Read The Awakening Evil Online
Authors: R.L. Stine
The Awakening Evil
Prologue
Shadyside, 1898
I
am going to marry Thomas Fear!
Sarah Burns repeated these words to herself as the black carriage rolled along. She could scarcely believe it. She was going to marry a man she had never met.
Sarah could see her reflection in the polished brass trim inside the carriage. Soft brown eyes. Flaming red hair that framed a pretty, heart-shaped face.
That's you, she assured herself. The same person you've seen in the mirror for twenty-one years.
But she felt as if she were looking at the face of a stranger.
She took a deep breath, trying to slow her racing heart.
I am Sarah Burns and I'm going to marry Thomas Fear.
I am Sarah Burns and I'm going to marry Thomas Fear.
One of the carriage horses gave a shrill, high whinny. What is spooking the animal? Sarah wondered.
She clutched her white bonnet to her head and peered down the forest road. She spotted a tall young man in a dark cloak and a top hat striding toward them. The wind whipped his cloak around him like a dark cloud. Shadows hid his face.
Her driver pulled hard on the reins, bringing the horses to a halt. “Can you direct us to the Shadyside church?” he called down to the stranger.
The horses shied away as the man in the dark cloak stepped over to the open carriage. Silly creatures, Sarah thought. There was nothing frightening about the young man. In fact, he was quite handsome, with closely cropped dark hair, a dimpled chin, and twinkling eyes.
It was his eyes that fascinated Sarah the most. She had trouble pulling her gaze away. Almost as if he were hypnotizing her with his stare.
“You have overshot the Shadyside church by a number of miles,” the young man said. “If you will allow me to accompany you, I'll show you the way myself. We can't have the bride be late to her own wedding.”
Sarah ran her fingers across the lace of her bridal gown. “Thank you,” she answered.
The man stepped up onto the riding board, opened the door, and climbed into the carriage. He gave directions to the driver.
Then the stranger turned to Sarah and smiled slightly. He twirled his walking stick between his palms. Sarah noticed the tip had been carved into the shape of a serpent.
“I am Hamilton Davies,” the young man told her as the carriage turned around. “And you are?” he prompted with a smile.
Sarah opened her mouth to answer, but no words came out. They both laughed.
“You will have to excuse me,” she said. “Since my name changes today, I suppose I am a little confused about just who I am at the moment. My name is Sarah. Sarah Burns.”
“May I ask who you are marrying?” he inquired.
“Yes, though I am afraid I cannot tell you much about him. It is an arranged marriage, you see,” Sarah admitted.
Now why was she blushing? What was it about this young man that made her feel so flustered?
“I am rather surprised that a woman as pretty as yourself would agree to an arranged marriage.” He blushed deeply, as if he were amazed by his own words. “I hope you don't think me too forward for saying this, but I would think you could have the pick of the town.”
She had turned twenty-one last December. But Hamilton's compliment made her feel like a tongue-tied schoolgirl.
“So you have never met your husband-to-be?” Hamilton continued.
“I'm afraid not. But I know his name, of course. Thomas. Thomas Fear,” Sarah told him.
At the mention of her fiancé's name, the old driver turned his head sharply.
“Do you know him?” Sarah could not resist asking.
“I do not like to spread rumors,” the driver replied in a low voice.
Even though they were the only ones on the road, he glanced around nervously before he went on. “Everyone in these parts has heard the rumors about the Fears, ma'am. They say they practice the dark magic.”
Wonderful, Sarah thought. Just what she needed to calm her nerves before the weddingârumors about her husband-to-be's family!
As if the weather wasn't enough to make her feel anxious. Her mother always said, “Happy is the bride the sun shines on.” So Sarah knew it was a good sign when she had awoken to a beautiful May morning. The sun shone. Birds twittered.
But once they arrived in Shadyside, the skies had begun to darken. Now a cold wind lashed the trees. It looked as if it were about to rain.
Mother never said what happens to a bride the rain falls on, Sarah thought. But it cannot be good.
Hamilton smiled at her. “You look nervous. I hope you are not frightened by what the driver said about the Fears.”
“Oh, I do not believe in such foolishness,” she promised. But she felt a little chill run through her.
Thunder rumbled in the distance. The stranger stared up at the black clouds blotting out the sun. He flashed a smile at Sarah. He had such white teeth. “I am afraid your wedding day is not getting off to a very good start,” he observed.
The carriage turned the corner. There was the church, rising up into the dark sky like a pale white ghost.
