The Third Horror Read Free

figure in the window.
    She could see the girl's blond hair. See her sad expression. See her hands pressed against the glass.
    "Cally!" Kody screamed.
    Reaching out with both arms, Kody ran toward the front door. The gravel spun out from under her shoes as she ran.
    She stopped at the front walk.
    Is it Cally? Or is it Persia? she wondered, breathing hard.
    Have I been fooled again?
    Cally's ghost slid away from the window, floating back into the shadowy gloom of the house. The air pulsed around her. Sparks of dust rose up from the floor.

     
    Her red eyes began to glow. Anger burst from her as a crackle of electricity. Workers in the next room cried out in surprise. A spotlight crashed.
    "So my dear sister has returned!" Cally declared to herself, slipping back to the window for another look. The gray light filtering through the dusty glass poured through her. She could feel herself shimmering in and out of focus.
    How long has it been, Kody? Cally's ghost wondered.
    How many years has it been since you abandoned me here? Since you went off to live life? Since you left me to this cold shadow world?
    I've lost all sense of time, Cally realized with a sob. There is no time for me.
    I am outside of time.
    But now Kody has returned.
    Have you come searching for me, Kody? Cally wondered, unable to hold back her bitterness.
    No. You haven't.
    You've come back to be a movie star.
    You've come back to play the role you always wanted to play, haven't you? You've come back to play mel You were always jealous of me, Kody. So jealous you were sick.
    And now you've gotten what you always wanted. You get to play me.
    You're going to be a star—right, Kody? You're going to be rich and famous. All because / died.
    All because you abandoned me to the evil of this house.

     
    Cally continued to stare out into the gray front yard. The workers had taken a break. They were clustered around the food table at the foot of the driveway.
    Cally watched only Kody.
    She looks good, Cally thought. She let her hair grow. She lightened it so that it's my color now.
    Kody sees me! Cally realized, glowing with sudden excitement. The air sparked and crackled around her.
    Here she comes! Look at her—reaching out as if she wants to hug me. Lx)ok at her run. So eager—so eager.
    Will you find me, Kody?
    Yes, you will. Eventually.
    But you'll see that I've changed, dear sister. I've changed a lot.
    I am part of this house now. Part of the evil.
    I am the evil and the evil is me.
    You'll find that out, Kody, I promise you.
    You won't be a movie star, Cally thought, shimmering in the rising dust. No, Kody, you won't be a movie star.
    But you will be famous—as the actress who died while making a movie about my life!
    Cally watched her sister run up the walk. Sliding through the shadows, the ghost moved to the front door.
    She heard Kody grab the doorknob. Heard her start to push the heavy wooden door open.
    Directing her gaze, Cally made the door stick.
    Push as hard as you can, Kody, she urged silently. The door will not open.
    It obeys my will.

     
    I am the house and the house is me.
    She heard Kody's suq^rised groan. Then she heard Kody give the door a hard shove.
    Put your shoulder into it, Cally urged. Go ahead— shove!
    And now here's a greeting from your long-lost sister, Cally thought, summoning more evil energy.
    Cally shot a dozen pointed steel spikes through the front door.
    She listened gleefully as Kody's shrill screams rose up in a wail of terror.

Chapter 4
    Kody toppled backward as the steel spikes shot through the door. Before she could stop herself, she had let out a high-pitched cry.
    The spikes had come so close.
    I could have been killed! she realized.
    She stared in horror at the sharp, pointed spikes sticking straight out from the door.
    "What's happening here?" Bo Montgomery's voice broke through her terrified thoughts. "Kody—did you scream?"
    She turned to face him, still trembling all over. "Bo! The door—" she managed to choke