The Third Horror (5 page)

"How are you doing?" Bo asked. Then he saw her jump. "Sorry, Kody. I didn't mean to startle you." He kept his hand on her shoulder. I can't believe how tense she is, Bo thought.

"Sorry. I was just thinking about—things," Kody told him.

Bo wanted to comfort Kody. He felt guilty about the way he had accused her the day before. He knew he had to calm her down so the picture could continue.

This picture will continue—no matter how many freak accidents slow things down. Bo vowed to himself.

"We're all really upset," Bo told her. "I was watch-

ing you while I was talking. I got the feeling you didn't hear a word I said."

He watched Kody blush and felt bad for her. She was having a rough time.

"I think we'll all feel better when the police end their investigation and we begin shooting," Bo said to her and Rob. "I hope to start tomorrow morning."

He clapped Rob on the back. "I want to do the attic scene first. You know. You and Kody stuck in the green goo. You can read over the script today, since we're not shooting."

"There isn't much to read," Rob replied. "Kody and I mainly do a lot of screaming."

"I want to block it out first thing," Bo told him, scribbling a note on his clipboard. "I have some ideas for camera angles to make it more interesting."

"Why are we shooting green goo in the attic? And why is Rob in the scene?" Kody asked, narrowing her eyes at Bo. "Actually, it was Cally and I. We were in the bathroom when the green goo came pouring out of the faucet."

"I know," he told her. "But the bathroom is too cramped. The attic will be much more dramatic."

"At least we'll be upstairs," Rob said, smiling. "As far away from the basement as possible." He shuddered. "I really hate rats."

"Yeah, me too." Bo nodded agreement. "That's one reason I want to start in the attic. We'll be safe up there."

I like Rob, Bo found himself thinking. Good attitude. Good poise. He gazed at Kody through his blue

lenses. Maybe I should replace her now, he thought. Maybe if I beg the studio, they'll let me talk to a real actress.

He turned to say something else to Kody, but Persia stepped between them, her dark eyes flashing angrily. "Hey, Bo—how about a little quality time for me? After all, it was my standin who died. I mean—I just keep thinking, it could have been mel"

Bo felt like laughing in her face. Actors were all the same, he thought. So needy. So jealous of his attention.

"Why, of course, Persia dear," he said softly. He put his arm around Persia's shoulders and led her away, talking soothingly to her.

"Do you believe her?" Kody asked Rob, watching Bo lead Persia away.

"Hey, I've lived in L.A. my whole life," Rob replied. "I believe her."

Crew members huddled in small groups, talking about Joanna, the police investigation, and what it all meant for the movie. Kody saw the special effects guys heading up to the attic to prepare for the next day's shoot.

"I rented a car," Rob told her. "A Mustang convertible. Since we're not working today, why don't we take a long drive?"

Kody smiled at him. "You're a life saver!" she declared, taking his hand. "Let's go."

They climbed into the little car and drove north along the highway that led out of Shadyside. Through

small towns and past miles and miles of farms. The green fields seeming to stretch on forever.

With the top down, Kody slumped low in the seat, enjoying the warmth of the sun on her face, letting the wind flutter her blond hair behind her.

Neither of them spoke much. It felt good just to drive, to be moving, moving farther and farther away from 99 Fear Street and its dark horrors.

They had lunch at a diner built from an old railroad car. Rob told her stories about growing up with a father in the movie business. "Sometimes it was great," he told her. "We never had to worry about money, and my parents gave me everything I wanted."

"But sometimes it wasn't so great," Rob admitted. "They gave me lots of stuflf, but they were never around much. I mean, they didn't spend a lot of time with me. Sometimes I felt as if I were just one of my parents' possessions. They'd trot me out at parties and show me off. It was like, *Look, we own one of these too!'"

Kody didn't have to tell Rob about her life. He already knew a lot of it.

She sat back in the booth and listened intently as he talked. It felt so good not to be thinking about the movie, about the tragedy of the day before—about Cally.

It was evening as they drove back to Shadyside. The wind carried a chill. Low clouds had rolled over the sun and were threatening rain.

Kody guided Rob to a spot called River Ridge, a

high cliff overlooking the Conononka River. It was a popular makeout spot for students at Shadyside High, Kody knew. But early in the evening, with the clouds threatening rain, the Mustang was the only car in sight.

