The Awakening Evil by R.L. Stine Read Free Book Online

leaned over and gave Jason a peck on the cheek.
    Then she shuddered. She felt as if an icy finger had just traced a line down her spine.
    â€œWhat is it?”
    â€œOh, Jason,” she murmured. “I just realized.”
    â€œRealized what?”
    â€œDon’t you see? It is too ghastly.”
    Jason groaned. “You’re as frustrating as ever. See what? What is ghastly?”
    â€œThat ocean crossing. The accident. It should have been me.”
    â€œWhat are you talking about?”
    â€œI should have died on that ship, not Sarah.” She clutched his arm. “Oh, Jason! I should be dead right now.”

Chapter
9

    â€œY ou mustn’t think that way,” Jason said sternly. “Not ever.”
    â€œWhy not? It’s the truth. I should be dead. I should be!”
    â€œJane, stop that,” Jason ordered. “The accident was not your fault. It wasn’t anyone’s fault. There was a horrible storm. The ship capsized. It’s a tragedy. But you don’t need to make it any worse by feeling guilty.”
    Jason was right. She had not made that ship sink. There was no way she could have known that would happen. She would never have done anything to hurt Sarah.
    But somehow these thoughts did absolutely nothingto lessen her pain. She and Sarah had switched places. And look what had happened.
    Jane glanced over at Jason. She found him studying her with a strange expression on his face.
    â€œWhat is it?” she demanded, instantly nervous.
    â€œThere is something I must ask you,” he said. He gazed down at the ground, obviously embarrassed. “I came to Shadyside to see Sarah because— Well, to put it bluntly, I was stunned by her behavior.”
    â€œWhat do you mean?”
    â€œYou know that Sarah and I had our differences. But I couldn’t believe that she wouldn’t even bother to write after learning of your death.” Jason cleared his throat. “Why didn’t you contact me after you learned that Sarah drowned? Didn’t you realize how I would feel if I thought you were dead?”
    â€œI only got your letter—the letter you wrote to Sarah—today, right before I saw you,” she explained. “Thomas slipped it into the pocket of his robe and forgot all—”
    She stopped short.
    Thomas.
    The shock of seeing Jason had made her forget her husband for a moment.
    Her name had been a fiction, but her marriage was real. And Thomas needed her now.
    Jane looked toward the house. She couldn’t see it from here. The woods were too thick.
    Suddenly she had the worst feeling. A terrible premonition. Thomas was worse. She knew it. Jane jumped to her feet.
    â€œNow what?” Jason asked, alarmed.
    She began to run down the trail.
    â€œWhere are you going?” he called after her.
    â€œI have to be with Thomas!” she called back. “I must not leave his side again!”
    She ran all the way back to the house.
    When she burst into the kitchen, she found two maids chatting over steaming mugs of tea. They stared at her, looking surprised and a bit guilty.
    â€œWho is with Thomas?” she cried.
    â€œI think Dr. Pierce is still with him,” Clara assured her.
    â€œYou think?” Jane cried.
    â€œDo not worry, ma’am,” Clara added. “If Dr. Pierce has left, then your husband is sleeping, I am sure.”
    â€œHe needs his rest more than anything,” the other maid, Susannah, agreed.
    Jane didn’t listen. She ran from the room. Up the stairs.
    Halfway up the staircase, she stopped.
    The bell she had placed beside Thomas’s bed. It was tinkling.
    Again and again.
    â€œThomas!” she cried.
    She flew up the rest of the stairs. Down the hall. She flung open the door. Rushed into the room.
    The small gold bell fell from Thomas’s hand. It clattered to the floor, rolling around and around in slow, lazy circles.
    No!
    Jane felt her stomach clench.
    She ran to the