Free The Evil Lives! by R.L. Stine

her fists.
    She’s my best friend, Amanda told herself. She won’t hurt me.
    But what if the Evil is inside her?
    Janine finally stopped pacing and spun around to face Amanda.
    Amanda stayed close to the door, ready to run if she had to. “What is it?” she asked. “Why did you drag me in here?”
    â€œThe Evil,” Janine announced.
    Amanda licked her dry lips. “What . . . what about it?”
    â€œI read Corky Corcoran’s letter again,” Janine went on. “And I’m scared, Amanda. Scared stiff!”
    Was that the expression on her face before? Amanda wondered. Fear? Fear so strong she couldn’t scream or cry?
    â€œI know we were just kidding around when we called up the Evil. But what if it worked?” Janine asked. “Corky said her friends died in horrible ways—just like Luke and Natalie. Maybe we brought the Evil back!”
    Amanda sagged against the wall, feeling relieved. Janine wouldn’t talk like this if the Evil possessed her, would she? “I’ve been wondering the same thing,” she admitted.
    â€œYou have? Thank goodness!” Janine closed her eyes and sighed in relief. “I was afraid to tell anyone. Afraid they’d think I’m crazy.”
    â€œThen we’re both crazy,” Amanda told her. “Because I can’t stop thinking about it.”
    â€œMe either!” Janine cried. “When Luke died, I tried to tell myself it was just a horrible accident. Like maybe his brain went haywire or something and he couldn’t stop himself from running straight into the bleachers.”
    â€œBut you don’t think so anymore?”
    Janine shook her head. “I’m not sure. But I kept thinking about Corky’s letter. And the Evil. And after what just happened to Natalie, I’m terrified. What if the Evil did come back—and it’s inside one of us?”
    Amanda shivered and wrapped her arms around herself. “What if it’s true?” she whispered, almost afraid to say it any louder. “What could we do?”
    â€œCorky’s letter,” Janine declared. “It said the only way to kill the Evil is to drown it, remember? The possessed person must drown for the Evil to die!”
    We don’t know who is possessed, Amanda thought. And even if we did, could we really drown someone?
    â€œI’m scared, Amanda,” Janine repeated. “I’m so scared.”
    Amanda clutched her arms and forced herself to stop shaking. “We can’t get hysterical yet,” she said. “We aren’t sure about anything. First we need to know if we really brought back the Evil.”
    â€œHow?”
    Amanda thought a second. “Remember what Corky wrote about that bus that crashed? And that girl—Jennifer—who fell onto Sarah Fear’s grave?” Amanda asked. “I think we need to go there, to the Fear Street Cemetery.”
    Janine’s eyes widened. “That creepy place? Why?”
    â€œThat’s where it all started,” Amanda replied. “Corky said the Evil came from Sarah Fear’s grave. We have to go there. We have to see if the grave has been disturbed.”
    Janine nodded reluctantly. “You’re right. When should we do it?”
    â€œNow,” Amanda declared. “Let’s go now, before we chicken out.”
    Amanda quickly changed out of her uniform, thengrabbed her jacket, and hurried out of the locker room with Janine.
    The gym had emptied out now. Natalie’s body was gone. Amanda glanced at the spot where it had fallen.
    The wood was stained a rusty brown color. Stained with blood, Amanda thought.
    She glanced away and followed Janine to her car in the student parking lot. They passed a few police officers who were on their way into the school.
    â€œIt’s starting to get dark,” Janine murmured as she drove down Park Drive. “Are you sure you want to do this