The Third Horror Read online

Kody made her way into the room, running her hand over the low crushed-velvet couch, stepping around an ottoman.

  “Cally—are you here?” The whispered words slipped from her mouth as her eyes scanned the dark room. “Cally? It’s me. I’ve come back for you.”

  She stood stiffly in the center of the room and waited.

  For what?

  A whispered reply? A laugh? A cold gust of wind that would tell her that her sister was there with her?

  “Cally? I know you can hear me,” Kody said, raising her voice, keeping it low and steady. “I know you’re still in this house, Cally.”

  And then she did feel her.

  Kody gasped as the feeling swept over her. Just a chill at first. A cold shudder.

  A heavy presence in the room.

  “You are here! I can tell!” she whispered excitedly, feeling her heart pound.

  The presence came closer. The feeling grew stronger.

  “I can feel you, Cally!” Kody cried. “I know you’re here with me. I—I just know!”

  The blood pulsed at Kody’s temples. The whistling in her ears grew louder as she strained to listen, to hear a signal, a whisper, a sigh, that would reveal Cally’s presence.

  “Cally—you’re here. I know you’re here.”

  Before she could turn around, the ghostly hand of her sister slipped over Kody’s shoulder and began to tighten around it.

  Chapter 10

  “Cally?”

  Kody turned as the hand loosened its grip.

  And stared into a blinding light.

  It was not her dead sister who had grabbed her.

  “What are you doing in here, miss? How did you get in?” The security guard, a stern-looking middle-aged man with a face pushed in like a bulldog’s frowned at her suspiciously. He shone his flashlight at her, a harsh spotlight.

  “I—I— The door was open,” Kody stammered. She raised both hands to shield her eyes from the bright light.

  “But why are you here?” the guard demanded impatiently.

  “I just came in,” Kody blurted out. “I mean, I used to live here, and—I’m in the movie—and—”

  “You’re the sister!” the guard exclaimed excitedly. He lowered the light. “You’re the sister, right? I read all about you. A long article. In People magazine.”

  “Yeah. I’m the sister,” Kody replied weakly. She had been so certain that Cally was near. She had felt the energy. So much energy in the air, in the room— everywhere.

  But now it was gone. Kody suddenly was drained. Weary.

  “Everyone’s left, miss,” the guard told her. “There’s just the cleaning woman here.”

  “I should go too,” Kody said, turning toward the doorway. “Sorry if I frightened you.”

  “That’s okay,” the guard said, rubbing his pug nose with the end of the flashlight. “At least you weren’t a burglar. Or a looter. If you were, I’d have had to shoot you!” He let out a strange, almost silent laugh.

  “Well, good night,” Kody said, eager to get away.

  She was nearly to the front door when the guard called for her to stop. “Just one more thing, miss,” he said, hurrying across the room to her.

  “Yes?”

  “Could I have your autograph?” he asked shyly. And then he added, “It’s for my nephew.”

  • • •

  “I want to try the zoom close-up first,” Kody heard Bo telling the assistant director. Kody hurried across the back lawn, feeling nervous and excited and eager to get started.

  She had spent nearly an hour with the makeup girl. Her hair felt heavy from all the hair spray. And the powdery makeup was already making her face itch.

  Waving to Rob, who stood beside Bo, Kody made her way through the dozens of crew members. They were scurrying around, making sure everything was ready for the morning’s shoot.

  It was a little before seven. An orange sun was still low in the brightening sky. The early morning air carried a chill.

  “I’m ready!” Kody called breathlessly to Bo.

  He didn’t hear her. He was busy talking to Ken, the technical director, gesturing with his clipboard, clapping Ken on the back with his free hand.

  “Are you nervous?” Rob asked, stepping up close to Kody, so close she could smell his aftershave. He wore a white polo shirt and straight-legged black denim jeans.

  “You’re wearing more makeup than me!” Kody blurted out.

  Rob laughed. “That’s showbiz!”

  “I hate it that you’re better looking than me!” Kody exclaimed.

  She immediately regretted saying that. Rob seemed genuinely embarrassed.