The driver stopped the carriage. Hamilton helped her to remove her bags.
“Well, thank you,” Sarah told him. “You should continue on and take this carriage to your own destination.”
Hamilton smiled at her. “But I am already here.”
Sarah's heart seemed to stop beating. “W-what?” she stammered.
He took off his hat. “Allow me to introduce myself. My name is ⦠Thomas Fear.”
The driver threw a panicked look over his shoulder. He lashed the horses with his whip, riding off at breakneck speed.
Thomas only laughed.
Sarah's heart pounded frantically. So this was Thomas! The man with whom she would share the rest of her life!
“Sarah,” he said with a charming smile, “you must forgive me. I came outside to wait for you. I was so excited I couldn't stand still. I started walking, and ended up far from the church. When you
asked for directions, I panicked. I was afraid to introduce myself. What if you didn't like me?”
She raised her eyes to meet his gaze. She could not speak. She was too nervous, too flustered.
He held out his hand. “I very much hope you will stay.”
She clasped his hand in her own white-gloved one. It was as if some electricity passed between them.
“Yes, I want to go ahead with our marriage, Thomas,” she said. “With all my heart.”
Thunder rumbled again. A second later it began to pour.
Thomas grabbed Sarah's hand, and they raced up the flagstone walkway to the church. He pulled open the heavy wooden door.
A large crowd filled the pews. All heads turned toward Sarah. Her throat went dry, and she swallowed hard.
An organ began to play, filling the high-ceilinged room with deep, vibrating notes.
Sarah removed her hat and set it on the last pew. She pulled her long white veil over her face. Thomas took her elbow and guided her up the center aisle. Toward the altar. Where the minister waited.
I can't believe I'm doing this, Sarah thought. I can't believe I'm marrying a complete stranger.
As the minister began the service, Sarah cast shy glances around the assembly. Something about the crowd seemed strange to her. But she couldn't quite put her finger on what it was.
She turned back to Thomas. His eyes glittered like diamonds. She couldn't pull her gaze away.
“I do,” she said dutifully, prompted by the minister.
The minister looked so grim-faced. And suddenly, Sarah realized what seemed so strange about the crowd that had gathered to witness her marriage.
Everyone was dressed in black and gray, men and women both.
She glanced through her veil at the crowd.
Row after row of unsmiling faces stared back at her.
They don't look as if they are here to celebrate a wedding. No, they look as if they are attending ⦠a funeral.
1
Six Months Later
S
arah stared out her bedroom window at the gray November afternoon. Icy drafts found their way into the room, like a ghost's fingers trying to reach in and grab her.
She gave a long sigh. Then she turned her attention back to the blank piece of gilt-edged letter paper sitting on the rolltop desk in front of her. The blank paper seemed to stare back at her, as if daring her to write.
Someone knocked lightly on her door. Thank goodness, Sarah thought. She needed company so badly.
She capped her fountain pen. “Come in.”
The maid entered and curtsied. “I'm sorry to bother you, ma'am. But I am going into town. I
wondered if you still wanted me to post that letter?”
Sarah smiled. “Thank you, Clara, but I'm afraid I have not yet finished writing it. In fact, I have not even begun!”
Clara wrapped her arms around her skinny body and let out a nervous giggle. She tugged at one side of her starchy black dress. “I'm the same way myself, ma'am. When I try to write anything, I get all tongue-tied. Well, I'll leave you to it.”
“Wait,” Sarah said quickly.
She hoped she hadn't let a pleading sound creep into her voice. But she felt so lonely in her new mansion of a home.
The place was like a castle, with its two large turrets. It looked down on an endless, sloping green lawn, dotted with trees and shrubs.
From Sarah's bedroom window on the second floor, she could see halfway down into the town. Which meant that she was constantly reminded how alone she was in her huge house.
Thomas seemed to be away so oftenâeither at his mill, or the bank, or on errands he would only describe as business.
Clara cleared her throat nervously. Sarah didn't want to be alone, but she could think of no reason to keep the maid. “You may go,” she said at last.
Clara stared at her strangely. Then she hurried out, shutting the door before Sarah could ask her to leave it open.
My dear friend,
Sarah wrote slowly, beginning the letter she had put off for so many months.
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I suppose I must begin by apologizing for not writing sooner. But no word has reached me from you either, so you are equally to blame!
Oh, so much has happened in so brief a time! Just think. I now write to you as Sarah Fear! I have a new name, a new husband, a new home.