What Holly Heard Page 9

  That must be dirty, Miriam thought. I’m sure Ruth won’t mind if I use it.

  Miriam picked it up.

  The shirt felt wet. And heavy.

  Miriam brought it out into the light, kicking the closet door closed behind her. As she turned, the shirt suddenly opened.

  A heavy object fell out onto the floor with a loud thud.

  Surprised, Miriam glanced down.

  Her hands were covered with blood.

  chapter 26

  With a startled cry, Miriam dropped the shirt.

  It was wet, stained with dark blood.

  “Ruth?” Miriam called hoarsely.

  What is going on here?

  Miriam stared down at the object that had fallen out of the shirt. She recognized it immediately—Ruth’s old hammer. The hammer that had belonged to her father. The one with the missing claw.

  Its head was coated with wet liquid, bits of gristle, shreds of matted hair.

  No, she thought. I’m imagining this. It can’t be.

  She kicked the wet shirt away from her foot and backed up against the desk.

  “Miriam? Are you all right?” Ruth stood in the doorway.

  Miriam turned in time to see Ruth’s eyes turn icy.

  Ruth stared at the shirt on the floor, at the blood on Miriam’s hands.

  Her face twisted in anger.

  And Miriam knew the truth.

  She saw it on Ruth’s face.

  Ruth had killed her pets.

  Miriam’s mind reeled. She didn’t want to believe it.

  But the proof lay on the floor in front of her, soaked and staining the carpet. The only question that remained was why?

  Miriam stared at Ruth. Their eyes locked. Ruth lowered her gaze to the hammer.

  The moment stretched on forever.

  Without understanding why, Miriam understood that she was in danger.

  “Ruth—” she uttered. “Please—”

  Ruth dived for the hammer.

  Miriam threw herself to the floor, a split second behind Ruth. She reached desperately for the hammer, her fingers brushing the smooth, worn wood of the handle.

  She grasped it.

  So did Ruth.

  They rolled on the floor, struggling for the weapon.

  “Why?” Miriam screamed. “Why did you do it?”

  Ruth pushed an elbow into Miriam’s stomach. The pain tore through her, forcing the air from her lungs.

  Miriam couldn’t breathe.

  But she refused to let go of the hammer.

  Ruth pulled harder, tried to elbow her again.

  Miriam blocked the attack.

  “No!” Miriam cried. “Stop! Please, Ruth, it’s me!”

  Ruth responded by grabbing a handful of Miriam’s hair and pulling.

  Miriam screeched and flopped onto her back.

  Ruth rolled on top of her, the hammer between them.

  Miriam felt something soft and wet on her back.

  “Ohh.” She uttered a moan of disgust when she realized she was lying on top of the smashed hamsters.

  Miriam gagged, swallowing hard. Her grip on the hammer loosened.

  Ruth let out a roar—and tore it away with a grunt of triumph.

  She reared back and swung.

  Miriam screamed and threw her arms up to protect her face.

  But Ruth had aimed for an easier target.

  The hammer smashed into Miriam’s left kneecap.

  Miriam shrieked. The raging pain shot up her knee.

  Miriam screamed again, swinging her fists wildly. One of her fists connected with Ruth’s jaw.

  Miriam heard Ruth grunt. Ruth’s weight eased, and Miriam rolled to the side, clawing her way free of the other girl.

  She scrambled across the room and leaned against the closet door, holding her throbbing knee.

  Her breath caught in her throat. Her hands shook violently. She could no longer control them.

  She couldn’t fight anymore.

  Ruth slowly stood, massaging her jaw.

  “Nice punch,” she muttered. “I didn’t think you had it in you.”

  Miriam kept shaking her head. No, no, no!

  Ruth hefted the hammer.

  “You did it,” Miriam choked out. “You did it all!”

  Ruth nodded, her eyes vacant.

  “Why?” Miriam whispered. “Why did you kill Holly? She was your friend!”

  “She was a waste!” Ruth snapped. “She had to die. She led Gary on. He was in love with her, and she didn’t care!”

  Miriam gaped at her. “You killed Holly for Gary?”

  Ruth nodded again. “I love Gary! I always have. He’s the greatest guy in the world, and I’m so lucky to live next door to him. We talk all the time. We laugh. We even kissed once,” Ruth declared. “I bet you didn’t know that!”

  “No,” Miriam murmured. She hadn’t known that. But it didn’t change anything. It didn’t mean Holly had to die.

  Ruth was sick. Horribly sick.

  “I didn’t mean to kill Holly,” Ruth explained, as if reading Miriam’s thoughts. “But I had to stop her. She was breaking Gary’s heart. I couldn’t let her do that.”

  Miriam desperately searched the room for a weapon. For a way to escape. But all she could see was Ruth in front of her, the hammer poised in her hand.

  “I only wanted to talk to Holly that night at school,” Ruth continued. “I wanted to make her break up with Gary so he’d be free to be with me.” Ruth scowled. “I would never steal him away the way Holly was trying to do to Mei! Holly deserved to die just for that!”

