The Third Horror by R.L. Stine

he discussed a lighting
     
    problem with one of the crew. He greeted Burt and Marge and asked Noah to get rid of his gum. One of the assistants hurried over to take the gum from the boy.
    Bo turned back to the actors. Kody sat rigidly beside Persia, who stared at her dark nails and didn't even bother to look up or say good morning.
    "Nice day," Kody said, scooting her chair in.
    Persia muttered something under her breath in reply.
    "How is everyone today?" Bo called cheerily, resting his hands on Burt's shoulders. "I love having a big roast beef dinner at seven in the morning, don't you?"
    Burt and Marge laughed. Noah yawned and slid down in his chair so that his head barely poked over the table.
    "Bo, I can't believe we're actually going to shoot a scene," Persia remarked, rolling her eyes. She turned to Kody. "Is my wig on straight? Yours is a little crooked."
    "I'm not wearing a wig," Kody replied sharply.
    "That's your real hair?" Persia asked, pretending to be surprised. "I told my hairdresser not to make the wig so neat. I mean, your hair is always so—free. Since I'm stuck playing you, I wanted my hair to have that same disheveled look."
    "Thanks," Kody replied sarcastically.
    "Persia, give her a break," Bo interrupted. He stepped back toward the camera. "One run-through. Then we shoot." He turned toward the back and shouted, "Props! Let's get the food out, okay?"
     
    "Coming right out. We're spraying the meat!" a woman's voice called from the kitchen.
    "That's to make it shine and look yummy," Bo explained to Kody. He turned to Persia. "While we're waiting, let's block out your knife-fight idea. I'm still not sure I get it."
    "It's just a little competitive moment between the sisters," Persia told him impatiently. "Kody always feels second best, right? She always feels left out. Cally is the beauty and the one with all the brains and all the luck and blah blah blah."
    "We know all that," Bo said, glancing at his watch.
    "So when Dad says *Pass the carving knife,' both sisters grab for it at the same time," Persia continued. "And neither one wants to let go. They have a short tug-of-war, that's all. Just to show how competitive Kody feels."
    "Let me see how it'll work," Bo said, rubbing the dark stubble on his chin. "Run through it for me once."
    Burt passed the black-handled carving knife over to Persia.
    Persia placed it in front of her. "Now, be careful and don't cut yourself," she told Kody as if talking to a three-year-old.
    "You should move the knife more between us," Kody suggested. "That would make it more logical for me to reach for it."
    Persia slid the knife closer to Kody. "Perhaps you could give Kody a little direction," Persia suggested to Bo. "I know that Kody hasn't had any improv train-
     
    ing. I don't want to get her any more tense than she already is. The poor thing is quivering like jelly."
    "I am not!" Kody protested shrilly, her face bright red.
    "Let's just play through the scene, okay?" Bo told Persia. "I'm not so sure it's going to work anyway."
    "It'll work if she can handle it," Persia replied coolly.
    "Burt—give them some kind of cue," Bo instructed.
    "Then, when the two sisters struggle over the knife, should I try to stop it?" Marge asked.
    "Let's see how it plays," Bo replied, stepping back. "Let's go. Action."
    Burt cleared his throat. "This roast beef looks delicious," he said, smiling down at an empty platter. "Would you please pass the carving knife?"
    Persia reached for the knife.
    But Kody grabbed it first.
    She lifted it by the handle, raised it straight up, then brought the blade down hard, plunging it through the back of Persia's hand, pinning Persia's hand to the table.

Chapter 25
    Bo stared frozen in shock as Kody let go of the knife and calmly lowered her hands to her lap.
    Persia didn't start screaming until the bright red blood began to pour over the back of her hand.
    It took a second for everyone to realize what had happened. Someone had replaced the prop knife with