Read Online Curse of the Spider King by Wayne Thomas Batson, Christopher Hopper - Free Book Online

about?”
    â€œWhat I wonder is how that lady knew your name. Maybe she’s a stalker or something.”
    â€œJohnny!”
    â€œI’m serious. There are crazy people out there these days.”
    â€œJohnny, she’s not a stalker.”
    â€œI’m just saying.”
    Autumn shot him a stare and he knew better than to press further. “All right, she’s not a stalker. Here, give it to me.”
    â€œNo, you don’t want to read.” Autumn pulled the book from Johnny and turned back toward the barn. She opened the cover and flipped the first sheet to a page with a beautiful ink drawing of a thick forest. The scene captivated her immediately, so much that she stopped walking. The leaves of the trees were amazingly detailed, almost as if she could see them moving in the breeze. Birds sat on tree limbs, and insects fluttered about. A brook meandered around rocks and a fawn stood alert in the distance. And there, peering around a tree, was a strange face—
    â€œGive me that!” Johnny yanked the book away.
    â€œHey! Give it back!”
    But Johnny was too quick and too strong and folded the book against his chest. Autumn beat on his back relentlessly as Johnny passed her and jogged toward the barn.
    â€œAll right, all right! Enough!” Johnny raised his hand to stop the assault. “I’m not giving it back unless we can both read it.”
    Seeing as how she couldn’t get the book back by any other means, Autumn said, “Okay, we’ll both read it.”
    â€œI can’t believe we’re fighting over some stupid book. Don’t tell my friends.”
    The two stepped through the barn doors and climbed the ladder to the loft, brushing away newly formed cobwebs that clung to their faces. Amidst the ruins of stale hay, they found a place to sit and laid an old piece of canvas in front of them. Afternoon light poured in through the wide cracks of the planks behind them, and a small spider slowly descended from a thread affixed to a beam up above. The siblings placed the book in front of them. Then Autumn opened to the drawing once more.
    â€œWhere’d he go?” Autumn burst out.
    â€œWhat? Where’d who go?”
    â€œThere was a face.” Autumn pointed to a tree in the drawing. “It was right there! I saw it.”
    â€œA face?” Johnny examined the tree.
    â€œJohnny, there was a face right there. I promise. Just before you pulled the book away.”
    â€œThere’s a deer and some birds. Autumn, you’re totally imagining stuff.”
    â€œI’m not! I’m serious! There was a face of a . . . of a . . .”
    â€œSee, you’re crazy.”
    â€œJohnny!” She punched his arm. “You have to believe me! It was like an elf or something.”
    â€œAn elf? One of Santa’s?”
    â€œIt’s not funny.” Autumn turned and folded her arms, hot tears welling up in her eyes. He never trusted her.
    â€œAw, look, Autumn. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it.” He grabbed her shoulder. “C’mon, let’s turn the page.”
    She didn’t budge.
    â€œAutumn . . .”
    She lifted her chin up further.
    â€œI’m sorry,” Johnny breathed out. “There, happy?”
    â€œMean it,” she said.
    â€œI’m really, really sorry. I shouldn’t have said the Santa thing.”
    â€œAnd?”
    â€œWhat else do you want?” Johnny threw his hands up.
    â€œFor not believing me, Johnny?”
    â€œAll right! I’m sorry for not believing you.”
    â€œReally sorry?”
    â€œYes, really, really sorry. Autumn, can we please read the stupid book now?”
    She turned to face him. “It’s not stupid.”
    â€œAutumn,” he pleaded, completely exasperated with her.
    She looked down at the drawing. “Fine.” She reached for the book and flipped the page.
    In the center of the next aged sheet of paper was the title,