Togetherness

S imon, in his white suit with a red bandanna draped casually around his neck, blinked against the sudden bright lights. He seemed to be confused.

He’s as startled to see us as we are to see him! Cari thought.

No one said a thing for a few seconds.

“Simon! You’re alive!” Cari cried, breaking the silence.

“What?” He gripped the side of the desk, appearing even more bewildered. “Alive?”

Cari and the others rushed toward him eagerly. “We’re so glad to see you!” she exclaimed.

He was their only friend at the hotel. The only one who had been nice to them, who had welcomed them, who had not tried to frighten them or drive them away. And now here he was—alive.

Back from the dead.

Or was he?

“I … I didn’t expect to see you here,” Simon said, pulling nervously at his white mustache.

“Well, we didn’t expect to see you either!” Cari cried.

The others laughed. Nervous laughter.

“Are you okay?” Craig asked, his voice filled with concern.

“I’m fine.” The question surprised him. “Why wouldn’t I be fine? What’s going on here, anyway?”

“Well—” Craig started.

But Simon interrupted her with more questions. “What are you kids doing up this late? Why aren’t you in your rooms? Look at you. You’re all drenched! What on earth have you been doing?”

“You’ve got to help us,” Cari blurted out, unable to hide her terror. “We’ve called the police, but—”

Simon eyed her warily. “The police?”

“It’s Edward. Edward and Martin,” Cari said.

“What? Where are they?” Simon asked. “What is that brother of mine up to?”

“Jan is missing,” Eric broke in. “We can’t find her anywhere. And Martin and Edward are hunting us. Edward chased us through the woods. He was shooting at us.”

The confused expression softened on Simon’s face. He rubbed his chin thoughtfully, staring hard at Cari. “Is it another hunting party?” he asked.

“Yes. That’s what he called it,” Cari said. “Can you help us?”

“You’ve got to help us!” Craig cried. “You’ve got to stop them.”

“Stop them?” A strange smile crossed Simon’s face. He took a step back, studying them. “Stop them?”

“Yes. They’ll kill us. They really mean to kill us!” Cari cried. “But maybe you—”

She stopped when she saw the change that was coming over Simon.

Why was he grinning?

What did that strange grin mean? It distorted his face, made him look not like himself.

Why was he grinning at them like that, so … coldly?

“Simon, are you sure you’re feeling okay?” Cari asked.

“Stop them?” The grin faded and he became menacing.

“Maybe you should sit down,” Cari said to him, glancing at her friends, trying to see if they too noticed that something was wrong with Simon. “It-it’s been such a strange night….”

“Stop them?” Simon asked. “Why would I stop them?”

He reached up suddenly and tousled his white hair with both hands until it ruffled out at the sides. Then he tore off the red scarf and tossed it to the floor.

Cari and her friends watched in silent horror as Simon unbuttoned the top button of his shirt.

“Hey—what’s the matter? What are you doing?” Craig cried.

“Please—” Cari started.

Ignoring them, Simon pulled off the white suit jacket and tossed it over the front desk.

They watched in horror and confusion as his posture changed. He was stooped now, leaning against the counter.

“Simon, please—tell us. What’s the matter?” Cari urged.

What is that he’s pulling from his pants pocket? she wondered.

It didn’t take long to see that it was a black eye patch. He slipped it over his eye, his hands trembling with excitement as he fastened the band around his disheveled hair.

“Yes! Yes! A hunting party!” he cried in Edward’s voice. “There’s no way I can stop a hunting party!”

Cari gasped, frozen in horror. No one moved. They all stood staring at the grinning figure in front of them.

All three of them had watched the amazingly fast transformation. All three of them realized now that Simon and Edward were the same person!

Дата добавления: 2015-07-20