Into the Dark

By R. L. Stine

Paulette Fox refuses to let her blindness stop her from living a full life. But one thing she's never done is fall in love—until now. Paulette knows Brad is the only guy for her.

Even when her friends see Brad commit a horrible crime, Paulette is sure that he’s innocent. Her friends tell her he’s out of control, that she will be his next victim. But Paulette is sure he would never hurt her.

Is Paulette right about Brad? Or has her love put her in terrible danger?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Simon Pulse
• Release date: Jun 30, 2008
• ISBN: 9781439116395

R. L. Stine

R.L. STINE is one of the bestselling children’s authors in history with more than 400 million books sold to date. In 1989, Stine created the Fear Street series, one of the bestselling young adult book series in history with 80 million copies sold worldwide. He is also the author of the bestselling children’s series Goosebumps, which began in 1992 and has sold 300 million copies around the world. The Goosebumps series was made into a feature film starring Jack Black as R.L. Stine.

Book preview

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP

Into The Dark

R.L. STINE

Bill Schmidt

POCKET BOOKS

1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020

www.SimonandSchuster.com

1997 Parachute Press, Inc.

The sale of this book without its cover is unauthorized. If you purchased this book without a cover, you should be aware that it was reported to the publisher as unsold and destroyed. Neither the author nor the publisher has received payment for the sale of this stripped book.

First Archway Paperback printing October 1997

She Can’t See the Danger….

I’ll go find a parking place, Jonathan said.

Paulette opened the car door. Using her cane, she stepped out onto the asphalt. She heard Jonathan pull away from the curb.

Paulette began to tap her way down the gentle slope to the main walkway of the Music Academy. She heard the sounds of instruments drifting through open windows into the fall air.

Someone in one of the rooms is practicing the same Schubert piece I’m working on, she thought.

The spicy scents of leaves and fall wildflowers surrounded her. And she could smell the sharp, sweet scent of wood smoke from a fireplace.

She heard something move along the asphalt behind her. Something heavy.

Watch out! someone screamed.

Paulette spun in the direction of the cry. Something heavy crashed into her.

Books by R.L. Stine

Fear Street

THE NEW GIRL

THE SURPRISE PARTY

THE OVERNIGHT

MISSING

THE WRONG NUMBER

THE SLEEPWALKER

HAUNTED

HALLOWEEN PARTY

THE STEPSISTER

SKI WEEKEND

THE FIRE GAME

LIGHTS OUT

THE SECRET BEDROOM

THE KNIFE

PROM QUEEN

FIRST DATE

THE BEST FRIEND

THE CHEATER

SUNBURN

THE NEW BOY

THE DARE

BAD DREAMS

DOUBLE DATE

THE THRILL CLUB

ONE EVIL SUMMER

THE MIND READER

WRONG NUMBER 2

TRUTH OR DARE

DEAD END

FINAL GRADE

SWITCHED

COLLEGE WEEKEND

THE STEPSISTER 2

WHAT HOLLY HEARD

THE FACE

SECRET ADMIRER

THE PERFECT DATE

THE CONFESSION

THE BOY NEXT DOOR

NIGHT GAMES

RUNAWAY

KILLER’S KISS

ALL-NIGHT PARTY

THE RICH GIRL

CAT

WHO KILLED THE HOMECOMING QUEEN?

INTO THE DARK

Available from ARCHWAY Paperbacks

For orders other than by individual consumers, Pocket Books grants a discount on the purchase of 10 or more copies of single titles for special markets or premium use. For further details, please write to the Vice-President of Special Markets, Pocket Books, 1633 Broadway, New York, NY 10019-6785, 8th Floor.

For information on how individual consumers can place orders, please write to Mail Order Department, Simon & Schuster Inc., 200 Old Tappan Road, Old Tappan, NJ 07675.

The sale of this book without its cover is unauthorized. If you purchased this book without a cover, you should be aware that it was reported to the publisher as unsold and destroyed. Neither the author nor the publisher has received payment for the sale of this stripped book.

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

AN ARCHWAY PAPERBACK Original

An Archway Paperback published by

POCKET BOOKS, a division of Simon & Schuster Inc.

1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020

Copyright © 1997 by Parachute Press, Inc.

