Читать книгу The Pink Sneakers Club: Sometime Around Midnight - Christian Bertoni - Страница 9

“Deirdre what’s wrong? Is it Ben?” I asked.

“N-n-no. M-my house, help me I think th-there’s somebody in it.”

“What!?!? Are you sure? How do you know?”

Deirdre came in slowly and told me about what happened with the lights and the bathroom mirror. My mom and dad were both listening to her. “Deirdre I’m going to go and check it out. I want you to stay here, okay?”

“N-no I want to go with.”

“I don’t think-“

“Please?”

My dad just couldn’t say no, “okay but stay in the car.”

Deirdre nodded.

“I’m coming with.” I said.

We drove up to her house and noticed all the lights were turned off.

“That’s weird. I didn’t turn them off when I left.”

“Stay here I’ll check it out.” My dad got out of the car and walked into the house with his gun drawn.

“Hey listen if you want you can stay at my house tonight.”

“Yeah okay. I need to get my stuff though.”

“As soon as my dad says it’s clear you can get your stuff.”

“Okay.” She let out a sigh of relief.

I grabbed her hand and squeezed it, “it’ll be okay. I promise.”

She gave a faint smile.

After a few minutes my dad strolled back out and sat in the car. “It’s clean. There’s nobody there. I checked everywhere.”

“You sure?” Deirdre asked.

“Positive.”

“Nothing?”

“I’m sorry Deirdre nothing. I even checked your basement. It’s locked up good. If they came in, they’re gone now. You probably scared them away.”

“Yeah, I’m sure that’s exactly what I did.”

“Dad? I told Deirdre she could stay with us just for tonight.”

“It’s fine.”

“Can I run in and grab my stuff real quick?”

“Sure. You want us to come with you?”

“No. I’m fine. I’ll be right back.” Deirdre ran quickly inside.

I asked. “Did you see any writing on the mirror?”

“No. Shower was off too. You don’t think she was making it up do you?”

“It’s not like Deirdre to make stuff up.“

We heard Deirdre scream.

My dad and I quickly ran inside the house, “Deirdre! Where are you!??!” My dad shouted.

She screamed again.

“It’s coming from her room!” we bolted upstairs and my dad burst through the door gun drawn. There was nobody in the room except Deirdre who was pale as a ghost and staring at the walls. We both looked over and saw someone had written all over the walls in her room with the exact same words that she said had been written on the bathroom mirror - sometime around midnight.

“What’s going on!?!?!” I asked.

“Deirdre? Are you okay?” My dad asked, putting his gun back in his holster.

Deirdre didn’t say a word my dad gently took her by her shoulders. “Deirdre? Let’s go.”

She shook her head. “Okay.” We took her back to the car. As we were driving off I happened to look back and saw the lights in the house turn on. I didn’t say anything. I didn’t want to freak Deirdre out anymore than she already was. To be honest I was freakin’ out too now.

We got back to my house I sent Deirdre up to my room while I’d get us some hot chocolate.

My mother approached me and said softly. “What happened?”

“It was weird mom. She said all her lights were on when she came here but when we went back to her house? The lights were off. Dad checked the whole place. When he said it was clear Deirdre went in to get some clothes and that’s when things got weirder.” I explained to her about the writing on the wall and the lights turning on after we left.

“How’s she doing?”

“Okay, I guess. I told her to take a shower in my bathroom but I don’t know if she’s gonna. She’s a little freaked out.”

“I’ll bet. Poor dear. You think I should go up and talk to her?”

“Nah. I’m gonna bring her some hot chocolate and maybe we’ll watch a movie or something. She’ll be fine. She’s a lot stronger than we give her credit.”

“That’s true. Want me to make you guys some popcorn?”

“Maybe later. What’s dad doing?”

“Watching T.V.”

“Did he say anything?”

“Same as you. He checked everywhere and can’t understand what happened.”

“I won’t lie mom it was weird. I mean the words covered her whole room. I don’t think there was a blank space on the wall or the ceiling.”

“And it said, sometime around midnight?”

“Yeah. Weird.”

“What does it mean?”

“How should I know I didn’t write it?” And with that I took the two cups of hot chocolate up to my room.

I banged on the door with my foot Deirdre opened it, “sorry.” She must’ve just finished taking a shower cause she was towel drying her hair.

“It’s okay. How are you feeling?”

“Better.” I handed her the cup of hot chocolate, “thanks.” She took a couple of sips.

I sat at my desk and she sat on the floor looking up at me, “any idea who could’ve done that?”

“None. You?”

“No.” she paused for a moment, “you don’t think . . . Jackson could’ve done it do you?”

“Even if he could, my dad checked the whole house before you went inside. He said it was clear.”

“Maybe he didn’t check my room.”

“Not my dad. If he says he checked the whole house. He checked the whole house. Trust me.”

“Then who?”

“I don’t know I’m still trying to figure out what sometime around midnight means.”

“Weird huh?”

“Yeah . . . “ all of a sudden I had a brilliant idea. “What if something is gonna happen at midnight?”

“Oh no you don’t. You’re getting another one of your ideas aren’t you?”

“Hear me out. What if we go to your house and hide out in the bushes and see what happens at midnight. It couldn’t hurt anything. Come on what do you say? We could see if the others want to join us.”

“Randi I don’t know.”

“Look we won’t go in, I swearish.”

“Swearish?”

“Yeah it means I swear but I reserve the right to change my mind if I need to.”

“No. If we do this we spy only, maybe take pictures but we don’t go in. No swearish. Swear!”

“Fine.” I said a little exasperated, “I swear. Happy?” I had my fingers crossed.

While we were sipping our hot chocolate I texted everyone. Kaye and Caren were in but Natalie was – working? I didn’t even know. I don’t know why I’m surprised we’ve just started being friends. “Well everyone’s in except Natalie.”

“She’s not coming?”

“Nope she’s working.”

“Where?”

“Didn’t say.”

“Alright I told them to meet us at your house at 11:30 so let’s hang out for a few hours and then we’ll go.” I paused for a moment, “you okay with doing this?”

“Yes. I’m not some delicate flower. I can handle it. I just got freaked out that’s all.”

“Ookkaay, relax. I’m just making sure.”

“I’m fine. I’m fine.”