Read Online Button, Button: Uncanny Stories by Richard Matheson - Free Book Online

morning when he'd ordered Madame's room stripped to the walls and searched for rodents or venomous insects. The servants had moved about the room as if on a floor of eggs, their eyes more white than pupil, their fingers twitching constantly to their crosses. They had known full well no rodent or insects would be found. And Gheria had known it. Still, he'd raged at them for their timidity, succeeding only in frightening them further.
    He turned from the window with a smile.
    "There now," said he, "nothing alive will enter this room tonight."
    He caught him self immediately, seeing the flare of terror in her eyes.
    "Nothing at all will enter," he amended.
    Alexis lay motionless on her bed, one pale hand at her breast, clutching at the worn silver cross she'd taken from her jewel box. She hadn't worn it since he'd given her the diamond-studded one when they were married. How typical of her village background that, in this moment of dread, she should seek protection from the unadorned cross of her church. She was such a child. Gheria smiled down gently at her.
    "You won't be needing that, my dear," he said, "you'll be safe tonight."
    Her fingers tightened on the crucifix.
    "No, no, wear it if you will," he said. "I only meant that I'll be at your side all night." "You'll stay with me?"
    He sat on the bed and held her hand.
    "Do you think I'd leave you for a moment?" he said.
    Thirty minutes later, she was sleeping. Dr. Gheria drew a chair beside the bed and seated himself. Removing his glasses, he massaged the bridge of his nose with the thumb and forefinger of his left hand. Then, sighing, he began to watch his wife. How incredibly beautiful she was. Dr. Gheria's breath grew strained.
    "There is no such thing as a vampire," he whispered to himself.
    There was a distant pounding. Dr. Gheria muttered in his sleep, his fingers twitching. The pounding increased; an agitated voice came swirling from the darkness. "Doctor!" it called.
    Gheria snapped awake. For a moment, he looked confusedly towards the locked door. "Dr. Gheria?" demanded Karel.
    "What?"
    "Is everything all right?"
    "Yes, everything is-"
    Dr. Gheria cried out hoarsely, springing for the bed. Alexis' nightdress had been torn away again. A hideous dew of blood covered her chest and neck.
    Karel shook his head.
    "Bolted windows cannot hold away the creature, sir," he said.
    He stood, tall and lean, beside the kitchen table on which lay the cluster of silver he'd been polishing when Gheria had entered.
    "The creature has the power to make itself a vapor which can pass through any opening, however small," he said.
    "But the cross!" cried Gheria. "It was still at her throat-untouched! Except by-blood," he added in a sickened voice.
    "This I cannot understand," said Karel, grimly. "The cross should have protected her." "But why did I see nothing?"
    "You were drugged by its mephitic presence," Karel said. "Count yourself fortunate that you were not also attacked."
    "I do not count myself fortunate!" Dr. Gheria struck his palm, a look of anguish on his face. "What am I to do, Karel?" he asked.
    "Hang garlic," said the old man. "Hang it at the windows, at the doors. Let there be no opening unblocked by garlic."
    Gheria nodded distractedly. "Never in my life have I seen this thing," he said, brokenly. "Now, my own wife-"
    "I have seen it," said Karel. "I have, myself, put to its rest one of these monsters from the grave."
    "The stake-?" Gheria looked revolted.
    The old man nodded slowly.
    Gheria swallowed. "Pray God you may put this one to rest as well," he said.
    Petre?"
    She was weaker now, her voice a toneless murmur. Gheria bent over her. "Yes, my dear," he said.
    "It will come again tonight," she said.
    "No." He shook his head determinedly. "It cannot come. The garlic will repel it."
    "My cross didn't," she said, "you didn't."
    "The garlic will," he said. "And see?" He pointed at the bedside table. "I've had black coffee brought for me. I won't sleep tonight."
    She closed