As soon as he shut off the engine, Rob leaned over and kissed her. Then he wrapped Kody in a hug. They held on to each other for the longest time.

Neither of them moved.

Neither of them whispered.

Neither of them wanted to let go.

What a beautiful day this was, Kody thought. I feel so relaxed now, so . . . peaceful.

When the rain started to fall, softly at first, then as a hard, steady downpour, Rob jumped out and pulled up the top. He was drenched by the time he climbed back in the car.

He kissed her, a long, rain-wet kiss. Then he whispered, "Let's go back to my room and rehearse."

Kody started to say yes—then realized she didn't have her script. "I left it in my trailer," she told him, wiping raindrops off his forehead with her hand.

"We can share mine," he told her.

She shook her head. "It's better if I have mine. I like to make notes on it. Just drop me at the trailer, okay? I'll get the script. Then we can go to your room and rehearse."

Rob obediently started the car, and they drove down along the river, through a nice-looking neighborhood of big houses and wide, well-cared-for lawns, past the high school, toward Fear Street.

The rain came down harder as they turned onto Fear Street. The wind picked up, howling around the small car, making the old trees on both sides of them shiver and bend. In the headlights, the rain seemed to be blowing sideways.

Rob slowed when the movie company trailers came into view. The trailers were all dark, rainwater streaming down them.

Kody glanced up at the house. It was dark too, except for a flicker of light in the first-floor front window.

Probably the guard, she thought.

"Til be right out," Kody told Rob, reaching for the door handle.

"Don't get wet," he joked.

She leaped out of the car and ran, in the sharp light of the headlights, the few steps to her trailer. The rain instantly soaked through her T-shirt and felt cold and tingly in her hair.

She struggled to open the trailer door. Stepping into the darkness, she shivered and wiped rainwater from her eyes and forehead.

The door slammed behind her. The wind howled, making the trailer shake.

Kody clicked on the overhead light.

The script. There it was on the low leather couch.

She bent to pick it up.

The rain pounding on the metal trailer roof sounded like a steady roar of thunder.

But over the drumming, she heard a knocking at the door.

Three taps.

Rob?

Why would Rob get out of the car?

Was it just the wind?

Holding the script away from her so she wouldn't get it wet, Kody listened.

Tap tap tap.

Silence.

Then: Tap tap tap.

Not the wind.

Not the patter of windswept rain against the door.

Swallowing hard, Kody made her way to the door. And pushed it open.

And stared into the curtain of rain at the darkness.

No one? No one there?

Kody rolled up the script to help keep it dry. She squinted into the hard rain, searched for the Mustang's headlights.

And realized the light was gone.

"Rob?" she called. Not loud enough, she realized, to be heard over the steady rumble of rain against the trailers, against the pavement.

Where was the car? Had he pulled up ahead to park at the curb?

She stepped out of the trailer, closing the door behind her. The wind blew her wet hair against her face. Sweeping it back with her free hand, she searched for Rob's car.

Not there.

Her heart began to pound as she stepped off the bottom step. She felt cold water against her ankle,

glanced down, saw the deep puddle she had stepped in.

"Rob? Where are you?" she called.

He wouldn't leave her in the rain. He wouldn't.

And then, as the wind howled through the shivering trees, Kody heard the whisper: "Kody — here I am."

"No!" Kody covered her mouth with her free hand. The cold rain washed over her. "No!"

Just the wind.

Just the wind and my imagination.

"Kody —/ am here. Kody —/ am with you."

Kody held her breath, struggled to see through the dark, shifting curtains of rain.

It's Rob, she thought suddenly. Rob playing some sort of cruel joke.

But as the whispers rose over the wind once again, Kody recognized her sister's voice.

*'Kody — 1 am with you. Kody — it's me. Cally."

"Cally? Is it really you?" Kody screamed. She felt all her muscles tighten. She felt as if her chest were about to burst.

Happiness. Excitement. Fear. All at once. All mixed together.

"Cally!" she cried. "Cally—I can't see you! Where are you?"

The rain swept down, the wind howled, and the voice whispered again, "Follow me. Follow me, Kody."

The trailer shook behind her. Kody watched a jagged bolt of lightning crack over the trembling trees.

"Follow me — now!"

Water ran down Kody's face. She squinted through the raindrops, trying to catch a glimpse of her twin sister. "Wh-where are you?" she stammered. "I can't see you, Cally!"

