The Evil Lives! Read online

  Amanda put the crackers on the coffee table next to a platter of cheese and sat on the other end of the couch. Victoria sighed and sank into one of the overstuffed easy chairs.

  No one touched the food.

  Amanda cleared her throat. “I know we’re all still shocked,” she murmured. “Nobody can think of what to say, huh?”

  “Luke is dead,” Natalie stated in a flat, hollow voice. “Why talk? There’s nothing to say.”

  “Yes there is.” Janine straightened up and took a deep breath. “There is something to say—I’m sorry, Natalie. I’m so sorry.”

  Natalie didn’t respond.

  “Why are you apologizing?” Brandon asked Janine. “What happened wasn’t your fault.”

  “That’s not what I meant,” she told him. “I meant that Natalie and I—we used to be good friends. But when you and Luke were competing, we started to compete, too. It got kind of ugly, you know? And I feel terrible about it. It seems so silly now, after what happened. So totally unimportant.”

  “Yeah.” Brandon squeezed her shoulder sympathetically.

  Janine gazed at Natalie. “So I want to apologize, Natalie. I’m sorry.”

  Natalie remained silent for a moment. Then she whipped her head around and glared at Janine. “Do you really expect me to believe that?” she demanded in a bitter tone. “Luke is dead and Brandon gets his position on the team. You’re not sorry at all!”

  “Natalie!” Victoria gasped.

  “Oh, don’t look at me like that!” Natalie snapped. “At least I’m being honest. Janine is the one who’s lying. She’s not sorry. She just said it to make herself look good. She couldn’t be happier.”

  “Come on, Natalie . . .” Keesha started to protest.

  “No!” Natalie shot to her feet. “Don’t ask me to apologize. Everything I said is true, and you know it.”

  Grabbing her jacket from the hearth, Natalie stormed out of the room.

  “Whoa,” Keesha murmured.

  Amanda glanced at Janine, feeling terrible for her. But instead of looking upset or sad, Janine’s face was pinched with fury.

  Brandon stood up and hurried across the room. “Let me talk to Natalie,” he called back over his shoulder. “Maybe I can calm her down.”

  “I don’t see how he can calm her down,” Keesha declared after Brandon left. “After all, Natalie is furious at him too. You heard what she said.”

  “Janine, are you okay?” Amanda asked.

  The anger left Janine’s eyes. She tucked her hair behind her ears and nodded. “I’m all right.”

  “Natalie didn’t mean it,” Victoria assured her. “She’s just upset.”

  “Right. We can’t blame her.” Keesha reached for a cracker and bit off a corner. “I mean, Luke is dead. And it was so gross,” she added with a shudder.

  “The way he ran berserk down the court,” Victoria added. “It’s like he went crazy. Like he was possessed.” She gasped. “What if he was? What if we released the evil and . . .”

  “Don’t start,” Keesha interrupted. “That’s a dumb superstition. I don’t believe any of it. Luke had a terrible accident. It was just a coincidence, that’s all.”

  “What do you think, Amanda?” Victoria asked.

  Amanda didn’t know what to think. Luke did run as if he was possessed. Could Victoria be right?

  “Listen,” Keesha went on. “Crazy talk about evil spirits isn’t going to help us. You don’t call up evil spirits in this day and age. Do you really think you can light a few candles, and a few seconds later an evil spirit will come ringing the doorbell?”

  As Keesha finished speaking, the doorbell rang.

  Chapter 13

  JUDD FEELS SO STRANGE

  Everyone jumped, startled.

  Then Keesha giggled nervously. “Talk about coincidence!”

  That’s all it is, Amanda told herself as she left the room. Pure coincidence. It has to be!

  The doorbell rang a second time.

  As Amanda walked down the hall, she kept trying to convince herself that Keesha was right. There was no evil spirit.

  Amanda peered quickly through the fan-shaped window, then yanked open the front door. “Judd!”

  “Hi, Amanda.” Judd raked his fingers through his black hair and smiled. “I was looking for Brandon.”

  “Oh. He left a few minutes ago,” she told him. “I’m not exactly sure where he went.”

  “That’s okay, I’ll catch him later.”

