Dance of Death (14 page)

Authors: R.L. Stine

BOOK: Dance of Death

7.8Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub

“You,” Justin choked, pointing at her with one bloody finger.
“You!”

He took a step forward. Then his body spasmed and he fell to the ground.

Thick green mucus oozed from his nostrils. Oily white foam poured out of his ears. He opened his mouth to scream, and black bile shot from his mouth.

The horrible stench made Madeline gag. She covered her mouth and nose to block out the disgusting,
rotten odor. A stench more powerful and revolting than she could ever have imagined.

It's the evil. All the evil inside him is pouring out.

“No,” he screamed. “You can't destroy me. I won't let you. No, no, no!”

His eyeballs burst.

Huge blisters formed on the backs of his hands.

Unable to look away, Madeline watched them pulse and throb in time to Justin's heartbeat. Then they split open, revealing cold, white bone.

I should feel sorry for you, but I can't, Madeline thought. Not after all the innocent people you destroyed.

Justin's body jerked uncontrollably. Madeline could hear his bones crack.

He twisted his head from side to side in agony. His tongue protruded from between his white teeth. They chatteredâand he bit his tongue off.

Justin gave one last, great cry. The flesh on his face turned purple. Then black. His skull poked through his scalp.

He drew one final, rattling breath. His sightless eye sockets stared upward.

His body gave one last spasm. Then he was still.

It's over. The evil is vanquished. The soul-stealer is destroyed.

“You killed him!”

Chapter

“Y
ou killed him,” Deborah gasped, staring at Madeline. “You killed Justin.”

She rushed at Madeline, her fingers curved like claws.

The laboratory began to heave and buckle. Huge roots shot down through the ceiling and sprang up through the floor.

What's happening? What is this?

The scent of roses filled the air.

One of the roots struck Marcus in the head. His skull split open.

Deborah began to scream. She dashed madly back and forth, trying to avoid the roots. They followed her, snaking their way across the floor.

They caught her by the ankles and pulled her down. Deborah shrieked as the roots twined around her.

The thick, thorny roots squeezed and squeezed. Deborah began to choke. Then she gave a rattling cough and lay still.

It's the spirits of Justin's wives, buried in the rose garden, Madeline realized. They are controlling the roots. They're taking their revenge on anyone who helped Justin.

The laboratory shook and swayed as more roots plunged through the ceiling. Huge hunks of plaster fell from the walls.

I've got to get out of here! The whole room is caving in.

Madeline dashed to where Auntie lay huddled in a corner. I don't know if she's still alive. But I can't just leave her here. She's the one who tried to help me. I've got to try to help her now.

Madeline knelt down and hoisted Auntie up onto one shoulder. Then she stood up. The old woman hardly weighed anything at all.

Auntie moaned as Madeline adjusted her position. Thank goodness she's still alive!

The roots completely blocked the passageway to her cousins' house. Madeline turned and fled down the passage toward Justin's.

She burst into his bedroom and ran through the upstairs hall. She rushed down the long, curving staircase, still carrying Auntie in her arms.

With her last spurt of energy, Madeline flung the front door open and carried Auntie out into the yard. There she collapsed, completely exhausted.

This is as far as I can go, Madeline thought. She sank to her knees on the grass in front of Justin's house, cradling Auntie in her arms.

Auntie's eyes flickered open. “You did it,” she whispered. “I knew you would.”

“Who are you?” Madeline asked. “Why did you help me?”

“My name is Honoria Bancroft,” Auntie answered. “Long ago, I loved a young medical student named Tobias Morgan. Justin betrayed and murdered him. Tobias swore to haunt Shadowbrook until he had destroyed Justin's evil. I couldn't let my love fight on alone. Although I'm old and weak, I tried my best to help him.”

The ground beneath them trembled. “Look, Honoria,” Madeline said, pointing.

The rosebushes spurted up, growing and growing. They surrounded Justin's house. The walls and foundation began to shake.

“The rosebushes. They're tearing down the house!” Madeline cried.

With a great groan, the Fear house shuddered. Then, one by one, the walls began to fall.

The rosebushes squeezed and squeezed, grinding the house into smaller and smaller pieces. Soon, Justin's beautiful house was nothing more than a pile of rubble.

“They've done it,” Honoria whispered. “They've taken their revenge. Sleep in peace now, wives of Justin Fear. The evil that claimed your lives is over forever.”

A shower of rose petals drifted down on Honoria and Madeline.

