Read Online Fire Spirit by Graham Masterton - Free Book Online

because you don’t think the same way as most other people. Blame me , if you’re going to blame anybody.’
    Amelia laid her head in Ruth’s lap. ‘But I’m always saying things and doing things even when I know that people aren’t going to like them.’
    â€˜We all do that, sweetheart. It’s called being human.’ She stroked Amelia’s hair and they were silent together for a moment.
    Then Amelia said, ‘You will be careful, won’t you?’
    â€˜Hey, I’m always careful. I have people who depend on me. Whenever I have to go into a burned-out building, I always make all of the safety checks first. I don’t want any floors collapsing or ceilings falling on top of me.’
    Amelia raised her head and looked at her seriously. ‘I don’t mean that. I mean those people I was talking about. Now that they’ve found out how to come through, they’re going to keep on coming.’
    â€˜Do you know who they are?’
    â€˜I’m not sure. They’re not all the same. Like I said, some of them are very faint but some of them have white faces. I can sort of hear them talking but I don’t know what they’re talking about.’
    â€˜Where do they come from? I mean, when you say that they’ve found a way to get through – through from where ?’
    Amelia closed her eyes and repeated the door-opening gesture she had made in the kitchen, only more slowly. ‘I don’t know. There’s a whole crowd of them in the doorway and there’s too many of them and I can’t see past them.’
    â€˜Do you have any idea what they want?’
    Amelia shook her head.
    Ruth gave her a kiss. ‘You know what I think? I think you need to stop worrying about these people. They’re all up here, inside of your mind, that’s all. Just like those imaginary pets you used to tell me about when you were little. You remember Puffy, your imaginary poodle? Just like him. Just like the man in your song.’
    â€˜ He’s real, but he’s not a man. He’s only a boy.’
    â€˜Oh, yes. Who is he? Somebody from school?’
    â€˜No,’ said Amelia. ‘I don’t know his name. But I saw him in the street.’
    â€˜Which street?’
    â€˜ This street, of course! He was standing right outside.’
    â€˜When?’
    â€˜This evening,’ said Amelia. She was beginning to grow impatient. ‘That’s why I made up the song.’
    â€˜The boy in your song was standing outside our house this evening?’
    â€˜ Yes. He was there for ages.’
    Ruth took hold of Amelia’s hands. ‘What did he look like?’
    â€˜He looked sad.’
    â€˜You should have told me. Maybe he was looking for a lost dog or something.’
    â€˜He was just standing there, staring. He had black hair and a black T-shirt and red jeans.’
    Ruth stared at her. She felt a tingling sensation in her wrists. ‘Are you sure? A black T-shirt and red jeans?’
    â€˜ Yes. ’
    Ruth stood up and went over to the window. She drew back the flowery cotton drapes and looked down into the street. Her view of the sidewalk was mostly obscured by the huge old basswood tree beside the driveway, but she couldn’t see any boy standing out there.
    â€˜What’s wrong?’ Amelia asked her, after a while.
    Ruth pulled the drapes together, making sure that she closed them tight. ‘Nothing, sweetheart. There’s nobody there now. It’s time you thought about washing your teeth and going to bed, isn’t it? It’s school again tomorrow. By the way, what were you going to ask me?’
    Amelia said, ‘If I write a song on a piece of paper, but then I burn it, what happens to the song?’
    â€˜I’m not sure. So long as you can remember it, it won’t be gone for ever, will it? And even when you’ve forgotten it, maybe the smoke will go on singing