Waiting Spirits by Bruce Coville Read Free Book Online Page B

before.
    It was followed by another drop, then another.
    She looked up. The water was dripping from the ceiling.
    She jumped out of her chair and pulled up the shade.
    The sky was clear. And in five days of rain the ceiling had not leaked once. So where was the water coming from?
    Lisa looked around the room again. “What does it mean?” she whispered. “Why is this happening?”
    No one answered.
    But the ceiling continued to drip.
    And somewhere in the distance, Lisa heard the sound of a woman weeping.
    â€œLisa, it’s for you!”
    Lisa came to with a start. She had been listening to the weeping woman, and must have fallen into a sort of trance. She was slightly shocked to realize she was sitting at her desk. The last she remembered, she had been standing. Pushing the chair back, she hurried into the hallway.
    â€œI’ve got it!” she called, picking up the upstairs extension.
    â€œHi, Lisa. Want to go roller-blading?”
    â€œI’d love to! Let me check with my folks.”
    She set down the phone and gave herself a little hug. After their discussion on the beach earlier that day, she hadn’t been sure she would ever hear from Brian again—though once they had agreed to drop the topic of the house things had been quite friendly.
    Her happy feelings were quickly squashed. “I’m sorry, Lisa,” said her mother apologetically. “But your father and I are taking your grandmother to visit some of her old island friends, and I don’t want to leave Carrie alone.”
    Lisa’s face reflected her disappointment.
    â€œMaybe you can have Brian over here,” said her mother quickly. “I don’t think there would be anything wrong with that, do you, Martin?”
    Lisa held her breath while her father made up his mind.
    Finally he nodded and said, “I suppose it’s all right, as long as Carrie is here.”
    Lisa scowled; she resented the implication that there would be something wrong if Carrie wasn’t going to be “chaperoning” them. But she was so pleased to be able to invite Brian over that she refused to get upset by it.
    â€œThanks, Mom. Dad. Thanks a lot.”
    She sprinted back up the stairs and snatched up the phone. “It’s no go,” she said, panting. “But you can come over if you want to. I have to stay with Carrie and… “ Her voice trailed off as she realized how dull it all sounded. If she had been afraid of boring him the night before, this really ought to do it.
    â€œIs it okay with your folks?”
    She was so surprised she nearly dropped the receiver. “Sure! I mean, if you really want to.”
    â€œHey, look,” Brian said. “If I didn’t want to, I wouldn’t.” His voice suddenly turned serious. “Besides, I don’t like the idea of them going off and leaving the two of you alone in that place.”
    Lisa was torn between gratitude and a desire to tell Brian that she could take care of herself very well, thank you, and hang up. But his self-deprecating laugh took the edge off his words. “I don’t know what good it will do to have me there if anything starts up,” he said. “But I’d feel better knowing you’re not alone.”
    She smiled. “Good. We’ll be waiting for you.
    She set the receiver gently into the cradle. Living in a haunted house did have some advantages!
    The video Brian had brought with him was over, the last kernel of popcorn consumed.
    â€œDon’t you think you’d better go to bed?” Lisa said to Carrie.
    â€œWhat for? It’s Saturday night. You’re supposed to stay up on Saturday night.”
    Lisa threw a hopeless glance at Brian, but he was smiling. Carrie’s presence didn’t seem to bother him at all.
    â€œLet’s play Monopoly!” cried Carrie, as if she had just had a revelation.
    â€œI thought you were bored sick with Monopoly,” said