Night of the Living Dummy by R. L. Stine Read Free Book Online Page B

cried.
    “That’s not fair!” Lindy declared.
    “I’m sorry. They have to be put away,” Mrs. Powell said firmly. She let her eyes move over the cluttered floor, and let out another weary sigh. “Look at my kitchen.”
    “But I didn’t do anything!” Lindy screamed.
    “I need Mr. Wood for the spring concert!” Kris protested. “Everyone is counting on me, Mom.”
    Mrs. Powell glanced from one to the other. Her eyes stayed on Kris. “That’s your dummy on the floor, right?”
    “Yeah,” Kris told her. “But I didn’t do this. I swear!”
    “You both swear you didn’t do it, right?” Mrs. Powell said, suddenly looking very tired under the harsh ceiling light.
    “Yes,” Lindy answered quickly.
    “Then you both lose your dummies. I’m sorry,” Mrs. Powell said. “One of you is lying. I—I really can’t believe this.”
    A heavy silence blanketed the room as all three Powells stared down in dismay at the mess on the floor.
    Kris was the first to speak. “Mom, what if Lindy and I clean everything up?”
    Lindy caught on quickly. Her face brightened. “Yeah. What if we put everything back. Right now. Make the kitchen just like normal. Make it spotless. Can we keep our dummies?”
    Mrs. Powell shook her head. “No. I don’t think so. Look at this mess. All the vegetables are spoiled. And the milk.”
    “We’ll replace it all,” Kris said quickly. “With our allowance. And we’ll clean it up perfectly. Please. If we do that, give us one more chance?”
    Mrs. Powell twisted her face in concentration, debating with herself. She stared at her daughters’ eager faces. “Okay,” she replied finally. “I want the kitchen spotless when I come down in the morning. All the food, all the jewelry. Everything back where it goes.”
    “Okay,” both girls said in unison.
    “And I don’t want to see either of those dummies down here in my kitchen again,” Mrs. Powell demanded. “If you can do that, I’ll give you one more chance.”
    “Great!” both girls cried at once.
    “And I don’t want to hear any more arguments about those dummies,” Mrs. Powell continued. “No more fights. No more competing. No more blaming everything on the dummies. I don’t want to hear anything about them. Ever.”
    “You won’t,” Kris promised, glancing at her sister.
    “Thanks, Mom,” Lindy said. “You go to bed. We’ll clean up.” She gave her mother a gentle shove toward the doorway.
    “Not another word,” Mrs. Powell reminded them.
    “Right, Mom,” the twins agreed.
    Their mother disappeared toward her room. They began to clean up. Kris pulled a large garbage bag from the drawer and held it while Lindy tossed in empty cartons and spoiled food.
    Kris carefully collected her jewelry and carried it upstairs.
    Neither girl spoke. They worked in silence, picking up, cleaning, and mopping until the kitchen was clean. Lindy closed the refrigerator door. She yawned loudly.
    Kris inspected the floor on her hands and knees, making sure it was spotless. Then she picked up Mr. Wood. He grinned back at her as if it was all a big joke.
    This dummy has been nothing but trouble, Kris thought.
    Nothing but trouble.
    She followed Lindy out of the kitchen, clicking off the light as she left. The two girls climbed the stairs silently. Neither of them had spoken a word.
    Pale moonlight filtered into their room through the open window. The air felt hot and steamy.
    Kris glanced at the clock. It was a little past three in the morning.
    Slappy sat slumped in the chair in front of the window, moonlight shining on his grinning face. Lindy, yawning, climbed into bed, pushed down the blanket, and pulled up the sheet. She turned her face away from her sister.
    Kris lowered Mr. Wood from her shoulder. You’re nothing but trouble, she thought angrily, holding him in front of her and staring at his grinning face.
    Nothing but trouble.
    Mr. Wood’s wide, leering grin seemed to mock her.
    A chill of fear mixed with her