Nightmare Hour by R. L. Stine Read Free Book Online Page B

squeezed her shoulder tenderly. “Dr. Meyer said you might have a nightmare from time to time. Forget it. Push it right out of your mind. Let’s go get some dinner.”
    Â 
    Jillian spent the next morning helping Priscilla hang wallpaper in the front entryway. Then Priscilla drove them into town. They had lunch at a quaint New England chowder house. Then they prowled the shops and antique stores of the little town.
    On their way back to the inn, Priscilla turned to Jillian. “I heard you had a nightmare last night.”
    Jillian shuddered. “Sometimes I have bad nightmares. But I really don’t want to talk about it.”
    Priscilla nodded. “Sorry.”
    Hours later, back in the room, Jillian glanced at the clock radio. Almost nine thirty.
    She gazed out the window. It was dark out now. The pale, yellow moon floated low in a purple sky. The full moon…
    â€œMom…where are you?” Jillian said out loud. “Come back. I don’t like it here. This place is giving me the creeps.”
    Sighing, she turned on the TV. Nothing but static. She curled up on the bed. The cold moonlight washed over her. She shut her eyes….
    Were those footsteps? A cough? From out in the hall?
    Am I having another nightmare?
    She heard someone running past her door, down the long hall. As if in a trance she stood up, stepped out of the room, and followed the sound. Around a corner, she found James unlocking one of the room doors.
    â€œJames! What are you doing out here?” Jillian called.
    His eyes were wild. His hair fell in tangles around his face. “It’s time!” he shrieked frantically. “It’s time!”
    With an animal cry he reached out and grabbed Jillian roughly by the shoulders.
    â€œLET ME GO!” she screamed.
    But he held on to her and shoved her against the wall. “It’s time! It’s time! I warned you!”
    As Jillian struggled to free herself, the muscles in James’ face bulged and twisted. His eyes narrowed to slits and pulled back as a long animal snout formed beneath them. Glisteninggobs of saliva poured over his thickening black lips.
    Jillian stared at jagged rows of yellow teeth. At bristly black fur sprouting over James’ cheeks and forehead.
    It’s just a dream . Jillian’s heart pounded. Just a nightmare…
    But she couldn’t wake herself out of it.
    The growling werewolf lowered his teeth to her throat. With a cry of terror Jillian pulled free. She whirled away from him, dazed and dizzy. Staggered a few steps, then started to run.
    â€œHelp!” she cried out when she saw Priscilla loping quickly toward them down the long hallway. “Priscilla! Oh…help!”
    But as Priscilla came into the light, Jillian froze. She saw thick fur sprouting over Priscilla’s face and hands. Saw Priscilla’s lips pulled back in a ferocious snarl, revealing jagged rows of pointed teeth.
    â€œTwo werewolves!” Jillian cried out in terror.
    Priscilla raised fur-covered arms. Animal claws shot out from her padded wolf paws. She leaped at Jillian with a deep-throated roar.
    Screaming in horror, Jillian staggered back to the wall.
    â€œShe’s MINE !” James roared. “Get away!”
    Priscilla opened her frothing wolf jaws in a furious growl. “No--she’s MINE!” In a rage, Priscilla leaped onto James’ chest and knocked him to the floor.
    As he fell, James raked his claws down Priscilla’s cheek, cutting deep into her flesh.
    Priscilla howled. Four rivers of bright-red blood bubbled up and flowed over the thick, dark fur on her cheeks.
    Jillian huddled against the wall as the werewolves battled,rolling and wrestling over the carpet, punching, jabbing, tearing at each other. She took a deep, shuddering breath. Then she pushed away from the wall and forced her legs to run.
    The furious wolf growls rang in her ears as she bolted down the hall. Run, Jillian. Don’t look back.