Read Online Werewolf of Fever Swamp by R. L. Stine - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: R. L. Stine
Tags: Children's Books
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strong wind had come up from the Gulf. I could hear it rushing past our small house. It rattled the wire mesh of the deer pen out back. It made a constant ssshhhhhh sound, and I strained to hear the familiar howls.
I had just about drifted off to sleep when the howls began.
Instantly alert, I jumped to my feet. My left ankle ached as I stepped down on it.
Another howl. Far off. Barely carrying over the steady rush of the wind.
I limped to my bedroom window. The ankle had stiffened up a bit while I was lying in bed. I pressed my face against the glass and peered out.
The full moon, gray as a skull, hovered low in the charcoal sky. The dewy grass gleamed under its blanket of pale light.
A burst of wind rattled my window.
Startled, I pulled back. And listened.
Another howl. Closer.
This one sent a cold shudder down my back.
It sounded really close. Or was the wind carrying it from the swamp?
I squinted out the window. Swirls of wind made the grass sway from one side to the other. The ground appeared to be spinning, glowing in the pale moonlight as it twirled.
Another howl. Even closer.
I couldn’t see anything. I had to know who or what was making that terrifying sound.
I pulled my jeans on over my pajama bottoms. Struggling in the dark, I managed to slide my feet into a pair of flip-flops.
I started out of my room, but stopped short when I heard a banging. A loud crash. A pounding. A harsh thud.
Right outside.
Right outside my house.
My heart pounding, I ran through the dark hallway. My ankle ached, but I ignored it.
I hurried through the kitchen, unlocked the back door, and pulled it open. A strong gust of wind pushed me back as I opened the screen door.
The wind was hot and wet. Another strong gust pushed me back.
The wind is trying to keep me inside, I thought. Trying to keep me from solving the mystery of the terrifying howls.
I lowered my head against the driving gusts and leapt down off the stoop.
“Ow!” I cried out as pain shot up my leg.
Waiting for my eyes to adjust to the dim light, I listened hard.
No howls now. Just the shrill, steady rush of wind, pushing, pushing me back against the house.
The back yard glowed in the moonlight. Everything was silver and gray.
And silent.
I searched the back yard, my eyes sweeping slowly across the shifting grass. Empty.
But what had caused all the commotion I’d heard in my room? The banging? The loud thuds ? The rattling sounds?
Why had the howls stopped when I came outside?
What a mystery, I thought. What a strange mystery.
The wind swirled around me. My face was dripping wet from the heavy dampness of the air.
Feeling defeated, I turned back toward the house.
And uttered a shocked cry when I saw that the werewolf had murdered again.
25
I took a step through the swirling wind toward the deer pen.
“Dad!” I called. But my voice came out a hushed whisper. “Dad!” I tried to shout, but my throat was too dry and choked with fear.
Staring straight ahead, I took another step. I could see it all clearly now. A scene of death. Pale light and shadows. The only sounds were the pounding of my heart, the swell of the wind, and the rattling of the wire mesh of the pen.
I took another step closer. “Dad? Dad?” I cried out without thinking, without hearing myself, knowing he couldn’t hear.
But I wanted him to be there. I wanted someone to be there with me. I didn’t want to be all alone out there in the back yard.
I didn’t want to be staring at the hole that had been ripped in the side of the pen. I didn’t want to see the murdered deer lying so pitifully on its side.
The five remaining deer huddled together at the other end of the pen. Their eyes were on me. Frightened eyes.
The wind swept around me, hot and wet. But I felt cold all over. A cold shudder of terror ran down my body. I swallowed hard. Once. Twice. Trying to choke down the heavy lump in my throat.
Then, before I even realized what I was doing, I began running to
I had just about drifted off to sleep when the howls began.
Instantly alert, I jumped to my feet. My left ankle ached as I stepped down on it.
Another howl. Far off. Barely carrying over the steady rush of the wind.
I limped to my bedroom window. The ankle had stiffened up a bit while I was lying in bed. I pressed my face against the glass and peered out.
The full moon, gray as a skull, hovered low in the charcoal sky. The dewy grass gleamed under its blanket of pale light.
A burst of wind rattled my window.
Startled, I pulled back. And listened.
Another howl. Closer.
This one sent a cold shudder down my back.
It sounded really close. Or was the wind carrying it from the swamp?
I squinted out the window. Swirls of wind made the grass sway from one side to the other. The ground appeared to be spinning, glowing in the pale moonlight as it twirled.
Another howl. Even closer.
I couldn’t see anything. I had to know who or what was making that terrifying sound.
I pulled my jeans on over my pajama bottoms. Struggling in the dark, I managed to slide my feet into a pair of flip-flops.
I started out of my room, but stopped short when I heard a banging. A loud crash. A pounding. A harsh thud.
Right outside.
Right outside my house.
My heart pounding, I ran through the dark hallway. My ankle ached, but I ignored it.
I hurried through the kitchen, unlocked the back door, and pulled it open. A strong gust of wind pushed me back as I opened the screen door.
The wind was hot and wet. Another strong gust pushed me back.
The wind is trying to keep me inside, I thought. Trying to keep me from solving the mystery of the terrifying howls.
I lowered my head against the driving gusts and leapt down off the stoop.
“Ow!” I cried out as pain shot up my leg.
Waiting for my eyes to adjust to the dim light, I listened hard.
No howls now. Just the shrill, steady rush of wind, pushing, pushing me back against the house.
The back yard glowed in the moonlight. Everything was silver and gray.
And silent.
I searched the back yard, my eyes sweeping slowly across the shifting grass. Empty.
But what had caused all the commotion I’d heard in my room? The banging? The loud thuds ? The rattling sounds?
Why had the howls stopped when I came outside?
What a mystery, I thought. What a strange mystery.
The wind swirled around me. My face was dripping wet from the heavy dampness of the air.
Feeling defeated, I turned back toward the house.
And uttered a shocked cry when I saw that the werewolf had murdered again.
25
I took a step through the swirling wind toward the deer pen.
“Dad!” I called. But my voice came out a hushed whisper. “Dad!” I tried to shout, but my throat was too dry and choked with fear.
Staring straight ahead, I took another step. I could see it all clearly now. A scene of death. Pale light and shadows. The only sounds were the pounding of my heart, the swell of the wind, and the rattling of the wire mesh of the pen.
I took another step closer. “Dad? Dad?” I cried out without thinking, without hearing myself, knowing he couldn’t hear.
But I wanted him to be there. I wanted someone to be there with me. I didn’t want to be all alone out there in the back yard.
I didn’t want to be staring at the hole that had been ripped in the side of the pen. I didn’t want to see the murdered deer lying so pitifully on its side.
The five remaining deer huddled together at the other end of the pen. Their eyes were on me. Frightened eyes.
The wind swept around me, hot and wet. But I felt cold all over. A cold shudder of terror ran down my body. I swallowed hard. Once. Twice. Trying to choke down the heavy lump in my throat.
Then, before I even realized what I was doing, I began running to
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