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Back The Sleepover Save as PDF
Chapters (72)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. PROLOGUE
  4. 1
  5. 2
  6. 3
  7. 4
  8. 5
  9. 6
  10. 7
  11. 8
  12. 9
  13. 10
  14. 11
  15. 12
  16. 13
  17. 14
  18. 15
  19. 16
  20. 17
  21. 18
  22. 19
  23. 20
  24. 21
  25. 22
  26. 23
  27. 24
  28. 25
  29. 26
  30. 27
  31. 28
  32. 29
  33. 30
  34. 31
  35. 32
  36. 33
  37. 34
  38. 35
  39. 36
  40. 37
  41. 38
  42. 39
  43. 40
  44. 41
  45. 42
  46. 43
  47. 44
  48. 45
  49. 46
  50. 47
  51. 48
  52. 49
  53. 50
  54. 51
  55. 52
  56. 53
  57. 54
  58. 55
  59. 56
  60. 57
  61. 58
  62. 59
  63. 60
  64. 61
  65. 62
  66. 63
  67. 64
  68. EPILOGUE
  69. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  70. MORE FROM KERI BEEVIS
  71. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
  72. About Boldwood Books

Hannah reached down for one of the jars. Pickled sauce. She had it.

Gripping it tightly in her clammy hand, she charged back up the stairs.

Mrs W still stood blocking the doorway. She glanced past Hannah into the darkness, her eyes widening. ‘What’s that behind you? Oh no. Mr Bennett? Is that you?’

In her panic to get out of the cellar, Hannah tripped on the last step, going down heavily on her knees, the jar of pickled sauce slipping from her grip. The sound as it fell down the stairs, the glass smashing as it hit the bottom, echoed loudly.

Ignoring her throbbing knees, Hannah glanced up at Mrs W, fear clogging her throat. ‘I… I’m sorry.’

Mrs W’s mouth twisted into a cruel smile and while she looked angry, she also seemed to be enjoying herself. ‘You’re going to pay for that.’

47

No longer here. Can’t hurt you.

Hannah repeated the mantra as she strode around the bedroom, determined that she was in charge now and reminding herself that Mrs W no longer had any power over her.

The memory of what had happened next would stay with her forever, but she refused to let it control her, and she was angry now that it had done for so long.

With Liam and Tank in tow, she insisted on exploring every bit of the farmhouse.

The hardest moment was standing at the top of the stone steps trying to build up courage to go down into the cellar. She remembered the rush of fear that Mr Bennett was lurking, the sound of the pickle jar breaking, and look of hatred on Mrs W’s face as she stood trapped on the stairs. Forcing herself to push through it, she used the torch on her phone to lead the way, showing Liam the cupboard where Mrs W had locked her inside.

He frowned as he looked at her, the shadowy light making his handsome face appear almost dangerous. It wasn’t him though. It was this place and the evil that she associated it with. The evil that had once lurked inside.

‘I’m sorry she put you through that.’

Hannah nodded, trying to keep the emotional side of her detached. It was easier that way.

Besides, they both knew that the cupboard wasn’t the worst of it.

‘I want to go out to the barn.’ She fought to give the tremor out of her voice.

‘Are you sure about that?’

‘I’m sure. I need to deal with this once and for all. When I leave here today, I want it to be over.’ This was it. After today, she wouldn’t be coming back.

Liam shrugged and let her lead the way back up the stairs, out of the house.

They crossed to the barn in silence, Tank making plenty of noise as he panted, straining against his lead, eager to get there.