Dance of Death

by R. L. Stine

  “The knife,” Auntie gasped. “Madeline, the knife!”

  Chapter

  24

  Madeline lunged.

  Yes, the knife! Her only chance. She had to grab it!

  She felt the breath shoot from her lungs as she landed on the hard floor of the laboratory. She could feel the hilt of the knife digging into her ribs.

  I’ve got it! I’ve got the knife! Now I can save myself.

  She rolled over, her fingers scrabbling for the handle of the knife. She grabbed it and sat up just as Deborah and Marcus burst out of the passage.

  “Take her,” Justin shouted wildly. “Stop her. She’s got a knife.”

  Marcus strode forward. He reached down to grab her. Madeline slashed the blade across his hand.

  Blood ran down the blade and dripped onto Madeline’s dress. Marcus fell back, howling in rage and agony.

  “You horrible girl,” he cried out. “Look what you’ve done! I ought to—”

  He reached for her with blood-soaked fingers.

  “Don’t hurt her, Marcus,” Justin shouted. “If she’s damaged she’s useless to me. She’s got to be perfect.”

  Everyone in the laboratory stood stone still.

  They’re all afraid of what I might do, Madeline realized. She slowly pushed herself to her feet.

  She held the knife up in front of her, waving it at Deborah and Marcus. Instantly, the two fell back.

  Madeline reversed the blade, so that its keen edge pointed straight at her own face.

  “Stay away from me, all of you,” she commanded in a tense voice. “Stay back or I’ll cut myself.”

  Slowly, Madeline inched around the outside of the laboratory, aiming for the passage that she guessed led to Justin’s house.

  Justin stood in the center of the room, pivoting as Madeline made her slow circuit. His blue eyes never left her face. Madeline stared into them, drawn by their fierce power.

  “Madeline, listen to me,” Justin whispered. His voice sounded soft and soothing, as if he were telling a bedtime story to a small and frightened child.

  “What has come over you all of a sudden? You can’t really think I want to hurt you. I asked you to be my wife. I love you, Madeline. I want to marry you!”

  Madeline felt woozy. Her legs felt rubbery. She stumbled as she crossed the floor.

  He wants to marry me. He says he loves me.

  All her earlier feelings for Justin returned with a rush.

  What am I so afraid of? Justin is brave and handsome. He loves me and I love him. He wants to protect me from danger, not hurt me. He wants me to be his wife.

  “Justin,” Madeline whispered. “Oh, Justin, I’ve been so unhappy. So confused.”

  “I know,” Justin answered soothingly. “I know you have, my darling. But that’s all over now. You have remembered your true feelings and everything’s going to be all right.

  “I want you to listen to me very carefully, Madeline,” Justin continued, edging forward. “Put down the knife.”

  The knife, she thought. There’s something important I have to do with the knife.

  What is it? Why can’t I remember?

  “The knife,” she murmured. “The knife …”

  “Put the knife down, Madeline,” Justin instructed again. He moved a little closer. “Put it down and no one will get hurt. Then we can be married. Wouldn’t you like that?”

  Married to Justin. It was what she wanted. What she dreamed of. The happy ending to her unhappy life.

  Madeline’s grip on the knife wavered. Her arm dropped to her side.

  “That’s right, Madeline,” Justin encouraged her. “That’s right.”

  Across the room, Madeline heard Auntie moan.

  Madeline’s head cleared instantly. Her grip on reality returned with a snap.

  I understand what Justin is trying to do. He’s using the power of his voice to seduce me.

  “Justin.” She sighed, pretending to be under his sway. “Help me. Help me do what you want me to.”

  She teetered, as if her tired legs could no longer hold her. “Justin, help me,” she cried.

  Closer. Come just a little closer, she thought.

  “Justin,” Madeline whispered. “I love you.”

  Triumph flooded Justin’s face. “I know you do, sweetheart,” he crooned. “And I love you, too. Now give me the knife, Madeline.”

  He stepped closer. Madeline smiled up into his face.

  So handsome. So evil.

  “Yes, Justin,” she whispered. “Yes.”

  She held out the knife.

  Justin reached for it, eagerly.

  Madeline slashed the knife across his eyes.

  Chapter

  25

  Justin screamed and staggered away from her.

  Bright red blood poured out of his eye sockets.

  “The blood of all your innocent victims is flowing from you at last,” Madeline cried. “Now you will have the horrible fate that you deserve. All your youth and good looks will desert you. You will grow old and die.”

  “You,” Justin choked, pointing at her with one bloody finger. “You!”

  He took a step forward. Then his body spasmed and he fell to the ground.

  Thick green mucus oozed from his nostrils. Oily white foam poured out of his ears. He opened his mouth to scream, and black bile shot from his mouth.

  The horrible stench made Madeline gag. She covered her mouth and nose to block out the disgusting, rotten odor. A stench more powerful and revolting than she could ever have imagined.