  Amanda gazed at him a moment. His handsome face was lined with sadness. “Hey, why don’t you come in?” she asked. “Some of the squad is here. We’re not exactly great company, but . . .”

  “It helps to stick together,” Judd finished for her.

  “Right.” Amanda decided not to tell him about Natalie and Janine. She pulled the door open wide. “Come on in.”

  Back in the family room, Judd unzipped his dark blue jacket and tossed it over the back of a chair. “How’s everyone doing?” he asked the others as he sat down.

  “Still kind of in shock,” Victoria told him. “What about you?”

  “I feel the same way.” Judd glanced around the room. “Natalie’s not here? I wanted to tell her something. Brandon, too. Well, all of you, actually.”

  “What?” Keesha asked.

  “Coach Davis called me up a little while ago,” Judd replied. “He and the principal decided we’re going ahead with the Waynesbridge game this Friday.”

  Victoria’s eyes widened. “So soon after Luke . . . ?”

  “It’s in Luke’s honor,” Judd told her. “We’ll dedicate the game to him.”

  “I think that’s a good idea.” Amanda hadn’t known Luke very well. But she figured he probably wouldn’t want the team to fall apart. “What about Natalie?” she asked Victoria. “How will she feel about it?”

  “She’ll hate it.” Janine sighed. “She’ll hate seeing Brandon playing in Luke’s place.”

  “I’ll talk to her,” Victoria said. “I think it’s a good idea too.”

  “Me too. It’ll be even better if Shadyside wins,” Keesha added. “Waynesbridge is tough.”

  “The Tigers will win,” Victoria declared. “I just know it. Right, Judd?”

  “Huh?” Judd had been gazing into the fire, Amanda noticed. Not really listening.

  “I said the Tigers will win,” Victoria repeated.

  “Oh. Sure. Definitely.” Judd turned back to the fire.

  Sighing again, Janine rose from the couch. “I’m going home,” she announced. “I have the feeling that Brandon isn’t coming back.”

  Keesha glanced at her watch and leaped to her feet. “Wow, is it that late? I’m supposed to meet Andrew at the mall in fifteen minutes.”

  Victoria decided to leave, too. Amanda walked them to the front door, then went back to the family room.

  Judd stood in front of the fireplace now, his back to her. He turned when he heard her enter.

  He looks so lost, Amanda thought, staring at him. “Are you okay?” she asked.

  “I don’t know, Amanda,” he admitted. “Ever since Luke died, I’ve been feeling so strange. So mixed-up.”

  “I guess we all have,” Amanda murmured. “What happened was horrible.”

  “Yes, but that’s not what I meant.” Judd’s hand trembled as he ran it through his dark hair. “I . . . I just don’t understand what’s happening!”

  He’s really upset, Amanda thought. She quickly crossed the room and stood in front of him. “What do you mean?” she asked anxiously. “Do you want to talk about it? Maybe I can help.”

  Almost before Amanda finished speaking, Judd grabbed her shoulders, pulled her close, and kissed her on the lips.

  Whoa, Amanda thought. She’d imagined kissing Judd lots of times, but never like this.

  This didn’t feel right.

  Amanda broke the kiss and tried to pull her head back.

  But Judd hung on to her tightly, one hand around her waist now, the other one cup
ping the back of her neck.

  Like he’s hanging on for his life, Amanda thought. Like he’ll drown if he lets go.

  What’s going on?

  “Judd.” Amanda worked her hands up to his shoulders and gently pushed him away. “What’s the matter? Please tell me.”

  “I . . . I don’t . . .” Judd stammered. He took a shaky breath. “I don’t know. Friday, when Luke died, I stared down at his face, and I suddenly felt as if I wasn’t me. As if I was standing outside myself, staring down at him.”

  An icy chill snaked its way up Amanda’s spine. Just like the other night at Victoria’s house when we were calling up the spirit. Judd walked in . . . and he didn’t look like himself then, either.

  Amanda sighed, remembering that night. We had just finished calling up the evil spirit. And then there was that sudden, blinding flash of light.

  Where had it come from?

  It flashed again, brighter than lightning.

  Then the room grew cold. So cold.

  And then Judd walked in and fell to the floor.