  ‘Oh, Ruth—”

  “Shut up, Miriam. Just shut up! I don’t want to hear all the good little hopeful things I know you’re dying to say to me. There is no hope. All of us were put on this earth to suffer—and Holly never suffered.” A black cloud of anger filled Ruth’s eyes.

  She’s insane, Miriam realized. She’s totally insane.

  “Holly laughed at me when I mentioned Gary. As if he belonged to her! As if he had no feelings! She laughed at me. She promised that once she had Noah, she’d deliver Gary to me personally, like he was a shipment of meat!”

  “Wh-what did you do?” Miriam gasped.

  “She wouldn’t stop laughing at me, Miriam. So I grabbed her. She may have been pretty, but she sure was weak. She didn’t even hit me once!”

  Ruth shrugged. “It didn’t take long to make her stop laughing. I was so happy I did it. She deserved to die, spreading those rumors about Mei and Noah, trying to break them up. Hurting Gary.”

  “You’re sick,” Miriam whispered. “Holly was a good person. She was only kidding around with you. She thought you were a friend.”

  “Shut up, Miriam.” Ruth’s face brightened. “You know, it’s funny. Holly’s gossip ended up being my alibi. She’d already told you about Mei planning to kill her mother. All I had to do was use that. It was all so simple. Mei’s mother’s death was an accident. Just an accident. But you actually believed that Mei killed her mother! You never doubted it.”

  “I did so doubt it!” Miriam replied. Her answer sounded lame in her own ears.

  “Yeah, right,” Ruth scoffed.

  “It’s all over now, Ruth,” Miriam said, trying to sound brave. “Jed will be here any second. He saw me come in here.”

  “I’ll kill him, too.” Ruth snapped. “You thought he was a killer.” She chuckled. “Is there anyone you didn’t think was a killer?”

  “You’ll never get away with it,” Miriam croaked.

  “With both of you dead? I think I will. Jed broke in, killed the hamsters, killed you, so I killed him. Self-defense explains everything.”

  Miriam was desperate now, willing to try anything. She couldn’t move with her wounded knee. She couldn’t fight anymore. Her only chance was to talk Ruth out of killing her.

  Some chance, Miriam thought miserably.

  “Ruth, you’re my friend. How can you—”

  “I’m not your friend!” Ruth screeche
d. “You’re almost as big a snoop as Holly was! I tried to keep you alive! I tried to make you believe it was Noah! But you had to keep poking around where you didn’t belong.”

  Miriam sighed. “You hate me.”

  Ruth shook her head. “You’re so sickeningly happy, all I can do is pity you. Look at yourself! Your first shot of some real pain, and you’ve cracked already. You’re weak.”

  Ruth glanced at the hammer in her hand. “You never had a single problem in your whole life.”

  She raised the hammer.

  “Well, now you do!”

  Miriam stiffened. “No, Ruth! Please!”

  Ruth stood over her, beaming in triumph.

  She swung the hammer.

  chapter 27

  The hammer hit air.

  Miriam screamed.

  Ruth laughed. “See how weak you are?”

  “Ruth—put down the hammer,” Miriam pleaded. “I’ll help you. I promise I will.”

  Ruth’s smile faded. She raised the hammer again. Fingered the claw.

  She’s so crazy, Miriam thought, feeling a wave of terror sweep over her. She murdered her own pets. Murdered them so I’d think Noah and Mei were murderers.

  She’ll do anything.

  Anything.

  “Ruth, please—”

  “No one understood,” Ruth muttered. “No one understood about me and Gary. Gary is special. But no one understood.”

  She started to say more—but a noise in the hallway made her stop.

  Miriam turned as a figure lurched into the room.

  Jed!

  “Hey—what’s going on?” Jed demanded, gazing from Miriam to Ruth.

  “Oh, thank goodness!” Miriam cried.

  I’m saved, she thought, letting out a long sigh of relief.

  Jed is here. I’m going to be okay.

  “Jed, quick! Grab her!” Miriam screamed. “She killed Holly!”

  Jed uttered a startled groan. He dived for Ruth.

  Ruth stepped aside. She pulled back her arm—and heaved the hammer at Jed.

  “Noooo!” Miriam screamed.

  The handle of the hammer hit Jed in the side of the head.

  Jed’s eyes bulged. His mouth dropped open and didn’t close.

  He toppled forward, his expression still stunned, crumpling in a heap on the bedroom carpet.

  He didn’t move.

  Ruth raised her eyes to Miriam. “You’re next,” she said softly.

  chapter 28

  Crumpled facedown on the floor, Jed uttered a groan. He didn’t move.

  Ruth stepped over him and moved quickly toward Miriam. She picked up the deadly hammer as she advanced.

  Miriam’s knee throbbed with pain. She knew she couldn’t step down on her right leg.

  But she couldn’t stand there and let Ruth murder her.

  “I’m sorry, Miriam. I really am,” Ruth said without any feeling at all.

  She swung the hammer.

  Miriam ducked away.

  Pulled herself up and along the wall with both hands.

  Hobbled and hopped to the window.

  Turned in time to see Ruth moving in on her, hammer poised.

  “I’m sorry. So sorry,” Ruth murmured. “I won’t have any friends left after tonight—will I? Not even my two hamsters. My two real friends.”

