All the Pretty Dead Girls Part 27

"Here, s.l.u.t," she said, placing in front of Tish a plastic tray holding a piece of crusty bread and a gla.s.s of water. "Don't die quite yet. We've come up with another plan for you."

Tish devoured the bread and gulped down the water. The red-robed figure lifted the pail, now overflowing with Tish's waste.

"Filthy s.l.u.t," the figure said as it pa.s.sed Tish, closing the door after exiting.

Sudden terror struck Tish. Might this be my last meal? If so, there'd be no need to return with the pail. And then no chance for me to fight back- In the days she'd been left alone, Tish had kept her sanity by sharpening that broken handle. She'd unhook it from the pail and sc.r.a.pe it against the brick wall. It was now sharper than most knives. It would do the job-if she was given a chance.

To her great relief, the door creaked open again, and the figure returned with the pail. It set the pail down, then turned once more to Tish.

In the split second it took for the figure to bend down to retrieve the now-empty tray and gla.s.s, Tish leapt-grabbing the pail and swinging out with it, whacking it against the figure's head. Stunned, the figure staggered against the wall, giving Tish just enough time to unclasp the handle, and stab it deep into the figure's gut.

Mrs. Oosterhouse let out a bloodcurdling howl of pain.

With great effort, Tish gripped the handle and cut upward. It wouldn't be enough just to stab her. She had to cut-inflict as much damage as she could. She had planned it all out in those long hours in the dark.

"You.... s.l.u.t!" Oostie shrieked, as the sharp metal handle sliced through her tissue, piercing her stomach.

Warm blood covered Tish's hand.

"Why was I kidnapped?" Tish demanded. "Why did you kill Joelle?"

"Help me," Oostie tried to scream, but her voice was too weak. She was sliding down the wall where Tish had attacked her.

"I swear to G.o.d I'll rip out your guts," Tish told her. "Tell me what's going on in this house! Tell me how to get out!"

"You can't escape," Oostie managed to say.

"You were planning to drink my blood, you freak! Just like you drank Joelle's!"

"Not yours," Oostie said. "Not after I confirmed the stories about you were true. You're no virgin! Your blood is no good to us!"

With a sudden, merciless yank, Tish pulled the handle out of Mrs. Oosterhouse's belly, causing a terrible popping sound. The chubby dorm chaperone fell hard to the floor on her big fat a.s.s.

"But you were still going to kill me," Tish said. "You and Dean Gregory. And who else? Is the whole administration involved?"

"You can't escape," Oostie said. "Help!" She tried to scream again. "Somebody help-"

"I'll put an end to that," Tish said, and with one well-aimed swipe, she cut Oostie's throat, severing her jugular. Blood spurted forth like an opened fire hydrant. Oostie's mouth moved a few more times, but no sound came out. Then her head sunk down on her chest.

Holding tight to the b.l.o.o.d.y handle, Tish stepped out of her cell. She was in a bas.e.m.e.nt. Old furniture was covered with drop cloths. Metal file cabinets rusted against a far wall. The small windows that were set high in the walls were papered over with cardboard.

Tish found the stairs.

She had no idea where they led, or who might be upstairs waiting for her. But she began to climb, the sharp pail handle that had saved her life held out in front of her.

43.

All the way up to the hospital that next morning Billy barely said a word.

Sue had offered to drive, but like the typical boy he was, Billy had insisted on taking his mother's Toyota. Sue had tried making conversation, but Billy would just grunt. Why am I even here? Why am I even here? she thought a number of times. she thought a number of times.

When they pulled into the parking garage of the Senandaga hospital, Billy turned off the ignition, placed his head down on the steering wheel-and started to cry.

Sue was stunned.

"Billy," she said, reaching over and touching his shoulder. "What's wrong?"

He looked at her with the tears just pouring from his eyes. "What's wrong wrong?" he asked. "Everything is wrong. And it's all my fault."

"Your fault?"

He nodded. "My best friend is in there, probably dying. But not just him. Heidi is in there, too. And she's probably dying as well."

"Billy," Sue said, stroking his hair. "How can that be your fault?"

"Both of them were upset. Upset with me! You saw Heidi with me just minutes before she collapsed. She was all worked up and crying. I caused her heart attack!"

"They haven't diagnosed it as a heart attack," Sue reminded him. "They don't know what's wrong with Heidi. Or Mike. You had nothing to do with-"

"Mr. Bingham told me that Mike had been upset that I was late. He said Mike felt I hadn't been around much for him-even though I knew what he was going through, worrying about his sister..." Billy sobbed again.

"Billy," Sue reasoned, "you can't blame yourself."

"It's me!" Billy cried. "I caused this!"

"It's not you," Sue said.

It's me.

But blaming herself was equally crazy. Neither of them had the kind of power that could cause spontaneous illness in people. To imagine they did was pure insanity.

"Doctors are speculating there may have been something going around at your school," Sue said. "That's why both Mike and Heidi were struck."

"They don't know what's wrong with them! Why they're both in comas!"

Sue smiled kindly. "Do you really think you can cause people to fall into comas?"

When she said it that way, Sue even convinced herself that her own feelings of guilt were ridiculous. Billy just sighed, looked away, and wiped his eyes with his sleeve.

"Let's go in," he said, Senandaga General Hospital wasn't much of a hospital by any stretch of the imagination. There was a wing with rooms for patients and an emergency room, but other than instant care-resuscitations, st.i.tching up wounds, and setting broken bones-most patients had to be sent on to one of the bigger hospitals in the county.

