The Dare Read Online Free Page B

Fear Street creeps me out when I’m all alone at night.
    Outside the bedroom window, a light snow was falling. The wind gusted and swirled, making the old window rattle. Every once in a while, I could feel a cold burst of air on the back of my neck.
    â€œI keep thinking about Dennis Arthur,” I told Margaret. “You know. Down in the Bahamas, swimming and snorkeling and everything while we freeze.”
    â€œYeah,” Margaret replied, sighing. “Let’s face it, Johanna. We have boring lives. I mean, the most exciting thing that happens to me is when somebody leaves a whole dollar tip at the restaurant.”
    â€œI should be working on my report,” I murmured, yawning.
    â€œWow. Mr. Northwood is sure losing it these days,” Margaret remarked. “I mean, he’s been on everybody’s case.”
    â€œNot everybody’s,” I corrected her.
    â€œWhat do you mean?” Margaret asked.
    â€œWell, haven’t you noticed how he picks only on Dennis and his friends? You know. The rich kids. Caitlin and Melody—the group that was at the 7-Eleven that night last week.”
    Margaret was silent for a moment. I guess she was thinking about what I said. “Well,” she piped up finally, “if he’s picking only on the rich kids, I guess you and I have got it made!”
    I snickered. “Yeah. I guess we’re going to ace the course.”
    â€œWhy do you think Northwood is on their case?” Margaret demanded.
    I started to reply but stopped.
    I heard the slam of a car door. Then I heard a crash downstairs.
    Broken glass? A broken window?
    â€œMargaret—I’ve got to go!” I cried. “I—I think someone is trying to break in!”

chapter 6
    I felt a cold stab of dread as I jumped to my feet and ran to my bedroom window. The crash sounded as if it had come from the front of the house.
    I stared down at the front yard. There were no streetlights on my block on Fear Street. But our porch light was on, sending a wash of pale yellow light over the small square of front lawn.
    The snow had stopped. It had left small patches of white on the dark grass.
    I pressed my forehead against the cold windowpane and stared down. No one on the front stoop or near the front of the house. No one in the front yard.
    Then I saw dark shadows moving. At the bottom of Mr. Northwood’s driveway. I saw a car parked at the curb. I saw three or four kids huddled behind Mr. Northwood’s old Chevy Caprice.
    I recognized Zack. Then I recognized Melody and Caitlin. Then I saw Lanny’s blond hair. Yes. Therewere four of them, ducking low behind my neighbor’s car.
    What’s going on? I wondered. What are they going to do?
    I had a sudden picture of them setting Mr. Northwood’s house on fire, then speeding away.
    But that was too much. They wouldn’t do that.
    But what
were
they planning to do?
    Impulsively I grabbed a big bulky sweater from my closet shelf and pulled it over my head as I hurried downstairs. Then, my breath trailing up in front of me, I ran down to the bottom of Mr. Northwood’s driveway to greet them.
    â€œWhoa!” Zack exclaimed in a low voice. “Johanna? What are
you
doing here?”
    All four of them stared at me as if I were from Mars or something.
    â€œI live here,” I said, ducking behind Mr. Northwood’s car beside Melody. I pointed to my house. I had left the front door wide open. It was going to get freezing cold in there, I realized. But I didn’t want to run back and close the door.
    â€œYou live next door to Northwood?” Melody demanded. Those were the most words she had ever spoken to me.
    â€œYeah.” I nodded. “Lucky, huh?”
    â€œThis whole street gives me the creeps,” Caitlin complained.
    Zack had a wool ski cap on his head. He pulled it down lower until it nearly covered his blue sunglasses. “Northwood belongs on Fear Street,” he