Stalking Shadows (Scary Mary) Read Online Free Page A

stopped.
    “Wait, this isn’t the lobby.” She turned to get back on the elevator, but the doors had closed.
    “Isn’t this Vicky’s floor?” Mary said, knowing full well that it was. She started down the corridor.
    “Mary, are you serious? We should go.”
    “Since we’re here, we might as well peek in.”
    Rachel snagged her arm and turned her around. “Seriously? Don’t you think that’s kind of, I don’t know, morbid?”
    She brushed off Rachel’s hand. “We don’t have to go in. I just want to get a glimpse.”
    Rachel’s mouth thinned. Mary began down the corridor again. She glanced into the patient rooms as she passed. It was pretty deserted. There were a couple of bored nurses at the nurse’s station. The girls nodded as they walked past, but the nurses barely gave them a glance. Mary saw 204 ahead. She lengthened her stride.
    The door was open. She cautiously looked in and saw the room was empty except for Vicky. She stepped into the room. “Mary?” Rachel said. She didn’t sound happy.
    Mary went to Vicky’s side. She needed to know if her dreams were real. Vicky looked just like she had in Mary’s dream. There was a bandage around her head with a lump of gauze positioned over her left eye. She hadn’t made that up. The only thing different was that Vicky’s eyes were closed, and she was lying down. Mary reached out and touched Vicky’s hand. She half expected the cheerleader’s eyes to pop open and for her to start berating Mary for taking so long, but there was no reaction to her touch. Vicky’s hand was warm, but so still. The machines beeped softly, and the IV dripped. This whole scene didn’t seem like Vicky at all. Where was the loud-mouthed, brash girl who made Mary’s life miserable? Rachel had crept up beside her and looked down at the comatose girl.
    “We shouldn’t be here,” Rachel whispered.
    “I’m just trying to figure something out,” Mary whispered back.
    “Hello?”
    Mary jerked her hand off Vicky’s arm and turned around. She’d felt guilty lying to Mrs. Pillar, now she felt like the lowest criminal looking at the woman in the doorway. She had on a light blue, velour zip-up hoody with matching pants. Her hair was up in a bun, but it had started to come undone a bit. There were dark circles underneath her eyes, and no makeup had been used to try and conceal it. The auburn color of her hair sealed the deal. She was Vicky’s mother.
    “Hi, sorry. We didn’t mean to disturb. We just wanted to see how Vicky was doing.”
    Rachel turned shocked eyes to Mary.
    Mrs. Nelson went over to a chair by the bed. She sank down and picked up one of Vicky’s lax hands. “No, it’s nice that you stopped by. All friends of Vicky’s are welcome. It’s good for her to be surrounded by people who care about her. The doctors say she can hear us, so she knows you’re here, and it’ll help her get better.”
    Mary nodded. “But she’s doing, okay?”
    Mrs. Nelson looked at her daughter. There was a bittersweet hope in her eyes. “She’s only sleeping. She’ll wake up.”
    Mary nodded again. “Yeah, nothing can keep Vicky down.”
    Mrs. Nelson smiled. “You’re absolutely right. My girl’s strong.”
    Rachel shuffled her feet. “Do you need us to get you anything?”
    Mrs. Nelson turned her wispy smile to Rachel. “No, thank you. I just ate dinner downstairs in the cafeteria with Vicky’s father. He’s gone home to shower and change. He’ll be back in a few hours. I’ll be fine until then. Do you girls have any classes with Vicky?”
    Mary nodded. “I have sixth-period English with her. I’ve known Vicky since grade school.”
    “You have?”
    She nodded. Rachel grabbed Mary’s hand and began backing toward the doorway. “We don’t want to intrude anymore. We should go. It was nice meeting you, Mrs. Nelson. Vicky’s a fighter. She’ll pull through this.”
    “It was so nice of you girls to stop by. I’m sure Vicky appreciates it, too.”
    Mary balked