Read Online Ready for a Scare? by P.J. Night - Free Book Online

have shut it down for the night.
    She watched the Internet icon at the bottom of the screen. It blinked, trying to connect.
    Internet down, she texted to Spencer. U OK ?
    MINE DOWN 2, he replied quickly. But he didn’t answer her question.
    She waited, watching the blinking icon search for asignal, desperately wondering what was going on across the street. The scene kept replaying in her mind. She knew what she’d seen. It hadn’t been a joke—no matter what Gavin said or how much he laughed. Gavin really seemed as if he was going to strangle Spencer. The glare in his eyes wasn’t the look of someone joking. It was dangerous. Unhinged. If Spencer hadn’t fought back and turned around when he did . . . She shuddered to think about it.
    After what felt like an eternity, although it was really only a few minutes, the Internet icon flashed green. She was back online. She signed in to the webcam conference. Biting her lip, she wondered what she would find. Would Spencer be okay? Would June and Paige be back?
    A single frame popped onto her screen.
    The camera focused in on Spencer and Gavin sitting side by side. Spencer’s posture seemed much more relaxed. Gavin leaned back casually in his chair. Everything appeared okay between them. They seemed like buddies again.
    Her eyes roamed her screen. The frames where June and Paige had been—the frames that had turned bright red—were no longer there. She tried to dial into their computers. The connection failed repeatedly. No one wasat the other end to link into the videoconference site.
    â€œCan you guys see June and Paige’s frames?” she asked. The panic began brewing again in her stomach. The red frames were disturbing, but at least they had been something. A lifeline of some sort. Without them, she felt very far away from her friends.
    Spencer shook his head. “They disappeared. Can you see them?”
    â€œNope.” She glanced at her cell phone. No texts. No messages. “I think we need to do something.”
    â€œThere’s nothing to do,” Gavin replied.
    â€œThat’s so wrong!” she cried. She’d had enough of him. Her fear and frustration bubbled up, congealing into anger toward him. “You barely even know us! And you have no idea where my friends are. I’m going to find them, and you can’t stop me!”
    Gavin threw up his arms in mock surrender.
    â€œCalm down, Kel,” Spencer said. “You’re right. We need to do something. But this webcam thing isn’t working.”
    â€œWhat do you mean?”
    â€œSomething is wrong. We need to figure this out together. Gavin and I will come over there. We’ll all sit down—Chrissie, too—and make a plan.”
    â€œGood idea,” she agreed. She wasn’t thrilled about Gavin coming too, but decided not let that get to her. She wanted company. “Hurry, okay?”
    Spencer nodded. “Be over in a sec.” He logged off.
    She left her chair and flopped onto her bed. The chill had completely invaded her room, making her long to snuggle under her plaid comforter. She resisted. Spencer and Gavin would be here in a moment. She waited.
    And waited.
    She rolled over, watching the clock on her bedside table. Ten minutes had passed since Spencer had logged off. She wondered what was taking so long. She pulled her sleeping bag off the floor and draped it over herself. Staring at her ceiling, she let five more minutes pass. Then she sat upright.
    Spencer had been running across the street to her house since they were in kindergarten. It took two minutes, at most.
    She flipped open her phone. WHERE R U ??? she texted.
    She waited. No reply. No ringing doorbell. Nothing.
    Maybe he’s waiting at the door, she thought. Maybe the doorbell is busted. She leaped off her bed. How horrible of her to leave them outside in the brewing storm. Sheraced out of her room and down the hall. At the top of the