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Underneath
Underneath
For Dean, it begins with a dare, one that comes with the threat of violence if he chickens out. All he has to do is date Stephanie Watts, a disfigured girl who is the pariah at their high school. Dean agrees, and soon discovers that there is much more to Stephanie Watts than anyone dared imagine, and deadlier secrets awaiting him...underneath. A free short story from the Bram Stoker Award-winning author of THE TURTLE BOY, THE HIDES, and VESSELS.
Book Excerpt
ketball smacked the pavement beyond a fenced in court. Voices rose, their echoes fleeing. The breeze rustled the dark leaves, whispering to the moon.
Dean's palms were oily on the wheel.
"The movies, I guess. That okay?"
In the corner of his eye, he saw her shrug. "I guess."
"We don't have to, if you have something else in mind."
The smell of her filled the car, a scent of lavender and something else, something that filled his nostrils and sent a shiver through him that was, alarmingly, not unpleasant.
"Maybe we could go down to the pier."
"What's down there?"
"Nothing much, but I like it. It's peaceful."
And secluded, Dean added and remembered Len's theory on what she might be expecting from him.
"Sounds kind of boring to me," he said then, aware that it was hardly the polite thing to say but wary of letting the night slip out of his control.
To his surprise, she smiled. "I used to think that too."
"What changed your
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Readers reviews
4.2
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As with the others, I found this a good story which holds your interest until th eending, but a little too short and the ending predictable.
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Great story but like the other reviewers, I find it a little too short but a good read all in all.
01/09/2012
A brutal tale of revenge and consequences with a twist.
11/18/2011
This was an excellent read. I really liked it..wished it was a bit longer. Held you until the last minute.
01/03/2011
very good story. but it suffers from being a short story. I wish it was a bit longer, and a bit more in-depth about the deadly secret. Otherwise, amazing.
12/26/2010