All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever.

For information address Pocket Books, 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020

ISBN: 0-671-52966-8

eISBN: 978-1-439-11639-5

First Archway Paperback printing October 1997

10  9  8  7  6  5  4  3  2  1

FEAR STREET is a registered trademark of Parachute Press, Inc.

AN ARCHWAY PAPERBACK and colophon are registered trademarks of Simon & Schuster Inc.

Cover art by Bill Schmidt

Printed in the U.S.A.

IL 7+

Into The Dark

prologue

He liked spying on the blind girl.

She never knew when he was watching.

He watched her a lot. On her way to school, on her way home, in her yard. He enjoyed watching her.

She was pretty. Tall and slim, with long, straight brown hair. Wide green eyes. Pale, smooth skin and soft pink lips. The type of girl he liked best.

She didn’t know it, but soon she would be his.

In the past, something had always gone wrong. But this time would be different.

This time he would get what he wanted.

chapter 1

"Slow down!" Paulette Fox gripped the dashboard as her friend Jonathan Maddox wrenched the car around a corner.

I’m only doing forty! Jonathan protested.

Forty-five, Paulette responded. In a thirty-mile-an-hour zone, she added.

Maybe I was doing forty-one, Jonathan insisted.

You liar! Paulette cried. I can hear. I can feel the wind rushing by the window.

Okay, okay. Jonathan eased up on the accelerator. You must be the only blind back-seat driver in history, he teased.

Paulette smiled. She was glad Jonathan could joke about her blindness. She hated it when people felt sorry for her. Just because I can’t see—

Doesn’t mean you’re stupid, Jonathan finished for her.

I guess I say that a lot, huh? Paulette commented.

Only every twenty or thirty seconds, Jonathan said. But don’t worry. It’s starting to sink in.

Paulette rolled the window down the rest of the way. She loved to feel the wind rushing across her face. So what did you sign up for in gym? Paulette asked.

Basketball, he said. I figured if I got a little extra practice, maybe I’d make it off the bench this season.

That’s a good idea. I’m going to take self-defense, Paulette told him.

What? Jonathan cried. No way!

Why not? Paulette demanded. I’m in great shape.

I know that, Jonathan replied. But isn’t self-defense a little dangerous?

What’s your problem? Paulette exclaimed. Don’t you think I can handle it?

Jonathan didn’t answer for a moment. You probably can, he said at last. But how did you talk your parents into it? I can’t imagine them being thrilled with the idea.

They don’t exactly know yet, Paulette admitted. And she wasn’t all that eager to tell them.

Don’t they have to sign something?

I haven’t given it to them yet, Paulette said. I’m hoping when I do, they won’t read it too closely. Maybe I’ll give it to Dad before his first cup of coffee. He’s like a zombie then.

Well, good luck, Jonathan said.

Paulette knew from his tone of voice that Jonathan didn’t think she had much of a chance. She sighed. She was used to other people doubting her abilities.

Even her parents didn’t realize how capable she was. They never understood that she didn’t feel handicapped. Paulette had been blind since birth. She didn’t know anything else. She never felt as if she were missing something.

She could get around perfectly well with her cane. And her years without seeing had made all her other senses much sharper than most people’s.

The car lurched to a stop. First stop, Shadyside Music Academy, Jonathan announced.

Thanks for driving me, Paulette said. There’s nothing much for you to do while you wait. Did you bring homework or anything?

I forgot, Jonathan answered. Is it okay if I listen to your lesson?

Sure, come on in, Paulette said. I’m in practice room three.

I just have to find a parking place, Jonathan replied.

Paulette opened the door. Using her cane, she stepped out onto the asphalt. She heard Jonathan pull away from the curb.

Paulette began to tap her way down

[choirchik · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I struggled with the rating on this one. It was between 3 and 4, and I decided on 3 just because of the repetitiveness of the main character reminding us every 3 pages that she is blind. I could also see the twist coming a mile away. See what I did there? Lol, puns. But yeah, I was skeptical of this one from the beginning, I liked the overall story, but it was also creepy how the MC and the guy (I can't remember his name) fell for each other so easy. I know its teen love and a Fear Street book, but geez.

So, definitely not one of my favorites and not one I will re-read.