The Third Horror Read Online Free PDF Page B

better. They're living in Los Angeles. They—well—you know, Mrs. Nordstrom."
    The old woman tsk-tsked. "So much sadness," she murmured. "The family that moved in after you. So much sadness for them too. The boy was about your age. Brandt. He died too." She shook her head. "So sad."
    Kody shuddered. "You look exactly the same, Mrs. Nordstrom. I guess I'd better let you get back to work."
    "I'm scrubbing the blood," Mrs. Nordstrom replied sadly. "It's so hard to scrub up." She turned back to the sink. "Come see me again—okay, child?"
    "Okay," Kody replied softly. She backed away, watching the housekeeper, who hummed to herself as she scrubbed at the dark bloodstains in the sink.
    Kody backed into the comforting darkness of the hallway. Then turned into the living room. Stepping over the electrical cables, she waited for her eyes to adjust.

     
    The furniture was all strange. All new. The set designers had brought all the furniture from Los Angeles.
    Kody made her way into the room, running her hand over the low crushed-velvet couch, stepping around an ottoman.
    "Cally—are you here?" The whispered words slipped from her mouth as her eyes scanned the dark room. "Cally? It's me. I've come back for you."
    She stood stiffly in the center of the room and waited.
    For what?
    A whispered reply? A laugh? A cold gust of wind that would tell her that her sister was there with her?
    "Cally? I know you can hear me," Kody said, raising her voice, keeping it low and steady. "I know you're still in this house, Cally."
    And then she did feel her.
    Kody gasped as the feeling swept over her. Just a chill at first. A cold shudder.
    A heavy presence in the room.
    "You are here! I can tell!" she whispered excitedly, feeling her heart pound.
    The presence came closer. The feeling grew stronger.
    "I can feel you, Cally!" Kody cried. "I know you're here with me. I—I just know!"
    The blood pulsed at Kody's temples. The whistling in her ears grew louder as she strained to listen, to
     
    hear a signal, a whisper, a sigh, that would reveal
    Cally's presence. "Cally—you're here. I know you're here." Before she could turn around, the ghostly hand of her sister slipped over Kody's shoulder and began to
    tighten around it.

Chapter 10
    "Cally?"
    Kody turned as the hand loosened its grip.
    And stared into a blinding light.
    It was not her dead sister who had grabbed her.
    "What are you doing in here, miss? How did you get in?" The security guard, a stern-looking middle-aged man with a face pushed in like a bulldog's frowned at her suspiciously. He shone his flashlight at her, a harsh spotlight.
    "I—I— The door was open," Kody stammered. She raised both hands to shield her eyes from the bright light.
    "But why are you here?" the guard demanded impatiently.

     
    "I just came in," Kody blurted out. "I mean, I used to live here, and—I'm in the movie—and—"
    *'You're the sister!" the guard exclaimed excitedly. He lowered the light. "You're the sister, right? I read all about you. A long article. In People magazine."
    "Yeah. I'm the sister," Kody replied weakly. She had been so certain that Cally was near. She had felt the energy. So much energy in the air, in the room— everywhere.
    But now it was gone. Kody suddenly was drained. Weary.
    "Everyone's left, miss," the guard told her. "There's just the cleaning woman here."
    "I should go too," Kody said, turning toward the doorway. "Sorry if I frightened you."
    "That's okay," the guard said, rubbing his pug nose with the end of the flashlight. "At least you weren't a burglar. Or a looter. If you were, I'd have had to shoot you!" He let out a strange, almost silent laugh.
    "Well, good night," Kody said, eager to get away.
    She was nearly to the front door when the guard called for her to stop. "Just one more thing, miss," he said, hurrying across the room to her.
    "Yes?"
    "Could I have your autograph?" he asked shyly. And then he added, "It's for my nephew."
    "I want to try the zoom close-up