typing. She stared in horror as the figure glided closer. She wanted to scream but could only watch in mute terror as it reached out its arms and slowly brought them down . . . down . . . toward Spencerâs neck.
She had to warn him. She had barely seconds before . . . Her fingers flew across the keyboard.
Kookykell2011: W ATCH OUT !
She was too late. The attacker wrapped both hands around Spencerâs bare neck. His fingers squeezed . . . squeezed . . . squeezed the air from Spencerâs throat.
âNoooo! Stop!â she cried. Then she remembered their microphones were off. Spencer couldnât hear her. She grabbed her computer with both hands and shook it hard, as if she could somehow stop the horror with the force of her fear. She couldnât just sit here and watch her friend suffocate!
She wanted to cover her face, but she was afraid to let poor Spencer out of her sight. She stared in total helplessness as he weakened, growing limp.
Suddenly Spencerâs eyes bulged. He twisted his body with a burst of renewed strength, jerking it left and right. The attackerâs grip loosened, and he leaned toward Spencer.
Kelly narrowed her eyes and gripped her desk to steady herself. She stared at the face of Spencerâs attacker. It was a face she recognized.
CHAPTER 10
Spencer jumped up and pushed his attacker back. Then he spun to face him.
Gavin.
Gavinâs sinewy face broke into a huge grin. He laughed. âOh, man. I totally scared you. Score!â He pumped his fist in victory.
âThat was so not funny!â Spencer spat.
âIt was just a joke.â
Spencerâs cheeks reddened slightly, but he forced a strained smile. âY-yeah, you got me.â
Gavin ran his hand through his spiky hair. âWho did you think it was, dude?â
Spencer shrugged. Kelly could sense him shrinking back as if he was putting up an invisible wall. It feltpeculiar to sit across the street and watch the scene play out. Almost like watching a scary movie and not being able to help the victim.
âYou are such a wimp,â Gavin said. He gave Spencer a shove. Then another.
Kelly winced. She knew guys shoved all the time. Yet with Gavin, she wondered if there wasnât more to it. True, Spencer was way bigger than Gavin, but he was the kind of mellow kid who set ants free instead of squishing them. Gavin, though, had a barely contained aggression that pulsed right below the surface of his skin. She watched, still helpless, as Spencer backed himself up to the desk. She wasnât sure what he was doing. Was Gavin advancing on him?
For a moment, her screen was filled only by the heathered gray fabric of Spencerâs T-shirt.
âSpencer!â she screamed. Was Gavin hurting him? Had he pushed him against the desk and hit him?
Then she heard a blip. SPENCEX 77 IS OFFLINE appeared on her chat screen. His face slid into view, unharmed. She sighed, realizing that heâd blocked his screen so he could exit out of their conversation before Gavin saw it. She exited too and turned her microphone on. Shewas glad he hadnât heard her scream.
âKelly? You there?â Spencer asked from the bottom frame. Gavin stood alongside him. The frames on her screen where June and Paige should have been continued to pulse red. Danger . The word suddenly popped into her head. Red is the color of danger.
âYeah, Iâmââ Her screen suddenly went blank.
Wrapping the wool blanket tighter around her, she pressed enter. The webcam sleepover didnât come back.
Her computer was still on. So were her lights. They hadnât lost power, she realized. She gazed at the screen. CONNECTION IS TEMPORARILY UNAVAILABLE . Her Internet service was down.
The wind slammed against the house, rattling the trees. The frozen branches clawed angrily at the siding. She fiddled with her modem, hoping she could bring up the connection. The storm might
She had to warn him. She had barely seconds before . . . Her fingers flew across the keyboard.
Kookykell2011: W ATCH OUT !
She was too late. The attacker wrapped both hands around Spencerâs bare neck. His fingers squeezed . . . squeezed . . . squeezed the air from Spencerâs throat.
âNoooo! Stop!â she cried. Then she remembered their microphones were off. Spencer couldnât hear her. She grabbed her computer with both hands and shook it hard, as if she could somehow stop the horror with the force of her fear. She couldnât just sit here and watch her friend suffocate!
She wanted to cover her face, but she was afraid to let poor Spencer out of her sight. She stared in total helplessness as he weakened, growing limp.
Suddenly Spencerâs eyes bulged. He twisted his body with a burst of renewed strength, jerking it left and right. The attackerâs grip loosened, and he leaned toward Spencer.
Kelly narrowed her eyes and gripped her desk to steady herself. She stared at the face of Spencerâs attacker. It was a face she recognized.
CHAPTER 10
Spencer jumped up and pushed his attacker back. Then he spun to face him.
Gavin.
Gavinâs sinewy face broke into a huge grin. He laughed. âOh, man. I totally scared you. Score!â He pumped his fist in victory.
âThat was so not funny!â Spencer spat.
âIt was just a joke.â
Spencerâs cheeks reddened slightly, but he forced a strained smile. âY-yeah, you got me.â
Gavin ran his hand through his spiky hair. âWho did you think it was, dude?â
Spencer shrugged. Kelly could sense him shrinking back as if he was putting up an invisible wall. It feltpeculiar to sit across the street and watch the scene play out. Almost like watching a scary movie and not being able to help the victim.
âYou are such a wimp,â Gavin said. He gave Spencer a shove. Then another.
Kelly winced. She knew guys shoved all the time. Yet with Gavin, she wondered if there wasnât more to it. True, Spencer was way bigger than Gavin, but he was the kind of mellow kid who set ants free instead of squishing them. Gavin, though, had a barely contained aggression that pulsed right below the surface of his skin. She watched, still helpless, as Spencer backed himself up to the desk. She wasnât sure what he was doing. Was Gavin advancing on him?
For a moment, her screen was filled only by the heathered gray fabric of Spencerâs T-shirt.
âSpencer!â she screamed. Was Gavin hurting him? Had he pushed him against the desk and hit him?
Then she heard a blip. SPENCEX 77 IS OFFLINE appeared on her chat screen. His face slid into view, unharmed. She sighed, realizing that heâd blocked his screen so he could exit out of their conversation before Gavin saw it. She exited too and turned her microphone on. Shewas glad he hadnât heard her scream.
âKelly? You there?â Spencer asked from the bottom frame. Gavin stood alongside him. The frames on her screen where June and Paige should have been continued to pulse red. Danger . The word suddenly popped into her head. Red is the color of danger.
âYeah, Iâmââ Her screen suddenly went blank.
Wrapping the wool blanket tighter around her, she pressed enter. The webcam sleepover didnât come back.
Her computer was still on. So were her lights. They hadnât lost power, she realized. She gazed at the screen. CONNECTION IS TEMPORARILY UNAVAILABLE . Her Internet service was down.
The wind slammed against the house, rattling the trees. The frozen branches clawed angrily at the siding. She fiddled with her modem, hoping she could bring up the connection. The storm might
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