The Third Evil Read Free

You’re okay now. You don’t have to worry—”
    â€œBut how do we know it’s gone for good? Corky, you got that note. The one that said it can’t be drowned. And, Corky, sometimes—sometimes I feel so strange,” Kimmy whispered, her eyes watering. She gripped Corky’s arm and held it tightly. “Sometimes I—I just don’t feel right.”
    The door to the coffeeshop opened and some guys from the basketball team walked in. One of them,John Mirren, a lanky boy with short brown hair and a goofy grin, waved to Kimmy before sliding into a booth with his pals.
    â€œKimmy, we just have to pray that the evil spirit is gone for good,” Corky said.
    â€œBut what if it isn’t?” Kimmy demanded again.
    Corky shrugged and felt a sudden chill. “It’s
got
to be gone,” she said, lowering her voice to a whisper. “I can’t take any more death. I can’t…” Her voice trailed off.
    Debra and Ronnie returned, giggling and pushing each other playfully. They stopped when they saw the grim expressions on Corky’s and Kimmy’s faces.
    â€œHey—what’s wrong?” Debra demanded. “You two still talking about Hannah Miles? Give the poor kid a break.” She slid in across from Corky and Kimmy. Ronnie lowered herself into the booth beside Debra.
    Corky forced a smile. “No, we weren’t talking about Hannah.”
    â€œDo you know what other schools are going to be at the cheerleader camp?” Ronnie asked Kimmy.
    Kimmy shook her head, tossing her crimped black hair. “I think there’s going to be a squad from Waynesbridge. And maybe the cheerleaders from Belvedere.”
    â€œThe ones that do all that rap stuff?” Ronnie asked.
    â€œWow, they’re excellent!” Corky exclaimed. “Who else?”
    â€œI don’t know,” Kimmy replied. “About a hundred cheerleaders total, I think.”
    The waitress appeared, carrying their orders on ametal tray. “Who gets the pea soup?” she asked, staring at each girl.
    Making disgusted faces, all three of her companions pointed to Corky. “Give me a break,” Corky muttered. “I had a craving for pea soup. What’s the big deal?”
    The waitress set the food down and left.
    â€œJohn Mirren waved at you,” Debra said to Kimmy, squeezing the ketchup dispenser over her french fries. “I saw him as I was leaving the ladies’ room.
    â€œSo?” Kimmy asked defensively.
    â€œSo maybe he likes you,” Debra said. She put down the ketchup and reached for the salt.
    Kimmy shrugged.
    â€œHe’s a funny guy,” Ronnie said, around a mouthful of hamburger. “He’s a riot in science lab. Were you there last week when he spilled the hydrochloric acid?”
    â€œThat sounds hilarious,” Debra said sarcastically.
    â€œYou had to be there,” Ronnie replied. The tomato slid out of her hamburger. She struggled to push it back in.
    Suddenly Corky uttered a loud gasp.
    The others looked up from their food. “Corky—what’s wrong?” Kimmy cried.
    Corky’s eyes were wide with surprise. “Look—” She pointed down at her soup bowl.
    The other three turned their eyes to the bowl. The thick green soup appeared to be bubbling.
    â€œWhy is it doing that?” Ronnie asked, leaning forward to get a better look. “Oh!” she cried out, andpulled her head back as a gob of soup spurted up from the bowl.
    â€œHey—!” Corky cried in alarm.
    The thick soup was tossing in the bowl, rising up against the edges like green ocean waves, bubbling higher and higher.
    â€œGross!”
    â€œYuck! It’s alive!”
    â€œWhat’s going on?”
    Like a green volcano, the soup rose up and spurted high in a thick, bubbling wave. Hot and steamy, more and more of it made a green tidal wave that began to ooze over the