Free The Secret by R.L. Stine

of?” he asked. “You are not afraid of
me,
are you?”
    â€œNo, I am not afraid of you. I am afraid of the curse. I am afraid that something could happen—something terrible—to stop our wedding.”
    â€œNothing
can stop me from marrying you!” Jonathan declared, rising to his feet. “And to make sure of that, we shall marry as soon as possible. Your father can marry us. He is a minister. He can do it
today,
before anything can happen.”
    Delilah’s face lit up. Smiling, she wiped the tears from her cheeks. “He is at the church right now. Oh, Jonathan, I am so happy! I can hardly believe this is happening.”
    Jonathan smiled at her, but deep inside him a question still burned. Could this marriage really end the curse—once and for all? Could that be possible?
    â€œWe will be sisters, Delilah!” Rachel exclaimed. “I will bear witness at the ceremony.”
    Jonathan had almost forgotten his sister was there. “No, Rachel,” he ordered. “Run home and stay with Papa. He will be wondering where you are now—and he must not find you here. Run home—please. Hurry!”
    In the tiny clapboard church Jonathan gripped Delilah’s hand. Her father, the Reverend Wilson, stood behind a simple altar, facing them, a worn black leather Bible in his hands.
    â€œI, Jonathan, take thee, Delilah …”
    Jonathan repeated the minister’s words, hardly knowing what he said. His heart was racing. His only desire was to get safely through the ceremony—and then to hold his new wife in his arms.
    Now Delilah repeated the vows.
    Jonathan stole a glance at his beautiful bride. He only wished his mother was still alive to share this moment.
    The ceremony was nearly over. In moments I will be married, he thought.
    And the curse will be ended. The Fiers and the Goodes will be joined.
    The Reverend Wilson cleared his throat. “If anyone knows of just cause why these two should not be united in holy matrimony, let him speak now, or forever hold his peace.”
    Silence.
    Then a startling crash.
    Spinning around, Jonathan saw that the doors of the small church had flown open.
    Silhouetted against the bright daylight outside, a man came into focus.
    What is that in his hand? Jonathan wondered, squinting into the bright rectangle of light.
    A rifle?
    Ezra!
    â€œStop at once!” Ezra screamed. He burst into the church and strode up the aisle, rifle in hand.
    Rachel burst in behind him. “Jonathan, I am sorry!” she cried, her voice shrill with fear. “Papa made me tell! I am sorry!”
    The little girl tugged desperately at her father’s arm, trying to hold him back. Ezra pushed his daughterroughly aside and continued down the aisle, his eyes narrowed on Jonathan, his features set in hard fury.
    â€œStop this wedding!” he demanded. He stopped and raised the rifle to his shoulder. “All Goodes must die!”
    Jonathan felt his heart skip. “Papa—no!” he screamed.
    With a desperate cry he dived toward his father and grabbed the gun, trying to take it from him.
    They struggled.
    Delilah raised her hands to her face and screamed.
    â€œTraitor!” Ezra snarled bitterly to his son. “How could you do this to me?”
    â€œPapa—give me the gun!” Jonathan demanded.
    The two men wrestled over it, their shoes scuffling over the wooden floorboards.
    â€œGive it to me!” Jonathan pleaded.
    He tugged hard and pulled the rifle free.
    As Jonathan staggered back with it, the rifle went off.
    â€œOhhh!” Jonathan uttered a startled cry as the sound echoed through the tiny church.
    He heard a sharp cry.
    And turned to the altar.
    Delilah stood as if suspended by wires, her features twisted in shock and horror.
    A red stain appeared on the front of her white dress.
    Jonathan stared helplessly as the stain darkened and spread.
    I’ve shot Delilah, he realized.

Chapter 16

    â€œD