Read Online Beastly by Alex Flinn - Free Book Online Page B

empty refrigerator for something, gave up, and brought the tea to the man. But he’d fallen asleep. She knelt by him a second, listening. Then she reached her hand under the sofa cushion like she was looking for something. Nothing. She went back to her reading, drinking the tea. I kept watching, but nothing else happened.
    Usually, I only watched a person once. But in the next week, I kept going back to Linda. It wasn’t like she was hot-looking or even did anything interesting. Most people at Tuttle were away at camp, or even in Europe. So I could have looked in on someone at the Louvre if I’d wanted. Or, more like it, I could have seen a camp shower room full of naked girls – okay, I did do that. But usually, I watched Linda read. I couldn’t believe she’d read so much in summer! Sometimes she laughed, reading her book, and once she even cried. I didn’t know how anyone could make such a big deal about books.
    One day, while she was reading, there was a noise – banging on the door. I watched her open it.
    A hand grabbed her. I started.
    “Where is it?” a voice demanded. A hulking shape came into view. I couldn’t see his face, only that he was big. I wondered should I call 911.
    “Where’s what?” Linda said.
    “You know what. What’d you do with it?”
    “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Her voice was calm, and she wiggled away from his grip and started back toward her book.
    He grabbed her again and pulled her to him. “Give it to me.”
    “Don’t have it anymore.”
    “Bitch!” He slapped her hard across the face. She stumbled and fell. “I need that. Think you’re better than me, that you can steal from me? Give it to me!” He started toward her like he was going to grab her again, but she recovered herself, stood, and ran behind the table. She grabbed her book and held it in front of her, like it would shield her. “Stay away from me. I’ll call the cops.”
    “You wouldn’t call the cops on your own dad.”
    I started at the word dad. That sleaze was her father? The same one she’d tucked the blanket around the week before?
    “I don’t have it,” she said. Her face had the busted-up look of someone trying hard not to cry. “I threw it out, flushed it down the toilet.”
    “Flushed it? Hundred bucks’ worth of horse? You –”
    “You shouldn’t have it! You promised…”
    He threw himself at her, but he was unsteady on his feet, and she got away and ran to the door. Still holding her book, she ran from the scummy apartment, down the cracked, cobwebby stairs toward the street.
    “Run away!” he yelled after her. “Just leave like your slut sisters did!” She ran into the street and to the subway station. I watched her down the stairs, until she got onto the car. Only then did she burst into tears.
    I wished I could go to her.

    CHAT
    Mr. Anderson: Thanks for coming. Today, we’ll be talking about living arrangements after transformation.
    Froggie: i nvr lkd ponds & I sur dont lk em now SilentMaid: Froggie, why not?
    Froggie: why not??? theyr wet!!!!!
    SilentMaid: But you’re an amphibian.
    Froggie: So???
    SilentMaid: So you consider living on dry land to be preferable to water, even though you can breathe underwater. Why? I really want to know!
    Froggie: for 1 thing my stuf keeps floting awy!
    BeastNYC joined the chat.

    BeastNYC: You all can start now. im here.
    SilentMaid: We started.
    BeastNYC: I wz kidding.
    Mr. Anderson: We can’t always be sure with you, Beast. But welcome.
    BeastNYC: I’m moving this wk. Not sure where.
    SilentMaid: I had a bit of an announcement today.
    Mr. Anderson: What is it, Silent?
    SilentMaid: I’ve decided to go through with it.
    Froggie: go thru w the trnsformtin?
    SilentMaid: Yes.
    BeastNYC: Why would u do a stupid thing like that?
    Mr. Anderson: Beast, that isn’t polite.
    BeastNYC: But it’s stupid! why would she risk a spell when she doesn’t have 2?
    SilentMaid: I’ve thought long and hard about this,