“Come,” Madeline said, starting to get up. “I've got to bring you to a doctor.”

Honoria shook her head. “It's too late for that, my dear. I'm dying and I know it. But now I can die
happy. I'll die knowing I've seen the end of Justin Fear.”

“But, Honoriaâ” Madeline protested.

“Quiet,” Honoria said firmly. “You'll waste my strength and I haven't much time.” She drew a shuddering breath.

Madeline felt her heart squeeze in sorrow. “I don't want to lose you. You're my only friend.”

“Under your pillow is Tobias's diary,” Honoria continued. “I put it there. Cut open the cover. The money from my dowry is there.

“I saved it for me and Tobias. So we could start a new life together, far away from Shadowbrook. Far away from Justin Fear. Now it will be the start of a new life for you, Madeline.”

Honoria gripped Madeline's hand with her ancient, bony fingers. “Promise me you'll take it,” Honoria whispered. “Promise me you'll find a place to live happily ever after, far away from here.”

“I promise,” Madeline answered. Tears stung her eyes.

Honoria smiled. “Then there's nothing else to hold me here,” she told Madeline. She sat up suddenly, as if all her strength were returning to her.

“My Tobias! I'm coming,” she cried.

She collapsed back into Madeline's arms. An eerie smile played on her lips.

She's dead. I'm happy she's at peace, Madeline thought. But now I'm all alone.

A glow filled the air around Madeline. The ghost of Tobias Morgan appeared. He stretched his arms toward Honoria. All the torment in his expression was gone.

Honoria's youthful spirit rose up from her body to meet him. Tobias took her tenderly into his arms.

They kissed. The air shimmered golden around them.

How beautiful she is. How happy they are together.

The two spirits turned to look at Madeline. She knew that they were saying farewell.

“Good-bye,” Madeline whispered. “Thank you.”

Slowly, the spirits faded. The bright glow disappeared. And Madeline was left alone.

She rose wearily to her feet and began the journey back to her cousins' house.

I'm going to find Honoria's legacy. And then I'm going to find a life of my own.

Epilogue

M
adeline adjusted the skirts of her new dress as she sat down in the buggy. After several months of searching for the perfect place to settle, she was on her way to her new home.

The second Madeline spotted the little cottage on Rose Street, she knew she wanted it. She was able to buy it and have just enough left over to live on.

I don't even mind that it's on Rose Street. Why should I? The roses and I won. Nothing bad is going to happen to me here.

On Rose Street, I'll start over. I'll be free from all the ugly shadows of the past. Even bad dreams won't haunt me here. I'll be free from Justin Fear at last. No one has ever heard of the Fears in this beautiful place. I'm certain of it.

“Are you just visiting, miss?” the driver of the
buggy asked in a friendly voice after Madeline gave him her address.

“Oh, no. I'm going to live here,” she answered happily. “Today will be my first day in my new home.”

“Will it, now? Fancy that!” the driver exclaimed.

Madeline stared around her as the driver guided the horse and buggy through the streets of the town. Her town now.

The shop windows looked bright and festive. The houses looked beautiful, too, with lovely gardens and bright green lawns. Madeline felt a spurt of joy shoot through her.

I made the right decision this time.

“Rose Street is lovely, miss,” the driver commented. “A very nice part of town. Not as fancy as the houses on Fear Street, of course,” he added, as the buggy turned the corner. “But then we can't all of us live there.”

Fear Street!
Fear
Street?

“Here we are, miss,” the driver said, pulling the buggy to a stop in front of Madeline's new house. “I hope you'll be very happy living here. Welcome to Shadyside.”

About the Author

R.L. Stine is the best-selling author in America. He has written more than one hundred scary books for young people, all of them bestsellers.

His series include
Fear Street, Ghosts of Fear Street
and the
Fear Street Sagas.

Bob grew up in Columbus, Ohio. Today he lives in New York City with his wife, Jane, his teenage son, Matt, and his dog, Nadine.

Books by R.L. Stine

THE FEAR STREET SAGA

THE BETRAYAL

THE SECRET

THE BURNING

FEAR STREET SAGA COLLECTOR'S EDITION

FEAR STREET SAGAS

A NEW FEAR

HOUSE OF WHISPERS

FORBIDDEN SECRETS

THE SIGN OF FEAR

THE HIDDEN EVIL

DAUGHTERS OF SILENCE

CHILDREN OF FEAR

DANCE OF DEATH

Available from ARCHWAY Paperbacks

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

AN ARCHWAY PAPERBACK
Original