Read Online Petrify by Beth Chambers - Free Book Online Page B

the black opening. “Don’t be an idiot. Come back.”
    A moment later there’s a rattle of small stones and Josh appears. He grins. “Did you lot think old Ma Jessop had got me?” He waggles his fingers at me like he’s casting a spell.

    Illustration 2: Josh coming out of the cave, laughing, Ella, Karl, Carrie and Helen all crowded round, Ella looking worried.
    â€œYou’re
so
not funny,” I say as Carrie squeals and throws her arms around him.
    â€œI don’t know why we were all so scared!” Helena says, moving away from the cave.
    The others are quick to follow. I scowl at Josh but he whispers to me, “I’ve got something to show you. Come over to my house later.”
    * * *
    It takes until three o’clock before I give in and decide to find out what Josh is talking about. I march around and bang on Josh’s door.
    â€œWhat did you think you were doing?” I snap as soon as he opens it.
    â€œYou know we shouldn’t have gone anywhere near the quarry.” My voice rises to a shout I’m so mad.
    Josh grins, then he pulls out a crumpled hanky and puts it in my hands. I’m surprised by how heavy and how cold it feels. Then I realise that it’s made of stone.
    â€œWhere did you get this from?” I hiss.
    â€œWhere do you think?” Josh takes the stone hanky back from me.
    I should have guessed. He’s taken it from Ma Jessop’s caves. “You idiot!” I shout. “What have you done?”
    â€œGet a grip, Ella!” Josh grins. “When are you going to accept there’s no such thing as witches?”
    I step back from him. “You’re wrong Josh. This is dangerous.”
    â€œI’d like to see her come and get it,” he laughs.
    I shake my head. I have a feeling his words may come back to haunt him.
    * * *
    The next morning I’m woken up by a banging on the door.
    â€œDo you know how early it is?” I demand, as I stare at Josh.
    He ignores the question. “Take it.” He pushes the stone hanky at me.

    Illustration 3: On Ella’s doorstep. Terrified and tired Josh handing Ella a stone hankerchief, Ella looking at Josh, shocked and angry.
    I stare down at the reddish brown stone. “I don’t want it,” I say.
    Josh’s voice shakes. “I couldn’t sleep last night. I kept hearing noises. Freaky sounds! As if someone was trying to get in through my window…”
    â€œOh yeah?” I guess Josh is setting me up so he can laugh about me with the others. I bet the hanky didn’t even come from Ma Jessop’s cave at all.
    â€œTake it,” Josh begs. “I don’t want it.”
    I shrug, deciding to play it cool. Even if the hanky did come from the cave it’s not as if anything will happen to me.
    I’m not the one that stole it.

5

Midnight Visit
    I put the stone hanky on the windowsill in my bedroom, then forget all about it as my mum takes me and Nan out for the day.
    We get back late and Nan makes an excuse to get me on her own.
    The moment the door shuts she asks, “Well, what happened?”
    I don’t tell her we went to Ma Jessop’s cave. And there’s no way I’m going to tell her about the hanky. Besides, the more I think about it the more I’m sure Josh is winding me up. I mean, what would Ma Jessop have wanted with a stone hanky?
    â€œNothing happened,” I lie. “We just hung around for a while.” I feel bad for not telling her the truth but I’d have felt worse if I’d made her worry.
    I watch a bit of TV then I head up to bed, switch off the light and slowly drift into sleep.
    I’m not sure what wakes me.
    I lie in the dark, my eyes wide open, my heart thumping. The bedside clock tells me it’s five past midnight. I strain my ears, but can’t hear a thing. But just as my breathing slows down there’s a noise directly above my bed on the roof. My mind races as I