  She forced a laugh. “Sorry. I guess I am a little nervous. I don’t know what I’m saying.”

  He squeezed her hand gently. His hand was warm, hers cold and wet. “You’ll do fine. We’re just doing reaction shots,” he told her. “You don’t have to say a single line today.”

  “Stand back. I want to test the boom camera.” Bo gently ushered Kody and Rob out of the way. “Hey, you look great, Kody. Feel okay?”

  He hurried back to tell Ken something before Kody could answer.

  Kody turned back to Rob. “Why is the camera up so high?”

  “Bo wants to do some zoom-in horror shots,” Rob explained, brushing a fly off his shirt. “You know. They do them in every horror movie. You scream your head off, and the camera comes zooming down on your face.”

  “So the camera comes sliding down that pole?” Kody asked, staring up at it.

  “Yeah. The pole is called a boom,” Rob told her.

  She grinned at him. “You know everything, huh?” she teased.

  “I know enough,” he replied, smiling back at her.

  She thought he might lean over and kiss her right there, right in front of everyone.

  But Bo interrupted, bursting between them. “Where’s Persia?” he demanded of no one in particular. He scribbled on his notepad. “Have you seen Persia? She’s up first.”

  “I saw her limo arrive,” Rob said.

  “So where is she?” Bo asked, searching the backyard.

  “Still in Makeup,” a crew member yelled.

  “Is there a stand-in?” Bo demanded impatiently. “I want to test the camera.”

  Kody saw a girl in a sleeveless blue T-shirt and bright blue Lycra bicycle shorts step forward. She was the same size as Persia, with short brown hair and a tense, no-nonsense expression.

  “Are you doing lighting? Should I put on my wig?” she asked Bo.

  “No. Just positioning,” Bo told her. “What’s your name, hon?”

  “Joanna,” she replied, moving up beside Bo.

  “Aren’t you cold in that outfit?” he asked.

  Joanna nodded. “I thought it would be warmer. But there’s not much sun back here. It’s so dark.”

  Bo put his hands on her shoulders and guided her into position under the boom. “Don’t move. That’s perfect. Turn to the camera.”

  “Do you want me to scream or anything?” Joanna asked.

  Bo had turned to say something to the camera operator, a lanky young man with long straight black hair and a black mustache.

  Joanna crossed her arms over her chest and waited.

  “No. Just stand,” Bo told her, his eyes on the papers on his clipboard. “We’ll let Persia do the screaming— if she ever gets out of Makeup.”

  Rob leaned close to Kody and whispered, “I can’t believe Persia is late the first day.”

  “I believe it,” Kody replied dryly.

  They took a few steps back as crew members prepared for the camera test. Kody glanced quickly around the backyard. There were at least twenty crew members scurrying around, talking, moving cables, checking equipment, or waiting for Bo’s next instructions.

  “Okay, let’s try one,” Bo called loudly.

  The crew instantly became silent.

  Bo put a hand on Joanna’s shoulder and gestured up to the camera with his clipboard. “It’s going to come sliding do
wn the boom toward you,” he told her. “Slowly at first, then picking up speed. It’ll stop right here.” He held his hand a foot from Joanna’s face.

  “Should I face it like this?” she asked, staring up at the heavy black camera perched so high above the ground.

  “Yeah. Good,” Bo said, patting her shoulder. “You can try a scream if you like. Might be good practice.”

  Bo checked his watch. “Ready, Ernie?”

  Rob had his arm around Kody’s shoulders. They both moved closer to get a better view.

  Ernie, the boom operator, flashed Bo a thumbs-up sign.

  “Let it slide on three,” Bo instructed. He nodded at Joanna. Then he counted slowly, “One—two— three.”

  Kody saw Ernie release a lever.

  Joanna raised both hands in the air and let out a shrill scream as the big camera started its slide.

  It slipped down slowly at first, then moved faster. Faster.

  Joanna’s scream stopped abruptly as the camera smashed into her face with a sickening crack.

  Her arms shot straight out.

  Like everyone else, Kody stared in silent disbelief.

