Read Online Ghost House Revenge by Clare McNally - Free Book Online
Authors: Clare McNally
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hysterically.”
“It’s all right,” Melanie said, resisting the urge to tell Derek off for being so
rough with the child. “I’m sure Alicen will forget all this by morning.”
Derek waved his hand. “No. She’s had nightmares before this—about Elaine’s death.
I was certain she was over them. Now she’s probably wakened your children.”
“I told you they were sleeping,” Melanie said. She laughed, trying to ease the tension.
“My kids sleep through wars.”
“I just don’t understand her,” Derek said softly.
“It’s no wonder she had nightmares,” Melanie said. “After those stories Jamie Hutchinson
told her about murders. What would possess a boy to do that?”
“Showing off, I guess,” Derek said. But something in Melanie’s face told him there
was more to it than this. Her eyes were just a little too wide, and her smile was
just a little too forced.
“Uh, there isn’t any truth to that, is there?” he asked. “I know it’s a stupid question,
but—”
“Derek, nothing bad ever happened in this house,” Melanie insisted. “Look, I’m really
tired. I’ll see you in the morning.”
With that, she hurried down the dark hallway. She got into bed, closed her eyes, and
pressed herself close to Gary, as if his body could act as a barrier against the darkness.
She pulled the covers clear up to her chin, not wanting an inch of her body exposed
to the night. Then she buried her face in Gary’s chest and breathed deeply. Soon,
out of sheer exhaustion, she fell asleep.
Someone touched her arm. Melanie opened her eyes slowly and looking at the clock radio
vaguely noted that several hours had passed. She closed her eyes again and snuggled
closer to Gary. But when she heard her name, she opened them again and turned around.
The dark-haired woman was standing next to her bed. “Come,” she said, taking Melanie’s
hand.
Without protest, Melanie rose from the bed and followed the woman from the room. She
felt sleepy and yet keenlyaware of the noises in the house. The wind blew outside, rattling the windows. Nancy
was mumbling in her sleep, and Lad gave one yelp from the kitchen.
But Lad was sound asleep when they entered that room. Once again, the light was shining
brightly. Able to see her surroundings, Melanie felt stronger; her voice was somewhat
harsh when she demanded, “What does all this mean?”
The woman shrank from her words.
“Please,” Melanie said, more gently, “I know you’re trying to tell me something. What
is it?”
“It is not over yet,” the woman said sadly.
“What isn’t?” Melanie asked, though she felt something gnawing at her stomach. “Please
tell me! I can’t fight what I don’t know!”
“You must leave this place!” the woman cried. She looked over her shoulder, her brown
eyes wide with terror. Then she turned back to Melanie.
“I must go!” she cried, wringing her tattered gown. “She comes now. She is evil!”
“Who is she?” Melanie demanded.
But the woman disappeared. Melanie took a step forward, and as she did so, the room
light went out. She swung around terrified, expecting to see something hovering behind
her in the darkness. But no one was there.
“What do you want?’ Melanie whispered. “Who are you?”
No answer. The clock above the sink began to tick loudly. Melanie stared up at it,
unmoving. Her eyes began to droop, though she desperately wanted to stay awake. She
sank down to the floor.
She forced her eyes open again. But she wasn’t looking up at the clock. She was looking
at the clock radio next to her bed. It was 7:30 A.M ., and the sun was shining.
It was just another dream, she told herself insistently. I just had the horrible incidents
of last year on my mind.
In broad daylight it was easier to convince herself not to be afraid.
Much to Alicen’s relief, nothing was said about the incident at breakfast. Alicen
sat with her head low to her
“It’s all right,” Melanie said, resisting the urge to tell Derek off for being so
rough with the child. “I’m sure Alicen will forget all this by morning.”
Derek waved his hand. “No. She’s had nightmares before this—about Elaine’s death.
I was certain she was over them. Now she’s probably wakened your children.”
“I told you they were sleeping,” Melanie said. She laughed, trying to ease the tension.
“My kids sleep through wars.”
“I just don’t understand her,” Derek said softly.
“It’s no wonder she had nightmares,” Melanie said. “After those stories Jamie Hutchinson
told her about murders. What would possess a boy to do that?”
“Showing off, I guess,” Derek said. But something in Melanie’s face told him there
was more to it than this. Her eyes were just a little too wide, and her smile was
just a little too forced.
“Uh, there isn’t any truth to that, is there?” he asked. “I know it’s a stupid question,
but—”
“Derek, nothing bad ever happened in this house,” Melanie insisted. “Look, I’m really
tired. I’ll see you in the morning.”
With that, she hurried down the dark hallway. She got into bed, closed her eyes, and
pressed herself close to Gary, as if his body could act as a barrier against the darkness.
She pulled the covers clear up to her chin, not wanting an inch of her body exposed
to the night. Then she buried her face in Gary’s chest and breathed deeply. Soon,
out of sheer exhaustion, she fell asleep.
Someone touched her arm. Melanie opened her eyes slowly and looking at the clock radio
vaguely noted that several hours had passed. She closed her eyes again and snuggled
closer to Gary. But when she heard her name, she opened them again and turned around.
The dark-haired woman was standing next to her bed. “Come,” she said, taking Melanie’s
hand.
Without protest, Melanie rose from the bed and followed the woman from the room. She
felt sleepy and yet keenlyaware of the noises in the house. The wind blew outside, rattling the windows. Nancy
was mumbling in her sleep, and Lad gave one yelp from the kitchen.
But Lad was sound asleep when they entered that room. Once again, the light was shining
brightly. Able to see her surroundings, Melanie felt stronger; her voice was somewhat
harsh when she demanded, “What does all this mean?”
The woman shrank from her words.
“Please,” Melanie said, more gently, “I know you’re trying to tell me something. What
is it?”
“It is not over yet,” the woman said sadly.
“What isn’t?” Melanie asked, though she felt something gnawing at her stomach. “Please
tell me! I can’t fight what I don’t know!”
“You must leave this place!” the woman cried. She looked over her shoulder, her brown
eyes wide with terror. Then she turned back to Melanie.
“I must go!” she cried, wringing her tattered gown. “She comes now. She is evil!”
“Who is she?” Melanie demanded.
But the woman disappeared. Melanie took a step forward, and as she did so, the room
light went out. She swung around terrified, expecting to see something hovering behind
her in the darkness. But no one was there.
“What do you want?’ Melanie whispered. “Who are you?”
No answer. The clock above the sink began to tick loudly. Melanie stared up at it,
unmoving. Her eyes began to droop, though she desperately wanted to stay awake. She
sank down to the floor.
She forced her eyes open again. But she wasn’t looking up at the clock. She was looking
at the clock radio next to her bed. It was 7:30 A.M ., and the sun was shining.
It was just another dream, she told herself insistently. I just had the horrible incidents
of last year on my mind.
In broad daylight it was easier to convince herself not to be afraid.
Much to Alicen’s relief, nothing was said about the incident at breakfast. Alicen
sat with her head low to her
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