Free The Burning by R.L. Stine Page A

afternoon.”
    â€œSuch a kindly man,” Hannah said softly. “And look at his fine work all around.” She gestured to the flower garden that stretched along the back of the house, bordered on one side by tall rose trellises.
    Hannah stepped closer to the grave, staring down into the deep rectangle of dark earth. How strange to think that Jenkins was walking around in ouryard just two days ago, she thought with some sadness. And in a short while he shall rest in this underground hole—forever.
    â€œRemove that solemn frown from your face, sister,” Julia urged, stepping up beside Hannah. “Let us not allow this to spoil our fun today.”
    Hannah forced a smile and turned away from the grave. “Yes, you are right. Into the woods, everyone!” she called brightly and started to run toward the trees, her blue shawl flapping behind her gingham dress.
    The woods behind the Fear mansion seemed to stretch on forever. The five picnickers ran into the shadows of the tall trees. Their heavy shoes made the twigs on the ground crackle and snap.
    â€œIt’s almost cold here under the trees!” Hannah exclaimed.
    â€œHow far do we have to walk? This basket is heavy!” Robert complained.
    â€œWe can set it down when we come to a clearing,” Julia told him.
    â€œLook at Fluff!” Joseph cried, pointing.
    The dog had chased a squirrel up a tree and was now trying to climb the trunk after it.
    â€œDoes he not know that dogs cannot climb trees?” Julia asked her sister.
    Hannah laughed. “Fluff does not know that he is a dog,” she replied.
    They continued through the woods, enjoying the cool pine-scented air, watching for squirrels and chipmunks. Joseph chased after Fluff, running and jumping and barking as if he, too, were a dog.Robert shifted the basket from hand to hand, complaining about its weight. Brandon picked up stones and threw them on the path.
    â€œDoes Father know we are having a picnic in the woods?” he asked Julia.
    â€œI wanted to tell him,” she replied, brushing a white burr from the front of her long gingham skirt. “But he was upstairs in Mother’s room. She was having another one of her spells, I am afraid.”
    â€œMother and her spells,” Hannah said, rolling her eyes.
    â€œHere is a nice clearing,” Robert said happily. A circle of tall grass appeared like an oasis among the trees. “Can we have our lunch here?”
    â€œVery well,” Julia agreed brightly. “This shall do fine.”
    â€œFreedom!” Robert cried, setting the basket down, then stretching his arms.
    Julia and Hannah spread a red wool blanket over the grass. Fluff immediately leapt onto the blanket, tracking dirt and leaves over it. Hannah brushed the little dog away. Julia opened the lid of the basket and began to pull items from it and set them down on the blanket.
    â€œLook! Is that a deer?” Robert cried.
    â€œWhere?” Joseph spun around wildly, searching all directions at once.
    â€œFollow me,” Robert instructed his brothers. “But keep silent. Let’s track him!”
    The boys headed off at a run toward the trees. “Do not go far!” Julia called after them. “It is almost lunchtime!”
    â€œMmmmm. Those little pies look good,” Hannah told her sister, dropping to her knees on the blanket. “I am suddenly starving.”
    â€œFresh air makes me hungry, too,” Julia replied. “Let’s see … Lucy packed a little meat pie for each of us. And there are raisin cookies and a jug of fresh lemon water.” She handed a meat pie to her sister. “Let’s eat. We need not wait for the boys.”
    Hannah raised the small doughy pie to her mouth and was about to take a bite when Fluff leapt into her lap. “Oh!” she cried out, startled.
    The dog raised himself on his hind legs and sniffed the pie in Hannah’s hand noisily.
    â€œYou little