  For a few seconds Joanna seemed suspended there, her head impaled by the protruding lens.

  Then she toppled back and fell heavily to the ground, leaving the camera soaked with her bright red blood.

  Chapter 11

  Kody buried her face in Rob’s shoulder. “Is she—? Rob, is Joanna—?”

  Rob didn’t reply.

  Shrill, panicky cries rang out over the yard.

  “Call an ambulance!”

  “Don’t move her!”

  “Is she conscious?”

  “Where’s the phone? Who’s calling for help?”

  “Try to stop the bleeding!”

  “Her eyes! Did it smash her eyes?”

  Kody pictured the camera sliding again, sliding down so hard into Joanna’s face. And again Kody heard the sickening sound of the collision. The crack that had to be the splitting of Joanna’s skull.

  “Let’s go to my trailer,” Rob suggested quietly, his arms around Kody. “We can’t be of any use here.”

  As he guided her toward the house, Kody heard Ernie, the camera operator, shouting to Bo. “The bolts on the catch were all loosened,” Ernie called, his voice choked with alarm. “Bo—the catch was totally loose!”

  Kody stopped to watch.

  Bo hurried toward the camera boom. But a man in a gray uniform stepped forward to block his way.

  The security guard! Kody recognized the security guard from the night before. He was talking rapidly to Bo—and pointing at Kody.

  Bo turned and his eyes narrowed as they locked on Kody. “Could you come here for a second?” he called.

  A crowd had huddled around the fallen stand-in. Over the excited, horrified voices of the crew, Kody could hear the wail of sirens growing louder. The ambulance was on its way.

  “Should I wait for you?” Rob asked.

  Kody shook her head. She hurried over to Bo.

  “Kody, were you here last night after everyone left?” Bo demanded, his eyes studying her.

  “Well—yes, but . . .” Kody mumbled, confused.

  Why is he asking me that? she wondered, her heart starting to pound.

  “That guard said he found you here last night,” Bo continued, staring at her through his blue glasses.

  “Yeah. Well—I was here,” Kody said. “I was in the house, but—”

  “You weren’t out here in the back?” Bo demanded.

  Kody suddenly realized why he was questioning her. He thinks I stayed late to loosen the thing that catches the camera!

  “Bo—you don’t think—” Her voice caught in her throat.

  Bo uttered an unhappy sigh. “I don’t know what to think, Kody. I just can’t believe this happened. I—”

  He stopped as uniformed paramedics ran across the yard, carrying metal cases of equipment. Three crew members were leading them to Joanna.

  Several feet behind Bo, Kody saw the security guard staring accusingly at her.

  This is crazy! Kody thought. Totally crazy!

  Why would I mess with the camera?

  Why?

  “We’ll talk later,” Bo said, wiping sweat from his forehead with the sleeve of his sweatshirt.

  “They’re looking at a heavy-duty lawsuit,” Kody heard someone say behind her.

  “Let’s just hope the girl lives,” another voice added.

  Her mind spinning, Kody turned and started to make her way toward the house.

  But Bo came running up beside her. “Just one more question,” he asked breathlessly. “Did you know that Persia was supposed to be on camera first this morning?”

  “Huh?” Kody’s mouth dropped open. “I don’t understand.”

  “Well, you and Persia had that fight yesterday evening,” Bo replied, his cheeks pink. “And then the guard caught you hanging around late. I don’t want to believe that you—well . . .” His voice trailed off.

  “Then don’t believe it!” Kody cried. “It’s so horrible, Bo! I couldn’t do anything like that. I wouldn’t even know how! I—I don’t know anything about cameras!”

  “Okay, okay.” Bo patted her shoulder. “I’m out of line. I apologize. I’m just totally whacked by this. I mean, I’m out of my head. I’m sorry. Really.”

  A crew member called frantically to Bo. Bo gave Kody a fretful wave, then hurried away.

  Feeling dazed, Kody walked slowly toward the house.

  I’ve got to get away from here, she thought.

  Again she saw the camera sliding down, heard the horrifying crack as it slammed into Joanna’s face.

