Free The Betrayal by R.L. Stine

careful!” Mary called. “You’re up so high, and it’s so dark, and—”
    Her voice caught in her throat as Edward’s arms shot up. She saw his legs buckle and his body tilt.
    And then she opened her mouth wide and began to scream as she realized Edward was falling, falling headfirst to the ground.

Chapter 14

    Edward hit the ground with a sickening crack.
    The horrifying sound split the air, louder than Mary’s screams.
    A second later another scream burst from the house.
    Matthew came hurrying from the toolhouse at the end of the garden, followed by Benjamin, hobbling as fast as he could with his walking stick.
    Rebecca was the first from the house, with Constance right behind her.
    Mary, her hands pressed against her face, hurried to Edward, diving beside him on the dark ground. “Edward—?”
    He gazed up at her lifelessly, a startled expression frozen on his face.

    â€œEdward—?”
    He blinked. Swallowed hard. Took a noisy, deep breath.
    â€œMy arm—” he whispered.
    Mary lowered her gaze to his left arm buried beneath his body at an unnatural angle. She gasped.
    â€œI—I can’t move it,” Edward whispered.
    â€œYou broke it,” Mary told him, gently placing a hand on his chest.
    â€œWhat happened?” Benjamin cried breathlessly, still struggling to get to the house.
    â€œIs Edward injured?” Matthew demanded.
    â€œEdward, can you get up?” Constance asked softly.
    Mary turned and raised her eyes to her mother and Rebecca. “Oh, Mother!” she cried in horror, her mouth dropping open in disbelief.
    The front of Constance’s dress was splattered with blood.
    â€œI—I—” Constance lowered her gaze. She held up her hand. Blood poured down her arm.
    â€œI was cleaning the carving knife when I heard you scream, Mary,” she explained. “The sound startled me. The knife slipped, and—” She hesitated. “I shall be fine. I just—”
    â€œLet us get you into the house!” Mary cried, jumping to her feet. “We have to stop the bleeding.”
    As Mary led her mother back to the kitchen, Matthew and Rebecca lifted Edward to his feet. With his good arm around Rebecca’s shoulders, Edward took a few unsteady steps.
    â€œI think I can walk,” Edward said, his jaw clenched against the pain. “But my arm … it is badly broken, I fear.”

    Leaning heavily on his walking stick, Benjamin Fier watched them walk off, shaking his head. “Cursed,” he growled to himself. “The whole family is cursed.”
    The harsh crowing of roosters woke Mary at dawn. Gray light filtered through her tiny bedroom window. The air in the room felt hot and heavy.
    She pulled herself up slowly, not at all rested. The back of her shift stuck to her skin.
    What a horrid night, she thought, stretching, her shoulders aching. I don’t think I slept an entire hour. I just kept picturing Edward lying on the ground in a heap. I kept hearing the crack as his arm broke. And I kept seeing the blood pouring down Mother’s arm.
    I tied Mother’s wrist as tightly as I could. But it seemed to take forever to stop the flow of blood.
    Meanwhile, Edward howled in pain as Matthew struggled to set the broken arm. Ezra was screaming and crying in the corner. Poor Rebecca didn’t know which of her family to comfort—Edward or Ezra?
    Finally a sling was fashioned for Edward from a bolt of heavy linen. Rebecca led her family back to their house, Ezra’s frightened wails ringing through the air.
    What an unfortunate night.
    Mary lowered her feet to the floor, then made her way to the dresser, squinting against the gray light.
    Why do I have this feeling? she wondered. Why do I have this dark feeling that our bad luck isn’t over?
    *   *   *

    Mary returned from the henhouse after breakfast, a large basket of white and brown eggs pressed against