Sue's eyes squinted as they entered, the fluorescent lights nearly blinding her. Billy told her he'd be okay, that she could wait for him in the lobby as he went in to see Mike. Sue gave him a quick kiss. She wondered if he'd go to see Heidi as well. They didn't discuss that part.

If he does, there's no problem, Sue told herself. Sue told herself. I won't be jealous. I won't be jealous.

I can't be jealous.

Look at what happened last time.

After Billy had headed off down the hall, she put a dollar in the soda machine, hitting the b.u.t.ton to dispense a can of Diet c.o.ke. She found a seat opposite an old man who appeared to be sleeping. Sue popped the lid of her Diet c.o.ke and took a sip, idly pulling a battered copy of People People magazine onto her lap. Brad and Angelina were adopting another baby. magazine onto her lap. Brad and Angelina were adopting another baby.

Ten minutes later, her eyes lifted from the magazine. It was strange-one of those intuitive moments when you just know someone is looking at you. Sue's eyes met those of another girl, several years younger than she was and sitting opposite her in the place where the old man had been sleeping. Sue hadn't been aware of the man leaving, nor the girl arriving.

"h.e.l.lo," the girl said to Sue.

"h.e.l.lo," Sue said back.

The girl had thick dark hair that reached all the way down her back. She wore a white blouse over a pair of jeans. Her hands were in her lap, holding rosary beads.

"Are you Sue?" the girl asked.

Startled, Sue nodded. "Yes. Yes, I am. And you are?"

"Bernadette deSalis, Mike's sister." Bernadette gave her a smile.

"Oh," Sue said. "Billy must have told you I was out here."

Bernadette didn't confirm it, just smiled again.

"How is your brother doing?" Sue asked.

"He's going to be fine."

Sue sighed with relief. "Well, that's great. What does the doctor say?"

"Oh, nothing. But I know Mike's going to be fine."

Sue studied the girl sitting opposite her. Goose b.u.mps rose inexplicably on her own arms. There was something about Bernadette-something Sue found unsettling.

Get away from her. Now.

She shrugged off the instinct, but still- This was the one who was sick. Who'd been in the hospital herself. No one knew what was wrong with her...

"It seems odd, doesn't it?" Bernadette asked.

"I'm sorry," Sue said. "What seems odd?"

"That not long ago it was I who languished in the hospital, and Mike came to see me me." Bernadette smiled again. That smile was freaking Sue out. "And now it's the other way around."

She read my mind, Sue thought.

"But Mike's going to be fine. I just wanted you to know that."

"I'm...I'm glad."

Bernadette laughed, a sweet tinkling sound that set Sue's teeth on edge. "I know you were there when he collapsed, so I know you must be particularly worried about him. But I can a.s.sure you, Sue. Mike will be fine. And so will Heidi Swettenham."

Get away from her now.

Sue stood, knocking the magazine from her lap to the floor. "I'm-I'm going to get some air," she said.

"It was nice to meet you, Sue," Bernadette said, extending her hand.

Don't take her hand.

But that's rude. Billy would be furious if he learned I snubbed his best friend's sister...

She reached over. Her fingers touched Bernadette's.

And time seemed to stop.

Sue could hear her own breathing, but her vision blurred, just before everything went completely dark. She opened her mouth to scream, but no sound came out. Her throat was dry, and all of the strength seemed to drain out of her body. The only thing she could make out was Bernadette's face. The whole room had vanished in blackness, but the girl's face still filled Sue's vision.

Bernadette's eyes were closed, her mouth slightly open, and there was a humming sound coming from her throat, a humming that Sue could barely hear over the sound of her own lungs working, rasping as they drew in and expelled air. A light seemed to surround Bernadette's head. The girl's long dark hair began to rise into the air as the light intensified, blinding Sue in its intensity.

You won't win, Sue found herself thinking, screaming silently at the girl. Sue found herself thinking, screaming silently at the girl. I'm stronger than you are- I'm stronger than you are- And then her hand disengaged from Bernadette's, and the room returned to normal.

Sue staggered, her knees buckling. She sat down hard on the floor. Vaguely she was aware of Bernadette getting up from her chair and approaching her.

She forced herself to look over at the girl. Bernadette had knelt beside her. Her eyes were closed, her lips moving. Sue tried to get to her feet, but her head spun and she sank again to the floor.

She's praying, Sue realized in amazement, looking at Bernadette. Sue realized in amazement, looking at Bernadette. She's praying over me! She's praying over me!

A nurse's aide had rushed over when she saw Sue fall. "Are you okay?" she asked.

Sue looked up at her. She was young, African-American. "Help me up, please," Sue said. The aide gripped her by the arm and helped her stand. "I guess I fainted."

Bernadette was standing now, too. "Poor Sue," she said. "You must be really worried about Mike and Heidi."

"You come on back with me," the aide was saying. "I want to check your blood pressure."

"No, really, I'm fine," Sue said, her eyes locked on Bernadette.

"I think you should let me check-"

"No!" Sue snapped. "I'm fine! Please leave me alone. I just fainted, that's all. I haven't eaten much this morning."

"I can't force you," the aide said. "But maybe you ought to get a sandwich from one of the vending machines."

"Please," Sue said, gentler now. "I'll be fine."

Sue sat down, the aide moving away, looking back over her shoulder at her, while shaking her head.