The Horror Read Online Free PDF Page A

what.
    Another jolt of lightning glowed right through the blanket, making my bedroom walls look as white as bone.
    Something knocked on the door.
    I peeked out from under the covers.
    Was the doorknob wiggling or was that my imagination?
    The knocking noise came again, louder.
    This was how it always started. Noises in the hall. Scratching fingers outside my door.
    It wanted me to open the door and let it in. Then the horror would start all over.
    Slowly the door opened wider and wider. I scrambled to get out of bed. The thing wasn’t going to find me defenseless.
    My legs were caught in the bed clothes. I couldn’t get free. I kicked and pushed frantically but it seemed to take forever.
    At last my legs were untangled. I looked toward the door. It was wide open now.
    A dark shape came through the doorway and glided into the room.
    Coming to get me.
    Quickly I dropped to my knees beside the bed. There was a baseball bat under the bed if only I could find it in the dark. My fingers groped blindly.
    No bat.
    The thing in the doorway was a black shadow against the light from the hall. It was small but seemed to be growing larger.
    At last my fingers closed around the handle of the bat.
    I stood up.
    The shadowy figure lurched toward me. Reaching out, trying to grab me.
    Trembling, I raised the bat.

12
    â€œJason, help!”
    My arm turned to rubber and my knees to water.
    I collapsed onto my bed. I’d nearly brained my little sister with a baseball bat!
    This house was getting to me. As if it wanted me to hurt my sister.
    Sally tugged at my arm. “Come on, Jason. Hurry!”
    â€œSally, what’s wrong?” I asked. “What are you doing out of bed? You’re not afraid of the thunder, are you?”
    â€œNo, no, no,” said Sally, stamping her feet. “Bobby says you have to come. Right now, before it’s too late. Come on!”
    â€œNo way,” I said firmly, pulling my arm free. “I’m not going anywhere.”
    â€œBut you have to!” Sally urged. “You have to come downstairs. It’s important.”
    Had Sally forgotten what happens at night in this house? Well, I wouldn’t remind her—she was already scared enough. But you’d have to be brain-dead to wander around this place after midnight.
    â€œJason, you have to, you have to.” Sally was near tears.
    â€œBut why?” I took hold of her arms. “What is it that can’t wait until morning?”
    â€œBobby needs you,” said Sally. “Bobby can’t do it by himself.”
    â€œWhat about Katie?” I suggested. “She’s the baby-sitter. She’s responsible, right?”
    Sally looked down at the floor. “Bobby hates the baby-sitter.”
    I gave in. I always give in. When Sally wants something, she never gives up. Just yammers on forever until you agree. A definite one-track mind.
    â€œI’ll go as far as the top of the stairs,” I said. “That’s it. Then it’s back to bed for both of us.”
    Sally considered this. “All right,” she said, taking my hand.
    The storm hadn’t let up a bit.
    The hall light flickered and went out.
    But Sally forged ahead, pulling me along.
    The top of the stairs was as black as a witch’s cat. I couldn’t see a thing—and I wasn’t going any farther.
    â€œEverything seems fine to me,” I said, trying to sound like I meant it.
    It was true enough, at the moment. At least there were no weird ghostly lights and no furniture flying through the air like before.
    Something sounded funny, though.
    I couldn’t quite pinpoint the problem. But there was a vague unease tickling at me.
    Something inside the house was … wrong. But I shrugged it off.
    â€œOkay,” I said, squeezing Sally’s hand. “Back to bed.”
    At that instant a bolt of lightning crashed so close it lit up the whole downstairs.
    I stared in shock.
    â€œNo,” I cried.