Read Online The Confession by R.L. Stine - Free Book Online Page B

on her shoulders. “It’s hard to trust him now. It’s hard to think of him as a friend.Because there’s some secret part of him we didn’t know about. A hard, cold part of him that’s … that’s really frightening.”
    We walked on in silence for a while. Our shoes thudded softly on the sidewalk. A car with only one headlight rolled past. The newly unfurled leaves on the trees trembled in a soft, warm breeze. A beautiful crescent moon tilted low over the houses up ahead.
    I noticed all these things. I seemed to be super alert. As if all my senses were working overtime.
    â€œWe can’t be his friends anymore,” Hillary uttered, so quietly I thought she might be talking to herself. “I mean, it can never be like it was before. For any of us.”
    I shook my head. “If Taylor tells Sandy what she heard us saying about him,” I replied solemnly, “he won’t want to be our friend.”
    We crossed the street and stepped into a wide pool of darkness. Two of the streetlights were out, I saw. The front yards stood under a heavy blanket of blackness.
    I’m not sure when I became aware that we were being followed.
    I think when Hillary and I stopped at the corner, I heard the scrape of a shoe on the pavement behind us.
    I didn’t pay any attention to it then. But when we hesitated before stepping into the darkness of the next block, I heard the scrape again. And the rustling of a hedge.
    And I knew someone was behind us. Someone was watching us.
    As we passed a flat, empty lot, dark weeds rustling in the heavy blackness, I grabbed Hillary’s arm. Signaled for her to stop.
    â€œThere’s someone back there,” I whispered. “Someone following us.”
    â€œI know,” she whispered back.
    I heard the hedge rustle again. Heard the soft thud of a shoe against the ground.
    I could feel Hillary’s arm muscles tense. I saw her jaw clench.
    We both spun around quickly.
    And gasped in surprise.

Chapter
    15

    N o one there.
    The wind rattled the tall hedge at the corner. Something—a tiny creature—scampered silently across the street. A chipmunk? A mouse?
    Hillary and I froze in place, staring toward the corner. I held my breath. And listened.
    Listened for another soft thud . Listened for a breath, a cough, a sigh.
    And heard only the whisper of the new leaves. And the high wail of an ambulance siren somewhere far in the distance.
    For some reason, Hillary and I both burst out laughing.
    Loud, relieved laughter.
    â€œAre we both going totally paranoid?” I cried.
    â€œWe’re losing it,” Hillary agreed. “We are definitely losing it.”
    â€œI mean, why would anyone follow us?” I added. “What on earth were we thinking of?”
    I took a final squint at the hedge. It hovered over the grass, silent and still. Then I turned and led the way down the block.
    â€œCome study at my house,” I urged Hillary. “We can do all the French verbs together. It will be easier with two people.”
    I still felt tense. Kind of messed up and frightened. I really didn’t feel like being alone.
    Hillary hesitated, then said yes. “I can’t stay too late, Julie. And you’ve got to promise one thing.”
    â€œWhat’s that?” I asked.
    â€œWe won’t talk any more about Sandy and Al.”
    â€œThat’s a promise,” I quickly agreed.
    It was a promise I couldn’t keep.
    As we turned the corner onto Fear Street, my house came into view. First I saw the black-and-white police cruiser in the driveway. Then I saw the policeman making his way slowly to the front door of my house.
    â€œWhat does he want?” I cried, feeling a wave of heavy dread sweep over me. “Why don’t they leave me alone?”
    â€œI guess we’ll soon find out,” Hillary replied softly.
    â™¦ ♦ ♦
    I had a strong urge to turn around, to run the other way before the