Free Locker 13 by R.L. Stine Page B

skull!” Hannah stammered, still squeezing my hand.
    â€œHuh?” I let out a startled cry. “You gave it to me? But I thought I found it. I thought—”
    â€œI had the good luck for a long time,” Hannah said, wiping her wet cheeks with both hands. “Remember when I had so much good luck? Then it ran out. The skull went dark. And he forced me—he forced me to pass the skull on to you!”
    I stared at her in disbelief. “But who is he?” I cried. “How can he do this?”
    â€œ Haven’t you guessed ?” the hooded figure boomed. The red eyes glowed like two angry suns. “ Haven’t you figured it out yet, Luke? I am the Fate Master. I decide who has good luck and who has bad! ”
    â€œNo,” I whispered. “That’s … crazy.”
    â€œIt’s the truth,” Hannah said, her voice breaking. “He controls me. And now you.”
    â€œ Luke ,” the evil figure whispered, lowering himself toward me. “ Did you really think you could have all that good luck without paying for it ?”
    â€œI didn’t want to give the skull to you,” Hannah whispered, holding on to my arm. “I gave you a chance to hand it back to me, remember? Remember during my game? I asked if you had seen it?”
    I nodded sadly, feeling my face grow hot.
    â€œI knew you had it. Why didn’t you give it back then?” Hannah demanded. “I gave you a chance to return it. I didn’t want you to keep it.”
    â€œ Too late for that now! ” the Fate Master rasped. “ Now you are BOTH mine! ”
    â€œNo way!” I protested. “I don’t believe any of this! This can’t be happening! It—it’s some kind of bad joke!”
    â€œIt’s not a joke,” Hannah whispered. “Look at me.” She pointed to her red-blotched face, her bandaged foot, the wheelchair.
    â€œNo!” I insisted. “It won’t happen to me! I won’t let it! I’ll—I’ll make my own luck!”
    The bulky, black coat shook as the Fate Master uttered a hoarse laugh. It sounded more like dry coughing than laughter. “ Young man, do you really think you can go up against FATE? I control EVERYTHING that happens! Do you really think you can defy FATE? ”
    â€œI don’t care what you say!” I screamed. “I’m not going to be some kind of slave! You can’t control me! You can’t!”
    The Fate Master sighed. The red eyes faded inside the hood. “Do I really have to prove myself to you? Okay. So be it. ”
    He leaned closer. So close that I could see into the hood. I could see that he had no face! Just two glowing eyes floating in blackness.
    â€œLuke — that concussion you had in the gym? ” he rasped. “I’m afraid it’s much worse than you thought. Feel your ears. ”
    â€œHuh?” My hands shot up to my ears. I felt wetness.
    Warm wetness.
    I lowered my hands. My fingers dripped with blood.
    My ears were bleeding!
    I felt the warm blood pour down my earlobes, trickle down the sides of my face.
    Frantically I pressed the palms of my hands against my ears.
    â€œ That won’t stop the bleeding, Luke ,” the Fate Master whispered. “ That blood won’t clot. It’s just going to keep pouring out. Bad luck, I’m afraid. Very bad luck. ”
    â€œNo—please!” I pleaded. “Make it stop!”
    The eyes flared. “ Do you believe in me now? Do you believe that you belong to me? ”
    â€œOkay,” I said. “Okay. I believe you.”
    â€œ Your fate is in my hands—both of you. You must pay for the good luck you had. You must suffer bad luck now— ”
    â€œNo—please!” I begged. “I need more time. Things are just starting to go right for me. The basketball team … my animation … the swim team … I’ll do anything. I need more