The Rise of Rachel Stark by J.A. York Read Free Book Online Page A

sing. She is absolutely
incredible," Tabby said.
    "Huh? You know, Tabby, I think
there was a slight problem … actually I think there was a major
flaw in your logic, or your analogy, or your sentence structure or
something. What you just said didn't quite make sense," Sheldon
said. "But I've known you for so long that I was able to decode the
message. Also, also, I already heard that Rachel has a drop-dead
beautiful singing voice. That bit of news spread through the whole
school like a wildfire. I can't wait to hear you sing,
Rachel."
    Rachel blushed.
    "Hear, hear," Tabby
said.
    ●●●
    Tabby sighed. "I'm getting
worried," she said. "Are we ever going to get there?"
    "Yes. We. Are," Sheldon said. "C'mon, let's
catch up to Jimmy."
    They started jogging. The snow on Cemetery
Road was getting deeper by the minute.

Chapter Six
    Celeste's Bad Night
    "Well, let's see how she's doing," Celeste
said.
    She and Benjamin went into the bedroom, where
Holly Stark had been sitting by Rachel's side, stroking her hand,
waiting for the tranquillizer to do its work.
    "How are you feeling, Rachel?" Celeste asked.
"Are you awake?"
    "Umm," Rachel said, opening her
eyes.
    "She's been sleeping," Holly said.
    "That's good," Celeste said. "That's what we
want. Well, let's proceed then, shall we?"
    Celeste reached into her leather case, which
was sitting on the floor next to the bed, and pulled out a long,
narrow cloth bag. She laid it on the bed, then reached back into
her case and brought out a small bottle, a cotton cloth and a pair
of plastic gloves, which she also laid on the bed.
    "OK, Rachel, this is what is going to happen.
Are you listening?"
    "Yes," Rachel whispered.
    "Good. In this bag I have a common, ordinary
knitting needle. You might have used one just like it."
    Celeste pulled the 12-inch needle out of the
cloth bag.
    "You can see it is pointed on one end,"
Celeste said, showing Rachel the needle, "and it has a cap on the
other end. OK?
    "In just a minute I am going to put on these
plastic gloves and then take this cloth and wipe the needle clean
with the alcohol in this bottle.
    "Once I have it nice and clean, I then am
going to insert the pointed end into your – "
    Suddenly the bedroom door flew open, and
Rodney burst into the room.
    "Stop it!" he screamed.
    He grabbed Celeste by the shoulders and yanked
her off the bed. The needle clattered onto the tile
floor.
    She started to reach for her leather case, but
Rodney pushed her into the wall. At the same time, Benjamin grabbed
Rodney from behind.
    "Rodney, stop it! You stop this right now!" he
yelled.
    By this time, everybody was screaming at
everybody to stop. Rachel, now wide awake, was on all fours on the
bed screaming. Holly was hopping around the room screaming. Celeste
was screaming every obscenity she could think of.
    Rodney broke loose from his father's grip.
"Dad," he yelled, his eyes blazing, "don't make me hit
you."
    The women's screams grew louder. And now the
three young children were standing in the doorway, bawling and
screaming. Holly and Rachel grabbed them and hustled them back into
their bedroom.
    "You're gonna hit me?" Benjamin said. "Go
ahead, hit your father, Rodney. C'mon, hit me!"
    "You can't do this," Rodney said. Even he was
crying now. "Tell her to get out of here!"
    "He won't have to," Celeste said. "I'm leaving
right now." She picked up the needle and started to gather her
stuff.
    "Rodney, you either hit me, or you go right
back to that bedroom and stay there. You are not the man of the
house here. I am. Hit me or leave. Now which is it?"
    "Dad … "
    "Which is it?" Benjamin screamed.
    Rodney turned and ran out of the
room.
    Benjamin turned to Celeste. She was putting on
her coat.
    "Celeste, no, wait, Celeste," he
said.
    "No, you wait, mister," she said. "I gave you
one warning, and now you've used it up. Your time's up, and we're
done. I'm taking your money and getting the hell out of
here."
    She snapped her case shut and started to leave
the