazed down from face to face. They all stared at me, accusing me. They believed her.
    But I knew it wasn’t true. I never touched her.
    Why was she accusing me?
    I couldn’t stop sobbing. I turned and ran up the stairs. Back to my attic room, where I dropped into an armchair. I gripped the arms hard, gritted my teeth, and forced myself to stop crying.
    From my room I could hear voices downstairs. But I couldn’t make out the words. Were they all talking about me? Did they all believe Ada?
    Why would I push her down the stairs? I had no reason to hurt her.
    Did they think I pushed her because I want to steal Nate?
    Nate is cute, but he isn’t worth trying to kill someone!
    Did they think I pushed her because I’m a Fear? And a member of the Fear family has to be evil? How stupid is that ?
    I heard the front door close. Heard voices in the driveway. Car doors slammed, and engines started up. The party was breaking up.
    I was still hunched in the armchair, gritting my teeth, thinking angry thoughts, when Jamie came into my room. She hurried over and placed a hand on mine. “Dana, are you okay?”
    â€œI . . . don’t know,” I said. I felt like crying again, but I forced it back.
    Jamie squeezed my hand. “It was a good party,” she said softly, “until Ada fell.”
    â€œI didn’t push her!” I cried. I jerked Jamie’s hand off mine. “Really. I never touched her.”
    Jamie nodded. “Of course you didn’t.”
    I jumped to my feet. I balled my hands into tight fists. “So why did she accuse me like that?”
    Jamie tossed back her dark hair. She suddenly looked so pale and tired. I could see that blue vein throbbing in her temple. “Ada will get over it,” she said.
    â€œGet over it?” I cried. “How? If she thinks I tried to kill her . . . ”
    â€œShe was being