The Best Friend by R.L. Stine Read Free Book Online Page B

you’d just killed her puppy.”
    â€œShe’s very emotional,” Becka replied, leaning forward over her handlebars. “One minute she’s ecstatically happy, the next she’s ready to weep bitter tears.”
    â€œWeird,” Lilah said.
    They rode past the front of the school, the flag hanging limp on this windless afternoon, and headed through the neighborhood of big houses and tree-filled front yards known as North Hills.
    â€œMy legs ache already,” Becka complained.
    â€œWe haven’t even reached the good hills yet,” Lilah said, pedaling harder.
    â€œI’ve just been so lazy lately. This really feels good,” Becka said.
    â€œWe’re supposed to go skiing this vacation,” Lilahsaid, staring straight ahead as the road dipped to the east. “But we may not go. My dad may have to go to Akron on business.”
    â€œAkron? For Christmas?” Becka cried, pumping hard to keep up with her.
    â€œNo, he’d be back by Christmas. But we wouldn’t be able to go away.”
    â€œWhat a drag,” Becka groaned. She took her hands off the handlebars to unzip her jacket.
    The sun was an orange ball just over the tops of the trees. In the center of a yard across the street lay a top hat and a straw broom, the remains of what must have been a pretty fancy snowman.
    Becka pedaled rapidly to catch up to Lilah, and they biked side by side for a while. “Here come the hills,” she warned.
    â€œThe first one is downhill. No problem!” Lilah cried.
    â€œWatch out. There are still a few patches of ice,” Becka said, pointing.
    She stopped pedaling as they started to roll down the hill toward the intersection with River Road. The hill was steep, and they started to pick up speed.
    Becka saw the brown delivery truck first. It was speeding toward the intersection, its engine roaring.
    â€œLook out!” Becka warned. She pressed her hand brakes and started to slow.
    But not Lilah.
    It all happened so quickly.
    In a second. Maybe less.
    Becka saw the panic on Lilah’s face.
    â€œMy brakes!” Lilah shrieked.
    Becka squealed to a safe stop.
    Still picking up speed, Lilah flew over her handlebars into the intersection.
    Becka shut her eyes.
    Then she heard a loud thump. Followed by a sickening crunch.

chapter

9
    T he sun was behind the trees now. The air carried a bitter winter chill.
    The red lights on the top of the ambulances circled around and around.
    Becka sat on the curb and stared as the red lights rolled over the ground, over the street, over Lilah’s bent and mangled bike, still lying in the middle of the intersection.
    Over the dark circle of blood in the street.
    She heard a high-pitched voice talking rapidly, excitedly.
    It was the truck driver, a young man in a denim work shirt and black jeans, with a red bandanna tied around his forehead. He was explaining to a grimfaced police officer what had happened. Gesturing wildly. His voice kept cracking as he talked.
    Becka didn’t look at him. She kept her gaze on the sweeping red ambulance lights.
    The lights were comforting somehow. Hypnotic. So regular. So mechanical.
    There were two ambulances there, Becka knew. And several black and white police cars.
    The officers had wanted to talk to her, but she told them she wasn’t ready to talk. She wanted to sit on the curb, on the cold, solid concrete, and watch the lights go around for a while.
    Round and round.
    She looked up in time to see the white-jacketed medics lift the stretcher into one of the ambulances.
    The stretcher carrying Lilah.
    The stretcher slid silently into the back of the ambulance.
    Silent as death.
    And then the doors were closed with a bang.
    Lilah was alive.
    The officers had told her that Lilah was alive.
    She was unconscious. She was in bad shape.
    But she was alive.
    Becka shut her eyes. The sweeping red lights disappeared.
    She heard the thud again.
    And then she heard the crunch.
    When she