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

bed.
    Thomas’s mouth was open. His eyes stared at the ceiling.
    â€œThomas!” she shrieked. “Thomas!”
    It couldn’t be! He couldn’t die now!
    â€œThomas!” she cried. “I love you! Do you hear me? I love you, Thomas!”
    She hadn’t said those words to her husband in a long time. But they were true.
    Thomas turned his head ever so slightly. It was as if her shouts had brought him back from the brink of death.
    His eyes rolled to meet hers.
    He was trying to say something.
    His lips formed a single word.
    She couldn’t be sure. But she thought the word was “danger.”
    Then his face turned dark red. His mouth contorted into a horrible grimace as he began to choke. His whole body shook violently.
    Jane held him. Held him tight.
    â€œNo, Thomas!” she cried. “No, no! Don’t leave me! You must never leave me!”
    She felt something warm and wet on her neck. She lifted his body away from hers. His head lolled to the side.
    Dark red blood gushed from his mouth.
    The blood stained his silk robe, and the white nightshirt underneath.
    He fell against her.
    Jane closed her eyes.
    She could have sworn she felt it. His soul.
    Felt it leave his body. Like a tiny bird, softly flapping its wings and flying away. And a moment later—
    Her husband lay lifeless in her arms.

Chapter
10

    â€œY ou just need to rest.”
    â€œYou will get better soon.”
    â€œDon’t get up, ma’am. I only wanted to bring these flowers.”
    â€œShe looks so pale. It is a shame to see it.”
    The voices floated in and out. Most of the time Jane didn’t even know who was speaking to her. Or care.
    Faces came and went, swimming up at her like creatures emerging from a dark sea.
    â€œThomas,” Jane cried. Where was Thomas? Where was her husband?
    Then she remembered. Thomas was dead. She went to his funeral.
    Jane began to shiver. She needed more blankets. Couldn’t the nurses see she needed more blankets?
    Before Jane could ask for them, she drifted off to sleep.
    When she woke up, Dr. Pierce stood next to her bed.
    Jason stood beside him.
    Jason. What was Jason doing here?
    Jane started to speak to him. But she felt too weak. Too tired.
    She fell asleep again, and when she awoke it was dark.
    How long had she been sick? She had no idea.
    Dr. Pierce arrived. He gave her something to drink. It tasted foul. It made her stomach cramp. Why wouldn’t he leave her alone?
    She felt hot. As if there were a furnace raging inside her. As if she were burning her own flesh for fuel.
    She needed a drink of water. Where were her nurses?
    They wouldn’t help her anyway, Jane thought. They were angels of death. She wanted them to stay away from her. But they kept coming back.
    Jane’s eyelids felt so heavy. She couldn’t stay awake.
    When she woke up, it was dark again.
    What day was it? She didn’t know. The days floated by so quickly.
    â€œThomas!” Jane cried.
    She knew he was dead. Knew it was pointless to yell for him. And yet she could not help it, could not believe he was really gone.
    Oh, if only he could hear her. Answer her. Come to her.
    â€œThomas!” she shouted again, sitting bolt upright in bed.
    The windows to her room were wide open, a cold breeze fluttering the curtains.
    Where were the nurses? Where was Jason?
    Everyone had left the room.
    The wind that whistled through the open windows felt icy against her skin.
    Why would they leave the windows open in a sickroom? Were they trying to kill her?
    The wind blew harder. The bedroom door flew open with a bang.
    Jane shrank back in her bed.
    The cold wind blew through the doorway.
    He seemed to enter in a gust of smoke.
    He wore the same dark cloak and top hat that he had worn the day she met him. He carried the same walking stick with its carved serpent handle.
    â€œThomas!” she murmured. “Oh, I thought you were dead.”
    He smiled slightly. He looked