Read Online Be Careful What You Wish For by R. L. Stine - Free Book Online
Authors: R. L. Stine
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home. Again, I saw no cars on the street. No people.
“This is so
weird
!” I cried aloud.
My legs suddenly felt heavy, as if something was weighing them down. I knew it was my panic. My heart was pounding. I kept searching desperately for someone — anyone — on the street.
Halfway home, I turned around and headed my bike to town. The small shopping district was just a few blocks north of school.
I rode in the center of the street. There was no reason not to. No cars or trucks appeared in either direction.
The bank came into view, followed by the grocery store. As I pedaled as hard as I could, I noticed all the other shops that lined both sides of Montrose Avenue.
All dark and empty.
Not a soul in town. Not a person in any store.
No one.
I braked the bike in front of Farber’s Hardware and jumped off. The bike fell onto its side. I stepped to the sidewalk and listened. The only sound was the banging of a shutter being blown by the wind above the barbershop.
“Hello!” I called at the top of my voice. “Hellllooooo!”
I started running frantically from store to store, pressing my face against the windows, peering inside, searching desperately for another human being.
Back and forth. I covered both sides of the street, my fear growing heavier inside me with each step. With each dark store.
“Hellooooo! Helllooooo! Can anybody hear me?”
But I knew it was a waste of my voice.
Standing in the center of the street, staring at the dark stores and empty sidewalks, I knew that I was alone.
Alone in the world.
I suddenly realized my second wish had been granted.
Judith had disappeared.
And everyone else had disappeared with her.
Everyone.
My mom and dad. My brother, Ron. Everyone.
Would I ever see them again?
I slumped down on the cement stoop in front of the barbershop and hugged myself, trying to stop my body from trembling.
Now what?
I wondered miserably.
Now what?
20
I don’t know how long I sat there on the stoop, hugging myself, my head lowered, my mind in a total, spinning panic. I would have sat there forever, listening to the banging shutter, listening to the wind blow through the deserted street — if my stomach hadn’t started to growl and grumble.
I stood up, suddenly remembering that I had missed my breakfast.
“Sam, you’re all alone in the world. How can you think about eating?” I asked myself aloud.
Somehow it was comforting to hear a human voice, even though it was my own.
“I’m staaaaarving!” I shouted.
I listened for a response. It was really stupid, but I refused to give up hope.
“This is all Judith’s fault,” I muttered, picking my bike up from the street.
I rode home through the empty streets, my eyes searching the deserted yards and houses. AsI passed the Carters’ house on the corner of my block, I expected their little white terrier to come yapping after my bike the way he always did.
But there weren’t even any dogs left in my world. Not even my poor little Punkin.
There was just me. Samantha Byrd. The last person on earth.
As soon as I got home, I rushed into the kitchen and made myself a peanut butter sandwich. Gobbling it down, I stared at the open peanut butter jar. It was nearly empty.
“How am I going to feed myself?” I wondered aloud. “What do I do when the food runs out?”
I started to fill a glass with orange juice. But I hesitated and filled it up only halfway.
Do I rob the grocery store?
I asked myself.
Do I just take the food I need?
Is it really robbing if there’s no one there? If there’s no one
anywhere?
Does it matter? Does
anything
matter?
“How can I take care of myself? I’m only twelve!” I shouted.
For the first time, I felt the urge to cry. But I jammed another hunk of peanut butter sandwich into my mouth and forced the urge away.
Instead, I turned my thoughts to Judith, and my unhappiness and fear quickly gave way to anger.
If Judith hadn’t made fun of me, hadn’t tried to embarrass me, if Judith
“This is so
weird
!” I cried aloud.
My legs suddenly felt heavy, as if something was weighing them down. I knew it was my panic. My heart was pounding. I kept searching desperately for someone — anyone — on the street.
Halfway home, I turned around and headed my bike to town. The small shopping district was just a few blocks north of school.
I rode in the center of the street. There was no reason not to. No cars or trucks appeared in either direction.
The bank came into view, followed by the grocery store. As I pedaled as hard as I could, I noticed all the other shops that lined both sides of Montrose Avenue.
All dark and empty.
Not a soul in town. Not a person in any store.
No one.
I braked the bike in front of Farber’s Hardware and jumped off. The bike fell onto its side. I stepped to the sidewalk and listened. The only sound was the banging of a shutter being blown by the wind above the barbershop.
“Hello!” I called at the top of my voice. “Hellllooooo!”
I started running frantically from store to store, pressing my face against the windows, peering inside, searching desperately for another human being.
Back and forth. I covered both sides of the street, my fear growing heavier inside me with each step. With each dark store.
“Hellooooo! Helllooooo! Can anybody hear me?”
But I knew it was a waste of my voice.
Standing in the center of the street, staring at the dark stores and empty sidewalks, I knew that I was alone.
Alone in the world.
I suddenly realized my second wish had been granted.
Judith had disappeared.
And everyone else had disappeared with her.
Everyone.
My mom and dad. My brother, Ron. Everyone.
Would I ever see them again?
I slumped down on the cement stoop in front of the barbershop and hugged myself, trying to stop my body from trembling.
Now what?
I wondered miserably.
Now what?
20
I don’t know how long I sat there on the stoop, hugging myself, my head lowered, my mind in a total, spinning panic. I would have sat there forever, listening to the banging shutter, listening to the wind blow through the deserted street — if my stomach hadn’t started to growl and grumble.
I stood up, suddenly remembering that I had missed my breakfast.
“Sam, you’re all alone in the world. How can you think about eating?” I asked myself aloud.
Somehow it was comforting to hear a human voice, even though it was my own.
“I’m staaaaarving!” I shouted.
I listened for a response. It was really stupid, but I refused to give up hope.
“This is all Judith’s fault,” I muttered, picking my bike up from the street.
I rode home through the empty streets, my eyes searching the deserted yards and houses. AsI passed the Carters’ house on the corner of my block, I expected their little white terrier to come yapping after my bike the way he always did.
But there weren’t even any dogs left in my world. Not even my poor little Punkin.
There was just me. Samantha Byrd. The last person on earth.
As soon as I got home, I rushed into the kitchen and made myself a peanut butter sandwich. Gobbling it down, I stared at the open peanut butter jar. It was nearly empty.
“How am I going to feed myself?” I wondered aloud. “What do I do when the food runs out?”
I started to fill a glass with orange juice. But I hesitated and filled it up only halfway.
Do I rob the grocery store?
I asked myself.
Do I just take the food I need?
Is it really robbing if there’s no one there? If there’s no one
anywhere?
Does it matter? Does
anything
matter?
“How can I take care of myself? I’m only twelve!” I shouted.
For the first time, I felt the urge to cry. But I jammed another hunk of peanut butter sandwich into my mouth and forced the urge away.
Instead, I turned my thoughts to Judith, and my unhappiness and fear quickly gave way to anger.
If Judith hadn’t made fun of me, hadn’t tried to embarrass me, if Judith
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