  “Ruth—please—!” Miriam begged. “I’m your friend. You’ve got to believe me.”

  Jed groaned again. He raised his head from the carpet.

  Ruth turned to watch him.

  The break Miriam needed.

  She lunged to the shelf. Grabbed up the glass hamster cage in both hands.

  Raised it.

  Raised it.

  And brought it down over Ruth’s head.

  Miriam shut her eyes against the crash of shattering glass and bending metal.

  Ruth didn’t utter a cry.

  The hammer fell from her hand. It landed on her foot.

  And then Ruth slumped to the floor beside it.

  Miriam stared down at the shards of glass. The room blurred. Her knee throbbed.

  She grabbed the back of the desk chair to hold herself up.

  It’s over, she thought.

  It’s all over.

  So why do I feel so bad?

  Her chest heaved as she struggled to catch her breath. She pushed herself away from the chair and dropped down beside Jed.

  He stirred. Sat up. Rubbed his head with one hand.

  “Whoa,” he murmured.

  “Are you okay?” Miriam demanded. She put both hands around his shoulders. She pulled herself close. Held him tight.

  “Jed—are you okay?”

  He blinked several times. Pressed his cheek against hers. “Yeah. I’m okay,” he replied. Then he added, “Now.”

  “Jed, I’m so sorry,” Miriam whispered, holding on to him. “I’m so sorry … about everything.”

  “Me too,” he murmured.

  “I—I can’t believe I doubted you. I can’t believe I really believed that you killed Holly.”

  Jed uttered a choked cry. He gently pushed Miriam back. “I—I have to tell you something,” he stammered.

  “Jed—what?”

  “I did kill Holly.”

  chapter 29

  Miriam inhaled sharply. “Huh? What do you mean?”

  “Miriam, you have no idea how many times I’ve wanted to tell you what’s been going on with me. That’s why I followed you from the game tonight. I’d lost everything, and I wanted to make sure I didn’t lose you, too.”

  Miriam’s heart started to pound harder. She waited for Jed to continue, dreading what he was about to say.

  Jed took a deep breath. “I might as well just say it. About four weeks ago I started taking steroids.”

  “Oh, wow,” Miriam murmured. “Steroids.”

  He nodded. “Yeah, I know. It was really stupid. I know.”

  “Why, Jed?”

  “I wanted scholarships. I wanted a lot of them. I wanted every major basketball power kicking down my door. I knew I was good. But I needed to be great. The pills would give me that edge.”

  He shook his head. “And for a while they did. I felt strong. Really strong. My confidence soared. I’d never felt so powerful before. But it didn’t last long.”

  “The side effects,” Miriam guessed.

  “Yeah. Between the migraines and anxiety attacks and mood swings, I was a walking nutcase,” he admitted. “There were times when I really thought I was going to kill someone.”

  Miriam squeezed his hand. “What happened?”

  “Gary happened,” Jed replied. “He knew I was out of control. He tried to get me off the pills, but I ignored him.”

  Miriam frowned. She squeezed his arm. “I’m confused. What does any of this have to do with Holly?”

  Jed looked at his feet. “Gary would’ve done anything for Holly. And she kept asking him what was going on with me. So he finally told her. But I guess he felt guilty, because he also told me that Holly knew.”

  Jed paused and shook his head. “The day she was killed,” he continued, “I knew Holly was staying after school. I was going to be there working out. I asked her to wait for me in the gym. I wanted to talk to her. I was going to ask her not to tell you about the steroids.”

  Jed lowered his eyes, avoiding Miriam’s stare. “The steroids messed me up. Holly was waiting for me in the gym. But it took me a long time to get my head together. And by that time—”

  He uttered a choked sob. “I was fifteen minutes late. And that’s when Ruth killed Holly. If I hadn’t been so messed up. If I hadn’t been late, I would have been there. And … maybe Holly would still be alive.”

  Miriam pulled Jed close and held him. “You can’t think like that,” she whispered.

  Ruth groaned behind them.

  “We’ve got to call the police,” Miriam said. “Right away.”

  But Jed held on to her, pressing his face against hers. “Does this mean—you—you’re
going to keep seeing me? If I promise never to take another pill. Will you—will you stay with me?”

  Miriam sighed and held on to him. “That’s the latest gossip,” she whispered.

  About the Author

  “Where do you get your ideas?”

  That’s the question that R. L. Stine is asked most often. “I don’t know where my ideas come from,” he says. “But I do know that I have a lot more scary stories in my mind that I can’t wait to write.”

  So far, he has written over fifty mysteries and thrillers for young people, all of them bestsellers.

  Bob grew up in Columbus, Ohio. Today he lives in an apartment near Central Park in New York City with his wife, Jane, and fourteen-year-old son, Matt.

  THE NIGHTMARES NEVER END … WHEN YOU VISIT

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  Martha can’t remember anything about that day. Not the smallest detail. The doctors say it will all come back to her in time….

  But someone can’t wait for Martha to remember. She draws his face over and over. She can’t control her hand. Who is this boy? What does he want from her?

  Martha doesn’t know. But she’s going to find the answer. Even if it means confronting her painful past … and facing the dead.