The Third Horror by R.L. Stine Page B

down on the low stool, struggling against the ropes that held her arms and legs. The handkerchief tied around her face as a gag choked her dry throat.
    She had twisted and pulled at the ropes for hours. With no success.
    How long had she been locked down in the basement?
    Terrified and exhausted, she had lost track of the time. She knew it must be daytime. She heard the voices above her head, heard the screams, heard all the commotion.
    She knew Cally had taken her place. She knew Cally was upstairs in the dining room, pretending to be her.
     
    And now Kody knew that Cally had become evil.
    Cally was not Cally anymore.
    The night before, the shadow of Cally had swept over Kody, darkened over her, darkened until Kody felt as if she were floating in a cold, bottomless cavern.
    In the icy darkness Kody felt Cally's evil. She felt Cally's anger, felt the hatred that filled her heart.
    When the darkness lifted, Kody found herself locked in the bare basement room. Gagged. Her ankles tied together. Her hands tied behind her back.
    Cally, she realized, had lured her there and then imprisoned her, determined to take her place.
    And now what was Cally doing upstairs?
    As Kody sat hunched over on the low stool, struggling to hear, other sounds invaded her ears.
    The scratching, scuttling sounds. The swish of tails being dragged over the basement floor.
    The rats. So close. So close Kody thought she could hear them breathe.
    She heard a shrill hiss.
    The scratching grew nearer.
    Kody struggled awkwardly to her feet and glanced around the walls of the small room.
    Where were the rats? Why did they sound so close?
    Her heart began to thud in her chest. She swallowed hard.
    Another hiss, almost like dry laughter.
    The scratch of sharp rat claws.
    Where? Where are they?
    Kody spun to the door. Then turned back.
     
    And spotted the hole in the wall. A slender crack down near the floor.
    Just a crack. But big enough for a rat to crawl through.
    Or several rats.
    Staring hard at the crack between two stones, she dropped to her knees. She lowered her head to the crack—and listened.
    Scratching. A shrill screeching hiss.
    Yes. The rats were on the other side, Kody realized.
    But could they squeeze through the crack?
    Were they going to?

Chapter 27
    Kody shuddered as she lowered her face to the crack and peered through it. To her surprise, she saw light on the other side.
    Tihing her head down to see, the gag popped off Kody's face. She swallowed hard.
    As her eyes focused, she saw a rat sitting on its haunches.
    Another rat, its scraggly whiskers twitching, bared its teeth and hissed at the first rat.
    Kody's breath caught in her throat as she struggled to see the other room clearly. How many rats were in that room?
    "There, there, dear."
    The sound of the woman's voice made Kody jerk
     
    back. Startled, she raised herself on her knees and struggled to catch her breath.
    "There, there. That's a dear." The voice sounded so familiar.
    But who would be down in the basement? And whom was the woman talking to?
    Struggling to balance, Kody took a deep breath and lowered her face once again to the slender crack in the wall.
    The rats had moved, she saw. Or perhaps these were different rats. One of them, a plump brown creature with a long, hairy tail, scuttled in quick circles.
    "Stop that, dear. You'll only tire yourself," the woman's voice scolded.
    Kody raised her eyes and discovered the owner of the voice.
    Mrs. Nordstrom!
    The housekeeper sat on a low stool similar to the one in Kody's small room, bending and talking to the rats at her feet.
    No! Kody thought. This is a dream! This can't be real!
    Shifting her body to get a better view, Kody squinted hard into the next room—and saw two other familiar figures seated beside Mrs. Nordstrom.
    "Look at him run circles!" Mr. Hankers exclaimed, elbowing Mr. Lurie in the ribs.
    "Don't tire yourself," Mrs. Nordstrom scolded the circling rat.
     
    Mr. Hankers tore off a strip of cheese from a slice he