  But I saw his face before he collapsed. I saw his eyes. His expression. Distant, as if he were looking through me. Not himself.

  Just the way Corky described it. The way she described her friends when they were possessed by the Evil.

  Exactly the way Judd is now.

  Is he possessed?

  Is it possible?

  “What are you thinking, Amanda?” Judd asked.

  She jumped, startled.

  “Forget what I said,” Judd told her. “I didn’t mean to get you upset.”

  Judd reached out, ready to kiss her again, but Amanda stepped away. “Sorry,” she told him quickly. “I just remembered—Mom asked me to start dinner. She and Dad will be home from work soon and I forgot all about it.”

  Chattering nervously about what a lousy cook she was, Amanda walked Judd down the hall and said good-bye.

  As she shut the door and leaned against it, she felt the chill run up her spine again.

  I’m afraid of him, she thought, crossing her arms. I’m actually afraid of Judd.

  But she couldn’t help it. She couldn’t stop thinking about Corky’s letter. And when she remembered that night at Victoria’s house, she couldn’t help wondering.

  Did we really call up the Evil?

  Chapter 14

  CRACK, CRACK

  Amanda glanced around the gym and felt her heart sink.

  Friday afternoon, she thought. A pep rally. School had ended more than an hour before. Everybody should be excited and happy. Ready to rock!

  But instead of swarming over the bleachers, laughing and shouting greetings to one another, the kids sat quietly, with gloomy expressions on their faces.

  “Everybody is so bummed,” Amanda commented to Miss Daly. “No one can stop thinking about Luke.”

  “That’s exactly why we need this pep rally,” the cheerleading coach replied. “It won’t make us forget what happened to Luke, of course. But it will bring us all together, give us something to look forward to.”

  “We thought this pep rally and the game would be a good idea,” Amanda told her. “But now that it’s happening, it feels wrong. The squad doesn’t even feel like cheering. How will we ever get the crowd to cheer?”

  “You won’t. Not with that attitude.” Miss Daly clapped a hand on Amanda’s shoulder and gave it a squeeze. “You’re the captain, Amanda. It’s up to you to get your cheerleaders into the spirit. If you do, the crowd will feel it, and their mood will change.”

  Amanda straightened up and smiled. “You’re right.”

  “Of course I’m right,” Miss Daly said. “Now get your squad together and put some pep into them. I don’t want to see any droopy, sloppy cheering out there.”

  Miss Daly loped over to talk to the principal. Amanda glanced over at the rest of the squad. Victoria and Keesha were warming up. Neither one of them looked very peppy. Not even Victoria, who usually had so much spirit.

  Natalie sat on the bench behind them, braiding her long dark hair so it wouldn’t flop in her eyes.

  Natalie looks so worried, Amanda thought. Is she afraid she’ll break down and cry or something? Nobody would blame her.

  “Okay, guys!” Amanda called out. “Finish warming up so we can talk about the cheers. Where’s Janine, anyway?”

  “Over there,” Keesha told her, pointing toward the team bench. “With Brandon.”

  Amanda frowned with concern as she walked down the line toward her friend. Janine had been so quiet all week. So depressed she’d even lost her appetite. Her round face looked almost thin now, and her eyes had dark smudges under them.

  “Hey, Amanda.” Brandon gazed up as Amanda sat down next to Janine. “I’ve been trying to cheer Janine up,” he said. “Told every joke I could think of. Can’t get a single laugh out of her.”

  “You must be losing your touch,” Amanda replied.

  “Never!” he cried dramatically.

  Amanda nudged her friend. “You’d better cheer up,” she warned. “If you don’t, Brandon will put another snake in your bag.”

  “No way.” Brandon cackled. “I already did that. I’ve got something even better in mind.”

  Amanda laughed. “Even worse, you mean.”

  Someone in the band blasted out a sour note on the trumpet, and Amanda stood up. As she did, she spotted Judd, sitting farther down on the bench. He flashed her a thumbs-up.

  Amanda gave him a wave, then glanced away. He probably thinks I’m mad at him, she told herself. I wish I could explain, but I can’t. How can I tell him I’m afraid he might be possessed by an evil spirit?

