Midnight Games(33)

I could feel the heat of the kiln burning my back.

“Please—Angelica, please—”

She gave me one last, powerful shove and sent me toppling backward.





30

A wave of burning heat washed over me. As I fell back, toward the open kiln door, I reached out. Reached out with both hands searching for something to grab on to.

My right hand clasped the amulet. As I fell back, I pulled it off Angelica’s throat. It clattered to the floor.

I kicked out with my feet. Squirmed away from the kiln. I hit the floor hard on my elbows and knees. My skin burned. I wondered if my clothes would burst into flame.

I saw Angelica bend down to retrieve the pendant.

My one chance. I knew I had only a few seconds.

I jumped up. Dove forward. And shoved her with all my might.

The amulet flew from her hand as Angelica sailed into the kiln.

A scream of horror like the howl of a wild animal burst from inside the kiln. I covered my ears, but I couldn’t drown out the horrifying sound.

It seemed to go on for hours. An endless, shrill scream of pain.

Orange and red flames rose high, shooting out in all directions. And then, behind the flames, I saw thick swirls of green . . . a green cloud, putrid, so sour-smelling that I had to hold my breath. Choking clouds of green gas, puff after puff, until the garage was filled.

My eyes watered. The odor made me retch.

I gasped as Jamie’s body staggered out from the flaming kiln. She stumbled forward, collapsed in a smoldering heap on the floor. And didn’t move.

Choking, retching, I dropped onto my knees beside her. Was it Jamie now? Or Angelica?

The howl of pain continued inside the kiln. The green gas spewed out from the open door.

Jamie opened her eyes. She blinked up at me. “Dana? What’s going on? Where am I?” She squinted at me. “Hey—what are you doing in Shadyside?”

“Jamie?” I cried. “I live with you now. I moved here last month. Don’t you remember?”

She sat up. “You live here? Why don’t I remember that?”

She doesn’t remember anything, I realized. But she seems okay.

From inside the kiln, the screaming came to an abrupt stop. The putrid, green gas slowly faded away.

I’ve killed her, I thought joyfully. I’ve destroyed Angelica Fear. She was consumed in the fire.

And then I saw the amulet. Its blue jewels gleamed up at me from the floor. The real amulet. Angelica’s secret to immortality. The amulet with all its evil magic.

What should I do with it?

I didn’t have to think for long. I decided to grab it and toss it into the kiln after Angelica. Let it burn up with her and be gone forever.

I picked the pendant up from the floor and swung it in the air by the chain. And as I started to swing it into the open kiln door, I heard a fluttering sound at the garage window and saw movement behind me. A darting black shadow.

“Look out!” Jamie cried.

I turned in time to see a huge blackbird come swooping at me. Screeching, it raised its talons.

As it dove toward me, it turned its head, and I saw its missing eye. A dark socket on one side.

I let out a cry as the enormous bird grabbed the amulet from my hand. Grasped it in one gnarled talon. With another screech, it turned in midair. And flapping its wide, papery wings, it swooped out through the open garage window, carrying the amulet with it.

Stunned, I stayed there on my knees on the garage floor. Jamie climbed slowly to her feet. I could see the confusion in her eyes as she grabbed my hands and pulled me up.

“Dana—I don’t understand,” she started. But then she saw where I was staring, and she stopped.

I was staring at the three heads on the pedestals, the heads of the murdered girls. Their eyelids began to blink. Their mouths opened. They licked their dry, shriveled lips with purple-black tongues.

And then, as I grabbed Jamie and held on to her in terror, all three heads began to cry out in unison:

“The evil lives! The evil lives!”