"Follow me. I am with you. Follow me now. "

The script fell from Kody's hand into the deep puddle at her feet. As she began to follow the voice toward the house, a strong gust of wind rushed

forward to meet her. It pushed her back as if trying to keep her away.

But Kody knew she had to follow her sister's whispered commands.

Kody had no choice. This was why she came back. She had made a promise to Cally. And no wind or rain or bolts of lightning would stop her from keeping that solemn promise.

Bending against the swirling wind, Kody made her way through sheets of rain up the gravel driveway. "Cally, are you still here? Is it really you?" she shouted over the thunderclap that shook the trees.

No reply.

Rainwater poured through a broken gutter over the porch, splashing noisily onto the walk. Orange light flickered in the rain-smeared living room window.

"Cally? Are you here?"

Again Cally*s voice rose on the wind, a whisper, a faint beckoning whisper that Kody had to struggle to hear over the roar of the rain.

**This way, Kody. Come this way."

Kody stepped around the splashing water from the broken gutter. Onto the porch. Out of the wind.

With a hard shiver, she pushed open the front door. And stepped into the warmth of the house.

"This way, Kody." The voice sounded stronger in the hallway, out of the wind and rain.

"Cally! It really is you!" Kody forgot her fright as her excitement took over, the excitement of this impossible reunion.

"This way. Don't stop."

"Cally—I saw you in that window," Kody called out to her. "After you died, I saw you watching from the window. I promised I'd come back. Did you hear me then, Cally? Did you hear my promise?"

Silence.

Kody realized she couldn't stop shivering. She pushed both hands back through the soaked tangles of her hair, sending a shower of raindrops to the carpet. Then she wrapped her arms around herself, struggling to stop the cold, wet chills.

"Cally? Where are you? Can I see you?"

"Follow me, Kody. I want to see you too."

"Cally—it sounds like you!" Kody cried, her voice trembling from the shivers that convulsed her body. "It really does!"

Why can't I warm up? Kody wondered, following the voice to the back hall. Why can't I stop shivering?

"I've missed you so much, Cally," she told her sister. "I thought about you every day. Every single day. Somehow, you were always there. Always beside me. Always in my mind."

'7 thought about you too," the voice replied. But without any warmth. "/ thought about you too, Kody. '* The words came out icy and hard.

Kody hesitated at the door to the basement. "Are you down there, Cally?"

No reply.

Kody raised both hands and wiped rainwater from her forehead and eyebrows. If only I could stop shaking! she told herself She pulled open the basement door and peered

S7

down the dark stairs. Pale light reflected off the gray stone basement walls. "Are you down there, Cally?"

'Yes, I'm down here. Come down, Kody. Come and find me."

Holding tightly to the railing, Kody began to lower herself down the steep, narrow steps. Her sneakers squished on each creaking stair.

She stopped halfway down, remembering the rats.

"Cally? Are you really down here? Can I see you?"

"Come and find me. Hurry!" the voice urged sharply.

Yes. Cally was down in the basement.

Kody's temples throbbed. Her legs felt weak as she made her way to the basement floor.

Shadows moved in the pale light. The gray walls appeared to tilt as Kody took a step, then another. "Cally?" Her voice came out small and frightened. "Can I see you?"

A scraping sound. Close by.

Was it a rat?

Rain pounded against the small windowpane above Kody's head at ground level. "Cally?" Kody took another step into the basement. She saw several large wooden storage crates piled one on top of the other over the floor.

A wisp of light flickered behind a tall tower of crates.

"Cally—are you back there?" Kody asked meekly.

Silence.

The light flickered.

Something scuttled across the concrete floor.

The wind splattered rain against the tiny basement window.

'*Here I am, Kody. I've waited so long for you."

"Oh, Cally!*' Kody exclaimed, her voice trembling with emotion. With a hard shiver, she rushed toward the flickering light—but her leg struck something hard, and she stumbled over it.

A low wooden crate.

"Ow!" Kody cried out, landing hard on one elbow.

Pain shot up her arm and down her right side.

Rubbing her elbow, she pulled herself up to her knees. "Cally? Are you here?"

Staring toward the cartons, still on her knees, Kody saw a dark shadow roll across the floor.

As the shadow rolled over her, Kody started to scream.

But a hand clamped itself tightly over her mouth.