R. Stine - Red Rain

“To rule the school,” Samuel replied. He didn’t move. Didn’t try to free himself from her hold on him.

“Yes. Rule the school,” his twin echoed.

“I don’t get it,” Ruth-Ann said.

“I think that’s why they’ve got those stupid arrows painted on their faces,” Elena told her. She realized it was the first mean thing she’d said to them since they arrived. But they were starting to annoy her.

She had spent a lot of time telling Ruth-Ann how cute they were, how adorable they acted together. But they weren’t being any fun tonight.

“If Ruth-Ann and I go down and see what you want to show us, will you leave us alone?”

“No.” Daniel returned her stare.

Ruth-Ann laughed. “You won’t leave us alone?”

“No.” The two boys in unison.

“You will stay with us. You will help us rule the school.”

“Stop saying that!” Elena snapped. “We’re not going to stay with you, and we’re not-”

Ruth-Ann grabbed her hand to silence her. She leaned over the boys, who were at least a foot shorter than her. “Why do you want Elena and me to stay with you? Are you frightened of something?”

That made them smile for the first time.

“We’re not afraid,” Daniel said. “We don’t know fear of things, don’t you know.” His smile faded quickly. “You will both live with all of us. You will help us.”

Elena squinted at him. “ All of you? Don’t you mean just you and Ira?”

“There are others,” Samuel said. “We have others now who want to go up .”

Elena and Ruth-Ann exchanged confused glances. “You have other kids living with you out there? Do Mom and Dad know about this?”

“They’re joking,” Ruth-Ann muttered.

“They don’t look like they’re joking.”

Elena’s phone chimed. A text message. She ignored it.

“Let’s go,” Daniel said, motioning with his eyes to the bedroom door.

“Bring your things. Hurry,” Samuel said.

Both girls crossed their arms defiantly. “No way.”

“Beat it, you two,” Elena snapped. “You’re annoying us. Get lost.”

“You’re my sister,” Daniel said to Elena. “You will join us now. We are bruvvers and sisters.”

“Sisters? Leave me out of this,” Ruth-Ann insisted.

“Go away. I mean it,” Elena insisted. “You’re not allowed in my room, remember? Ruth-Ann and I want to be alone.”

“This isn’t your room, lassie,” Daniel replied, his brogue suddenly growing thicker. “You will be living among your bruvvers now.”

“Are you nuts?” Elena was a patient person, but they were pushing the limits here. She took a breath. Don’t lose it. Maybe this is some weird game they played on the island. Maybe it’s a big tease.

“Where’s Ira? Why are you leaving him alone down there?”

“He isn’t alone,” Daniel replied. “I told you, there are others now. And they are waiting for you.” He scraped a finger down her cheek. “I will be putting the arrow on right here. It will look so lovely.”

“Get your hand off me. Hey-”

Her breath caught in her throat when she saw the change on Samuel’s face. His eyes-those wet blue eyes-they were suddenly fiery red.

Ruth-Ann uttered a gasp. She bumped up against Elena.

Elena stared into the glowing red eyes. “Samuel? What’s wrong with you? Are you okay? Your eyes-”

“We don’t want to hurt you,” Daniel said in a low voice just above a whisper. “But you cannot be insulting your bruvvers.”

Elena heard a sizzling sound. Like something frying on the stove. It took her a long moment to realize the crackling and sizzling came from Samuel’s glowing red eyes.

And then she felt the searing heat on her forehead, lowering over her face.

“Oww! That burns ! Stop it! Stop it!”

And Ruth-Ann was screaming, too. The two of them screaming in pain as Samuel glared from one to the other, and the scorching heat pierced their skin.

“Stop! It hurts! Stop it! You’re burning me!”

Lea yawned and dropped her bag on the blue granite kitchen counter. She shook out her hair. “God, I’m tired.”

Mark tossed the car keys beside her bag. “It was an interesting group of people.”

“Interesting makes me tired.” She kicked off her shoes.

He brushed his lips against her cheek. She could smell the wine on his breath. “At least I got you away from that laptop for a few hours.”

She made an ugly face. Then she pulled a bottle of Poland Spring water from the fridge and took a long drink.

Mark decided to change the subject. He didn’t want to bring up the twins again. He’d been thinking about them all night. He knew he had to handle the problem on his own. It was so impossible to talk to her about them.

I’m still feeling the wine. Maybe I should wait till morning.

“Huntley had some good jokes.” He started to unbutton his Hawaiian shirt. “The Wall Street guys always hear the best jokes. I always wonder where they come from.”

“Where jokes come from?”

He nodded. “Yeah. They don’t just spring up from nowhere.”

“Boring,” she murmured. She capped the water bottle and set it down on the counter.

He put on a fake pout. “Boring? You think I’m boring?”

“You’re not boring, sweetheart. Jokes are boring. I mean, all you can do is laugh at them. That’s not interesting.” She pulled off her silver bracelet and shook her hand as if it had been too tight. “What I can’t understand is why Nestor keeps all that African art in a summerhouse. I mean, really.”

“I don’t think that’s strange, Lea. He just likes to have it around him. If you were into collecting African art, you’d want to be able to see it. Besides, he said his apartment in the city is filled up. He doesn’t have any room left.”

“But he’s taking a hell of a risk, Mark. Anyone could break into his house when he’s away in the city. It’s all glass. And some of that art is valuable. The death masks-”

“Those are so interesting. Scary, really. The white carved ones. I wouldn’t want them on the wall staring at me all day.”

“They’re not carved, actually. They’re molded. Molded on the dead person’s face after he dies.”

“Oh, I forgot.” Mark took the water bottle and twirled it between his hands. “You’re the expert on death rituals now.”

She slapped his wrist gently. “Don’t make fun of me, sweetheart. You know, some tribes believed you could communicate with the dead person through the mask. The dead spirit was on the other side, but the mask was on this side, so you could talk through it. Sometimes, the mask was to protect the dead person from evil spirits. You know, disguise him so the evil spirits wouldn’t recognize him. It’s kind of how Halloween masks started.”

“Lea, why are you doing all this research into death rituals? Tell me.”

“It’s what I’m interested in now. Can’t you accept that?”

He rubbed his hand over his face. “Know any good jokes?” He dodged away so she couldn’t slap him.

Lea yawned again and stretched her arms at her sides. “It’s late. We should get to bed. I have a lot of writing to do tomorrow. I-”

Elena entered, carrying a balled-up bedsheet and pillow. Ruth-Ann followed, arms loaded down with jeans and tops and other clothes.

Lea blinked as if she was seeing a mirage. The girls didn’t offer a greeting. They moved past Lea and Mark on their way to the kitchen door.

“Where are you going?” Lea finally managed to say.

“Out back,” Elena replied without turning around.

“Why?”

“Don’t you say hello? Are we invisible or something?” Mark said.