Haunting of Lily Frost Read Online Free Page A

senses about living all the way out here. Without even seeing the number, I know which one’s ours. It’s the looming grey number at the end of the street, the last house that makes my stomach start to go at a crashing pace. The photos on the website don’t give any real sense of how huge and imposing it is.
    As Dad drives up, a large Alsatian dog runs out onto the middle of the road. Dad jams on the brakes, swerves to miss it, and almost hits the kerb instead. The dog has stopped right in the middle of the road, like he’s daring anyone to come nearer. Dad toots at him and he snarls back, refusing to move. He’s creeping me out.
    Dad makes a joke about the locals, just as there’s a loud whistle from the other side of the road. The dog pricks its ears and bounds off. I look around to see who whistled, but there’s just a kid riding off on a bike.
    As Dad parks the car outside, Ruby grips my hand. She whispers in my ear, ‘It’s massive.’
    All I can do is nod.
    My brother already has his seatbelt off and is getting out of the car as Dad turns off the engine.
    â€˜Looks haunted,’ says Max. I glare at him for saying what I’m thinking, and refuse to be drawn into his childish ten-year-old world. ‘Don’t be stupid.’
    He half punches me as he launches out of the car. Ruby and I don’t move as Mum and Dad follow Max. Ruby is still gripping my hand, tightly. In fact if she grips it any tighter, my fingers will break. ‘We should get out,’ she says, making no attempt to.
    She doesn’t let go of my hand and I wonder if she’s thinking there’s something sort of strange about this place, too. For some reason I don’t want to talk about it with her. As if by saying it aloud, it’ll be true.
    I guess there’s only one way to find out. I lean across her lap and open the door. Then I nudge her, and climb out after her. Mum’s sniffing a pink rose in the front garden and Dad and Max are kicking a deflated old basketball along the path, as Ruby and I walk up. Even my family seem suddenly odd.
    The little round window in the attic is almost obscured by the overhang of the roof, but I still look up at it, like it’ll provide me with some answers. And as I do there’s a sudden movement behind the window. I’m sure of it. A shadow or grey sketchy shape that looks like a face. I know this is weird, but it looks a bit like my face.
    Dad told us on a camping trip about this friend of his who’d been filming outside an old mansion and when they were editing later, in the windows they found a figure that hadn’t been there. I’d laughed, because we were sitting around a campfire with sleeping bags zipped tight up under our chins and telling spooky stories, but now it doesn’t seem so funny.
    I grab Ruby’s arm.
    â€˜Ow! That hurt, Lil.’
    â€˜There’s someone up there, Rubes,’ I whisper so my parents can’t hear.
    Ruby looks straight up to where I’m pointing. ‘Where?’
    â€˜In that little window.’
    â€˜Probably birds or something. It’s an old house. Anything could be living there.’
    â€˜Yeah. That’s what I’m worried about.’
    Sensing the fear in my voice, she takes a proper look. ‘There’s nothing.’
    â€˜Really?’ And when I look up, I see that she’s right. There’s nothing there.
    â€˜Didn’t think you believed in ghosts.’
    â€˜I don’t,’ I whisper. But I can hear my voice shaking.
    With one last glance at the now empty window, I step up to the front door where Dad is waiting for us all. ‘Ready? Isn’t this exciting?’ He’s got this goofy grin on his face.
    â€˜Yeah. Riveting.’
    â€˜Give it a—’
    â€˜Chance? Yep. Heard it all before.’
    He looks disappointed in me. I don’t want him to look at me like that; I just want him to understand how I’m