House by Frank Peretti Read Free Book Online Page A

everybody, look at the bright side here—” Stephanie stopped singing. “Stewart and Betty, you have guests, and that’s business, and that’s what you want. Now, we’ve all fumbled a bit, we’ve had a rocky start, sure, but we can make this work—”
    â€œNow there’s a line I’ve heard before,” Stephanie muttered under her breath.
    Jack heard her but pretended not to. “We have a wonderful place to spend the night, dinner’s on, the food’s great—”
    The bite that just dropped to his stomach wasn’t that great.
    Randy noticed Leslie’s cut. “What happened?”
    She was irritated, dabbing her cheek with her napkin. “I stuck myself again.”
    â€œI can kiss it and make it better,” said Pete.
    Betty strode in with a bucket of ice. “Herrrrre we are.” One of her fingernails was blackened. Jack hadn’t noticed that before.
    â€œI don’t need any more ice,” Stephanie insisted, taking a bite of roast. She gagged and spit it out, pushed back from the table.
    â€œProblem?” Randy asked, obviously hoping for one.
    Jack looked at the meat on his plate.
    It was moving.
    Leslie squealed, her hand over her mouth, her eyes on her plate.
    Stewart stabbed a slab of meat and crammed the whole thing into his mouth. Pete did the same, filling one cheek.
    Jack looked closely at the roast beef on his plate and felt sick.
    Tiny white worms were squirming, writhing, tunneling through the meat.
    â€œSweetie,” said Betty, “I brought you more ice.”
    Stephanie watched her drop a cube into the tea.
    Jack’s peas were sagging; putrid juice puddled under them. “Looks like we took too long to eat,” he said. He thought he’d better add a little chuckle to soften things.
    Leslie threw down her fork and almost shouted at Pete, “Will you please stop staring at me?”
    â€œCan you blame him?” Stewart asked.
    â€œThat’s it,” Randy said, taking hold of Leslie’s arm and lifting her to her feet. “If you’ll excuse us.”
    â€œSit down,” Stewart said.
    â€œLeslie, come on.” They stepped around their chairs.
    â€œSIT DOWN!” Stewart yelled, half rising.
    Randy swore, but Stewart laughed in his face. “Kid, you’re nothin’.”
    Leslie tugged at Randy’s arm until he left with her.
    Betty grinned her gap-toothed grin at Stephanie. “Don’t tell me you don’t like ice, dear.” She lifted a cube from the bucket and shoved it under Stephanie’s nose. “You think about it all the time, don’t you?”
    Stephanie shied back. “No. Please, I don’t.”
    Jack leaned across the table. “Whoa, whoa, wait a minute now!”
    Betty followed Stephanie with the ice cube, wiggling it in her face. “I don’t hear you singing.”
    What was it with these people? “Betty, she doesn’t want any ice, and she doesn’t want to sing. Now put that down!”
    Stephanie’s voice trembled. “ We can make it through the night . . . ”
    Enough. More than enough. Jack went to Stephanie’s side. “It’s been fun.”
    Betty cackled again. “You can’t rescue that one, boy. Nope, she don’t want to be rescued.”
    Stephanie ran from the room.
    Jack ran after her and caught up in the foyer.
    She smiled through tears. “Isn’t this the strangest place you’ve ever been? It’s just so . . . so . . .” She started a laugh; it became a sob. “I can’t stay here.”
    He held her to keep her from bolting. “Steph, I understand. But we have to think this through.”
    â€œThink what through?”
    â€œReality,” said Randy. He and Leslie were near the stairs. Leslie steadied herself with one hand on the railing; with the other she held a hanky to her cheek. She was breathing slow, rhythmic breaths with her