Wish You Were Dead by Todd Strasser Read Free Book Online

sentence for her.
    “That’s not what I meant to say.”
    “But it’s what you were thinking.”
    Mom’s lips parted as if to argue, but then she nodded. “Yes, you’re right. It’s hard not to imagine that something bad has happened. But we can’t give up hope.”
    Leaving most of the salad on the plate, I went upstairs after dinner. As soon as I turned on the computer, a message from PBleeker was there.
This thing with Lucy is freaky, isn’t it? I wish I could talk to you about it. Just call you up like a friend and share thoughts. You’d probably be nice and polite for a couple of minutes and then make some excuse to get off the phone. Because you’ve got tons of more important friends to talk to. I can’t understand why someone like you doesn’t have a boyfriend. Unless he goes to a different school. Or he’s in college. That would make sense. You wouldn’t give anyone around here a chance.
    Why pick on me? I wondered. There were other girls who were prettier and more popular (at least they cared aboutpopularity more than I did). Why couldn’t PBleeker send those creepy messages to one of them? I deleted the message and turned on some music. But it didn’t matter. PBleeker was still there, in the air, in my mind, out in the dark. Lucy was gone and my cyberstalker was there. And for the first time in my life, Soundview didn’t feel like a safe place at all.

Str-S-d #8
    It’s been three days since Lucy Cunningham disappeared. I know I said good riddance and everything, but it is a little strange. I mean, no one from around here has ever just vanished before. Wait a minute, why should I care? Would Lucy care if I disappeared? Not a chance. She’d be so relieved not to have to look at me. She wouldn’t even give me a second thought. I take back what I just said. I don’t care what happened to her. I’m glad that she’s gone .

    6 Comments
ApRilzDay said …
It sounds like something you’re trying to convince yourself of. Like you don’t really believe you’re that cold and uncaring. Aren’t you worried that if you stop caring you’ll just become hollow and bitter? Maybe Lucy deserved to be knocked down a few pegs. But did she really deserve to disappear? If she’s been gone three days, something bad really might have happened!
Str-S-d said …
You don’t know how it feels to be tormented.
IaMnEmEsIs said …
There is justice in tormenting the tormentor.
Realgurl4013 said …
I sooo agreee.
Tony2theman said …
Sounds like that Lucy chick could be pushin’ up daisies.
IaMnEmEsIs said …
Soon.

chapter 8
    Wednesday 6:42 A.M .
    “WE JUST WANT Lucy back unharmed.” The familiar voice came from the kitchen the next morning. It was Dr. Cunningham. Why is he in our kitchen? I wondered as I trudged through the doorway, still half asleep. But inside I saw that it was only his face on the TV.
    Mom was sitting at the kitchen counter with a mug of coffee, watching. On the TV, Lucy’s dad, usually meticulously neat and groomed, looked haggard and unshaven with bags under his eyes. “If you have information that will help us get our daughter, Lucy, back, we will pay one hundred thousand dollars, no questions asked. If you are the person who has Lucy, I urge you to get in touch and tell us what you want. We are willing to negotiate. Lucy, if you’re watching this, we love you and will do everything in our power to get you home again.”
    “Those poor, poor people.” Mom’s words were heavy with angst. “Your heart absolutely goes out to them.”
    Outside, rain poured down from the gray sky. The Sound was choppy, and a pair of gulls hovered in the wind. The TV screen cut to the local morning news anchor with a photograph of Lucy behind him. “It’s been four days since seventeen-year-oldLucy Cunningham of Soundview disappeared without a trace. Police admit they have no leads. As you just saw, the Cunningham family is offering a one-hundred-thousand-dollar reward for information leading to