  She turned back to Janine. “It’s almost time. Let’s get back to the others. Are you going to be all right?” she asked as they walked toward the squad.

  “I don’t know. Maybe.” Janine stopped walking. “I talked to a counselor,” she announced quietly. “About Natalie. I didn’t know what else to do. Natalie is so furious with me, I just had to talk to somebody about it.”

  “What did the counselor say?”

  “She told me Natalie would eventually be my friend again,” Janine replied. “That it’s natural for her to be angry and to blame somebody, and I’m a good target. She said I should give it time.”

  Amanda nodded. “That makes sense.”

  “I guess so.” Janine sighed. “I just wish I knew how much time. It’s really hard having Natalie hate me so much.”

  “I don’t think she really hates you,” Amanda declared. “She’ll get over this.”

  Amanda approached the bench where everyone was sitting and gathered them all in a loose huddle. “Okay, guys, let’s do this right,” she told them. “If we go out there like zombies, we’ll be letting the team down. They’re playing Waynesbridge tonight in Luke’s honor. They want to win, so let’s get everybody back in the right spirit. Put everything you have into it.”

  “Amanda’s right,” Victoria agreed. “Let’s cheer the roof off this place.”

  Keesha and Janine nodded.

  Amanda glanced at Natalie, who still had a worried expression on her face. “Are you going to be okay with this?” she asked sympathetically.

  “What? Oh—yes,” Natalie replied. “The pep rally is a good idea. But I’ve been thinking,” she added. “And I finally decided—I’m going to tell the principal that we called up an evil spirit. She needs to know.”

  Victoria gasped. “Why?”

  “What does that have to do with anything?” Keesha demanded. “Besides, we didn’t really call one up.”

  “I think we did,” Natalie argued. “You saw the way Luke threw himself onto the edge of the bleachers. It was like some weird force made him do it. Something evil.”

  She really believes we called up the Evil, Amanda thought, staring at Natalie’s determined face. Is she right? Did the Evil possess Luke?

  Does it possess Judd?

  “This whole spirit thing is nuts, Natalie,” Keesha declared. “And if you tell Ms. O
akley about it, she’ll think you’re nuts.”

  “Or she’ll start asking all kinds of questions,” Victoria added. “We could get in major trouble.”

  “I don’t care about that,” Natalie told her. “And neither should you, Vicki.”

  Victoria and Keesha kept arguing with her. Amanda didn’t know what to think. She glanced at Janine, who hadn’t said anything. She just listened carefully, her eyes on Natalie.

  “Don’t try to talk me out of it anymore,” Natalie insisted. “One boy has already died. I think Ms. Oakley should know about it. And I’m going to tell her—right after the pep rally.”

  A drumroll from the band broke into the conversation. Amanda tried to push the whole thing from her mind. “Okay. Let’s go!” she cried. “And remember—give it everything you’ve got!”

  The drumroll ended. The squad ran into the center of the floor and began their first cheer.

  “Tigers claw, tigers roar.

  Tigers run—Tigers SCORE!”

  As the cheerleaders continued, the crowd joined in, but not as loudly as usual. They’re about as lively as a bunch of wet noodles, Amanda thought.

  Doing back walkovers toward the bleachers, the cheerleaders picked up their pompoms, then raced to the center of the floor and continued the cheer.

  The chanting grew a little louder.

  When the cheer ended, the band struck up a march, the kind that usually got the crowd into a foot-stomping frenzy. Amanda kept the squad out on the floor, where they marched in time to the beat and urged the crowd to join in.

  The gym roof didn’t exactly blow off, but the yelling grew louder and the stomping feet shook the bleachers.

  We’re doing it, Amanda thought. They’re coming alive.

  The band finished and the cheerleaders ran back to their bench. Miss Daly clapped Amanda on the shoulder again. “Good job.”

  Amanda grinned. Finally, she thought. We finally got a “good” out of her.

  The new principal, Ms. Oakley, a short woman with iron-gray hair, stepped onto a low platform at one end of the court and blew into the microphone.

  “As everyone knows, the Tigers lost a teammate last week,” she began quietly. “Of course, Luke Stone was more than a basketball player. He was a son. A friend. A student. Someone we all cared about.”