  It’s the evil. All the evil inside him is pouring out.

  “No,” he screamed. “You can’t destroy me. I won’t let you. No, no, no!”

  His eyeballs burst.

  Huge blisters formed on the backs of his hands.

  Unable to look away, Madeline watched them pulse and throb in time to Justin’s heartbeat. Then they split open, revealing cold, white bone.

  I should feel sorry for you, but I can’t, Madeline thought. Not after all the innocent people you destroyed.

  Justin’s body jerked uncontrollably. Madeline could hear his bones crack.

  He twisted his head from side to side in agony. His tongue protruded from between his white teeth. They chattered—and he bit his tongue off.

  Justin gave one last, great cry. The flesh on his face turned purple. Then black. His skull poked through his scalp.

  He drew one final, rattling breath. His sightless eye sockets stared upward.

  His body gave one last spasm. Then he was still.

  It’s over. The evil is vanquished. The soul-stealer is destroyed.

  “You killed him!”

  Chapter

  26

  “You killed him,” Deborah gasped, staring at Madeline. “You killed Justin.”

  She rushed at Madeline, her fingers curved like claws.

  The laboratory began to heave and buckle. Huge roots shot down through the ceiling and sprang up through the floor.

  What’s happening? What is this?

  The scent of roses filled the air.

  One of the roots struck Marcus in the head. His skull split open.

  Deborah began to scream. She dashed madly back and forth, trying to avoid the roots. They followed her, snaking their way across the floor.

  They caught her by the ankles and pulled her down. Deborah shrieked as the roots twined around her.

  The thick, thorny roots squeezed and squeezed. Deborah began to choke. Then she gave a rattling cough and lay still.

  It’s the spirits of Justin’s wives, buried in the rose garden, Madeline realized. They are controlling the roots. They’re taking their revenge on anyone who helped Justin.

  The laboratory shook and swayed as more roots plunged through the ceiling. Huge hunks of plaster fell from the walls.

  I’ve got to get out of here! The whole room is caving in.

  Madeline dashed to where Auntie lay huddled in a corner. I don’t know if she’s still a
live. But I can’t just leave her here. She’s the one who tried to help me. I’ve got to try to help her now.

  Madeline knelt down and hoisted Auntie up onto one shoulder. Then she stood up. The old woman hardly weighed anything at all.

  Auntie moaned as Madeline adjusted her position. Thank goodness she’s still alive!

  The roots completely blocked the passageway to her cousins’ house. Madeline turned and fled down the passage toward Justin’s.

  She burst into his bedroom and ran through the upstairs hall. She rushed down the long, curving staircase, still carrying Auntie in her arms.

  With her last spurt of energy, Madeline flung the front door open and carried Auntie out into the yard. There she collapsed, completely exhausted.

  This is as far as I can go, Madeline thought. She sank to her knees on the grass in front of Justin’s house, cradling Auntie in her arms.

  Auntie’s eyes flickered open. “You did it,” she whispered. “I knew you would.”

  “Who are you?” Madeline asked. “Why did you help me?”

  “My name is Honoria Bancroft,” Auntie answered. “Long ago, I loved a young medical student named Tobias Morgan. Justin betrayed and murdered him. Tobias swore to haunt Shadowbrook until he had destroyed Justin’s evil. I couldn’t let my love fight on alone. Although I’m old and weak, I tried my best to help him.”

  The ground beneath them trembled. “Look, Honoria,” Madeline said, pointing.

  The rosebushes spurted up, growing and growing. They surrounded Justin’s house. The walls and foundation began to shake.

  “The rosebushes. They’re tearing down the house!” Madeline cried.

  With a great groan, the Fear house shuddered. Then, one by one, the walls began to fall.

  The rosebushes squeezed and squeezed, grinding the house into smaller and smaller pieces. Soon, Justin’s beautiful house was nothing more than a pile of rubble.

  “They’ve done it,” Honoria whispered. “They’ve taken their revenge. Sleep in peace now, wives of Justin Fear. The evil that claimed your lives is over forever.”

  A shower of rose petals drifted down on Honoria and Madeline.

  “Come,” Madeline said, starting to get up. “I’ve got to bring you to a doctor.”

  Honoria shook her head. “It’s too late for that, my dear. I’m dying and I know it. But now I can die happy. I’ll die knowing I’ve seen the end of Justin Fear.”

  “But, Honoria—” Madeline protested.

  “Quiet,” Honoria said firmly. “You’ll waste my strength and I haven’t much time.” She drew a shuddering breath.

  Madeline felt her heart squeeze in sorrow. “I don’t want to lose you. You’re my only friend.”

  “Under your pillow is Tobias’s diary,” Honoria continued. “I put it there. Cut open the cover. The money from my dowry is there.