  How could Bo accuse me? Kody asked herself, feeling her anger rise.

  So what if Persia and I have had some problems? Does that make me a murderer?

  How could he think I’d loosen the bolts on the camera catch so it would smash into Persia?

  How could he accuse me of anything like that?

  Without realizing it, Kody had entered the house through the back door and was in the kitchen. She shook her head hard, as if trying to shake away her angry thoughts, and glanced around.

  She half expected to see Mrs. Nordstrom bending over the sink, scrubbing away. But the kitchen was empty.

  Through the window Kody watched medics hurry toward the street. They had Joanna on a stretcher, covered in a heavy blanket despite the morning heat. Joanna’s arms were crossed over the blanket. Her face covered in blood-soaked bandages.

  Is she alive? Kody wondered with a shudder.

  Is she going to live?

  She quickly turned away from the window, swallowing hard, trying to force down her nausea. Her throat felt achingly dry.

  She shut her eyes and gripped the edge of the kitchen counter, struggling to steady herself, to calm her racing heart.

  “Did you know Persia was going to be first?”

  Bo’s question repeated itself in her ears.

  Kody opened her eyes. Where is Persia anyway? she wondered. How could Persia ignore all the screams and cries that followed the horrible accident?

  Accident.

  The word clung to Kody’s mind.

  Accident. It could have been an accident—couldn’t it?

  And then she had the horrifying answer. No. There are no accidents at 99 Fear Street. No accidents in this house.

  Only evil. Deliberate evil.

  Letting out a choked sob, Kody spun away from the counter. She took a few shaky steps across the kitchen, and then noticed the narrow streak of light across the linoleum.

  Raising her eyes from the floor, she saw that the refrigerator door was half open. A long rectangle of yellow light poured out from inside.

  Weird, Kody thought.

  The appliances in the kitchen are all props. Why is the refrigerator plugged in?

  Crossing the room, she grabbed the door handle and started to push it closed. But her curiosity made her stop to peek inside.

&nb
sp; Peering into the golden glow, Kody saw empty shelves.

  Except for the object in the back of the top shelf that made her gasp.

  A human head.

  Blond hair. A green mouth, green as moldy bread, set in a twisted smile. Blue eyes staring blankly out at Kody.

  Kody recognized the face at once.

  Cally.

  Cally’s head!

  Chapter 12

  Kody’s terrified screams brought several people running.

  She heard the back door swing open. Heard heavy footsteps clambering over the floor. Heard muffled cries of surprise.

  And then Kody felt Bo’s gentle but firm hand pulling her away from the open refrigerator, out of the harsh yellow light.

  “Kody—what?” he demanded softly. “What frightened you?”

  A young red-haired woman—one of Bo’s assistants —lifted the head out of the refrigerator. Holding it carefully in both hands, she held it up in front of her. “Is this what frightened you?”

  Kody nodded, turning her head so that she wouldn’t have to stare into the blue eyes.

  “We put it in there to harden,” Bo told her, still holding on to her trembling shoulders. “It’s a model, Kody. The prop department brought it in this morning.

  “What is her problem?” Kody heard someone whisper near the door.

  “Did she think it was a real head?” someone else asked in a hushed voice.

  “You’ve had a very upsetting morning,” Bo told Kody. He signaled for the others to leave. The assistant replaced the head on the shelf and closed the refrigerator.

  When everyone had left the room, Bo turned back to Kody. “We’re all totally freaked by—by what happened. We all feel edgy. We all feel terrible about this morning. But we can’t go over the edge,” he said, eyeing her sternly. “I have a movie to make, and I’m going to make it, Kody. No matter what, I’m going to get this picture made.”

  “But it—it just looked so real,” Kody murmured weakly. “I came back here to see my sister. And— there she was. And—”

  Bo studied Kody for a moment. “Kody, I want you to go lie down in your trailer.”

  “But, Bo—!” Kody started to protest.

  He raised a hand to silence her. “I’m afraid that coming back to this house has shaken you badly,” he said, continuing to speak in a low, soothing tone. “That and the accident this morning . . .”