Daughters of Silence Read Free Page A

with cold, clammy fingers. “In … there?”
    â€œWhy not?”
    â€œIt’s a grave, Hallie.”
    â€œAll the better.” Hallie shot her a look. “Unless you want to admit there’s a reason to be afraid?”
    Jenna lifted her chin defiantly. “Of course not!”
    â€œThen let’s go.”
    Hallie turned the latch and gave the door a push. It swung open soundlessly. Jenna blinked in surprise. She’d expected the hinges to squeak from disuse. Strange.
    She peered over Hallie’s shoulder. Dark shadows filled the crypt, shifting and swirling like thick, black smoke. Jenna coughed as she breathed in the musty, damp air. It smelled stale. Unpleasant. Her stomach lurched uneasily as she caught another scent, a sickly sweet, rotten odor.
    Jenna’s heart pounded double-time. She did not want to go in there.
    â€œHere’s a candle,” Hallie said, reaching up to a tiny shelf just outside the door. “And I’ve got matches right here in my pocket.”
    Hallie struck the match on the marble door frame, and Jenna blinked against the flare of light. Holding the candle, Hallie stepped into the mausoleum.
    Jenna wasn’t about to let her friend go in alone. Still, her feet felt suddenly glued to her place outside. Don’t be silly, she told herself firmly.
    â€œHallie?” she called. Her friend did not answer. Jenna peered into the shadows and spotted the flickering light of Hallie’s small candle.
    The breeze swirled against her back. The smell of decay grew stronger. She coughed and covered her mouth with her hand.
    An odd feeling tugged at her awareness. She felt as if someone were calling to her. But not with words. She had a sudden urge to look up.
    She didn’t want to. But that odd feeling nagged at her, tipping her head back before she could stop herself.
    Jenna gazed up.
    Her breath went in, but it didn’t go out again. Instead, it stayed there, hot and hurting, while her heart tried to beat its way right out of her chest.
    The angel was watching her.
    Its eyes had no irises, no pupils. But it saw her. Jenna could feel its menacing stare.
    For a moment, she thought she heard the sound of ruffling feathers, then saw those marble wings quiver ever so slightly.
    About to take flight.
    About to swoop down and snatch her up.
    With a gasp, she turned to run.
    â€œJenna!” Hallie cried as she rushed out of the mausoleum.
    Jenna ignored her. All she wanted to do was run and run and run and never come back. But Hallie soon caught up with her, grabbed her by the arm, and dragged her to a stop.
    â€œWhat’s wrong with you?” Hallie demanded. “What happened?”
    Too frightened to speak, Jenna pointed at the angel. To her astonishment, its eyes were closed.
    Hallie frowned. “What about the angel?”
    â€œIt… looked at me.”
    â€œThat’s impossible,” Hallie said.
    â€œIt looked at me,” Jenna insisted. “Its eyes were open and it looked at me!”
    Hallie stared at her as if she’d lost her mind. “Jenna, it’s a statue. It can’t open its eyes.”
    Jenna shook her head. She couldn’t believe this. It had seemed so real, so terribly real. “I … suppose not,” she muttered. “But I was so sure.”
    â€œYou’re letting your imagination run away with you,” Hallie told her. Sudden mischief sparkled in her eyes. “Now this is a first. Sensible Jenna, gettingso spooked that you thought a marble angel opened its eyes and looked at you.”
    â€œIts eyes were open before. I swear it,” Jenna insisted. “Big, bulging eyes,” she added with a sudden shiver. “Didn’t you notice before?”
    â€œNo, I guess I didn’t,” Hallie replied. “And I guess I didn’t notice that it was ready to fly down from its perch … and get you!” Hallie cried, swooping at Jenna with her arms outstretched