  “I saved it for me and Tobias. So we could start a new life together, far away from Shadowbrook. Far away from Justin Fear. Now it will be the start of a new life for you, Madeline.”

  Honoria gripped Madeline’s hand with her ancient, bony fingers. “Promise me you’ll take it,” Honoria whispered. “Promise me you’ll find a place to live happily ever after, far away from here.”

  “I promise,” Madeline answered. Tears stung her eyes.

  Honoria smiled. “Then there’s nothing else to hold me here,” she told Madeline. She sat up suddenly, as if all her strength were returning to her.

  “My Tobias! I’m coming,” she cried.

  She collapsed back into Madeline’s arms. An eerie smile played on her lips.

  She’s dead. I’m happy she’s at peace, Madeline thought. But now I’m all alone.

  A glow filled the air around Madeline. The ghost of Tobias Morgan appeared. He stretched his arms toward Honoria. All the torment in his expression was gone.

  Honoria’s youthful spirit rose up from her body to meet him. Tobias took her tenderly into his arms.

  They kissed. The air shimmered golden around them.

  How beautiful she is. How happy they are together.

  The two spirits turned to look at Madeline. She knew that they were saying farewell.

  “Good-bye,” Madeline whispered. “Thank you.”

  Slowly, the spirits faded. The bright glow disappeared. And Madeline was left alone.

  She rose wearily to her feet and began the journey back to her cousins’ house.

  I’m going to find Honoria’s legacy. And then I’m going to find a life of my own.

  Epilogue

  Madeline adjusted the skirts of her new dress as she sat down in the buggy. After several months of searching for the perfect place to settle, she was on her way to her new home.

  The second Madeline spotted the little cottage on Rose Street, she knew she wanted it. She was able to buy it and have just enough left over to live on.

  I don’t even mind that it’s on Rose Street. Why should I? The roses and I won. Nothing bad is going to happen to me here.

  On Rose Street, I’ll start over. I’ll be free from all the ugly shadows of the past. Even bad dreams won’t haunt me here. I’ll be free from Justin Fear at last. No one has ever heard of the Fears in this beautiful place. I’m certain of it.

  “Are you just visiting, miss?” the driver of the buggy asked in a friendly voice after Madeline gave him her address.

  “Oh, no. I’m going to live here,” she answered happily. “Today will be my first day in my new home.”

  “Will it, now? Fancy that!” the driver exclaimed.

  Madeline stared around her as the driver guided the horse and buggy through the streets of the town. Her town now.

  The shop windows looked bright and festive. The houses looked beautiful, too, with lovely gardens and bright green lawns. Madeline felt a spurt of joy shoot through her.

  I made the right decision this time.

  “Rose Street is lovely, miss,” the driver commented. “A very nice part of town. Not as fancy as the houses on Fear Street, of course,” he added, as the buggy turned the corner. “But then we can’t all of us live there.”

  Fear Street! Fear Street?

  “Here we are, miss,” the driver said, pulling the buggy to a stop in front of Madeline’s new house. “I hope you’ll be very happy living here. Welcome to Shadyside.”

  About the Author

  R.L. Stine is the best-selling author in America. He has written more than one hundred scary books for young people, all of them bestsellers.

  His series include Fear Street, Ghosts of Fear Street and the Fear Street Sagas.

  Bob grew up in Columbus, Ohio. Today he lives in New York City with his wife, Jane, his teenage son, Matt, and his dog, Nadine.

  Books by R.L. Stine

  THE FEAR STREET SAGA

  THE BETRAYAL

  THE SECRET

  THE BURNING

  FEAR STREET SAGA COLLECTOR’S EDITION

  FEAR STREET SAGAS

  A NEW FEAR

  HOUSE OF WHISPERS

  FORBIDDEN SECRETS

  THE SIGN OF FEAR

  THE HIDDEN EVIL

  DAUGHTERS OF SILENCE

  CHILDREN OF FEAR

  DANCE OF DEATH

  Available from ARCHWAY Paperbacks

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  AN ARCHWAY PAPERBACK Original

  An Archway Paperback published by

  POCKET BOOKS, a division of Simon & Schuster Inc.

  1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020

  www.SimonandSchuster.com

  Copyright © 1997 by Parachute Press, Inc.

  DANCE OF DEATH WRITTEN BY CAMERON DOKEY

  All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever. For information address Pocket Books, 1230 Avenue of th
e Americas, New York, NY 10020

  ISBN: 0-671-00295-3

  ISBN 13: 978-1-4424-7375-1 (ebook)

  First Archway Paperback printing August 1997

  FEAR STREET is a registered trademark of Parachute Press, Inc.

  AN ARCHWAY PAPERBACK and colophon are registered trademarks of Simon & Schuster Inc.

  Cover art by Lisa Falkenstern

  IL 7+