Scaredy Cat Read Online Free PDF Page B

darkness. The earth felt cool against her heated skin. She rolled onto her stomach and crawled toward the sound of trickling water.
    Note: Ask Quinn if she wears a tool belt or carries a box.
    Cobwebs stuck to Quinn’s hair as she directed her light to the sound of the water. “Figures,” she said aloud just to hear her own voice, “the leak would have to be at the far corner.”
    “It always is,” Quinn agreed with a nod as she took a seat and continued to read.
    Something reflected the light. Quinn crawled closer, her gaze fixed upon the shiny metal. It was not uncommon to find what she considered small treasures beneath the old homes, some she was lucky enough to keep. Heedless of the mud that was soaking into her clothes, she crawled close enough to reach out and touch what she realized was a gold band. She tugged at it and realized it was attached to something.
    Note: You used realized too much in this paragraph. Fix it.
    With a grunt, she gave a final push and shined her light on the ring. For a moment, her mind refused to accept what she was actually seeing, a desiccated finger. Slowly, she moved the light over a hand, then an arm.
    Her scream was muffled beneath the old house as she scrambled toward the opening, gasping for breath. Her hands clawed at the earth. She could hear footsteps above her and the faint sound of what she thought might’ve been laughter. Quinn’s own cries and screams masked the sounds. Her only goal was to escape the dark confines of what had become a tomb. Her back scraped against the flooring as she pushed her upper body through the door. Her feet pushed at the dirt beneath as she reached around wildly to pull herself out of the hole. Quinn never saw Glenda, wasn’t even aware of the knife that penetrated her flesh. And then she was falling. Stunned, she lay there gasping for breath as the door slowly closed and darkness surrounded her.
    Quinn shot out of the chair like a rocket and crashed into Blake.
    “Glenda killed me!” She pointed a finger in Blake’s face. “No, you killed me!”
    “It’s okay, you were only a secondary character,” Blake said as she took a step back.
    Quinn’s green eyes were huge as she shook her head. “No, it’s not okay. You just killed me. Did you dream that last night, or was that a fantasy?”
    “You told me you were a plumber. That’s how I came up with the idea,” Blake said calmly. “I thought you’d get a kick out of being used as a character. I wasn’t really thinking of you when I wrote that. I can name her something else if it makes you feel better.”
    Quinn backed up against the wall and took a few calming breaths. “It’s just a character.” She scrubbed at her face. “I don’t read horror or go to scary movies for this reason. It freaks me out. I know I’m being silly, but it really rattled me to see my name and what I do on that screen.” Quinn swallowed hard as Blake stared at her as if she were the insane one. “Glenda is a great villain, by the way. You don’t have to stretch to paint her as the devil.”
    “She made me nervous. She looks like a bird with those beady eyes and the way she constantly cocks her head to the side. I think she’d make a great serial killer.”
    Quinn nodded. “She’s murdered many a reputation. I thought you didn’t write slashers.”
    “I don’t usually, but this idea came, and I went with it.”
    Quinn smiled when she noticed the white T-shirt with a sketch of Mickey Mouse and the faded jeans Blake was wearing. “That looks more relaxed. The red Converse sneakers are a nice touch.” You maniacal shrimp.
    *******
    It was a typical sticky Louisiana day, the sun shined brightly. Blake was slumped in the passenger’s seat with dark glasses covering her eyes. Quinn had seen her yawn several times.
    “Did you write all night?”
    “Some of it,” Blake said sleepily. “That’s what I do, write at night and sleep during the day.”
    “So you haven’t had much rest.”
    Blake