by Jo Gibson
But the porch light wasn’t on! Her mother had turned it off this morning, and the timer was broken. All Rondelle could do was hope that Craig’s headlights would sweep across the front of the house.
Rondelle held her breath as she heard a car turning onto her block. She peered out the vent and her heart beat desperately in her chest as she saw that it was Craig. She jerked the fishing pole frantically. He just had to see her signal! She’d die if she had to spend all night in the attic!
Craig’s red Thunderbird slowed as he turned the corner, and Rondelle jerked the fishing pole in a frantic bid for his attention. But she jerked it too hard and the line snapped, sending her makeshift flag fluttering to the ground. Her signal had failed, and there was only one thing to do. Rondelle leaned forward, close to the vent, and screamed at the top of her lungs. “Craig! Up here! Help me! I’m locked in!”
But Craig didn’t stop his car. He just drove slowly past her house. And then he was gone, the sound of the Thunderbird’s powerful motor fading to a whisper in the distance.
“Nooooo!” Rondelle stood at the vent, clutching the metal slats so tightly, her knuckles turned white. Craig was gone. He was driving to Alice’s house right now, to take her to his party!
A tear rolled down Rondelle’s cheek, and she slumped against the wall in utter despair. There was no hope for her, no hope at all. There was no way she could get out of the attic and she’d be locked in until her parents came home on Sunday afternoon . . . unless one of the neighbors heard her screaming and called the police.
Rondelle stood up and took a deep breath. And then she screamed, over and over, until her voice was hoarse. When she couldn’t scream any longer, she banged against the vent with the fishing pole, but it didn’t do any good. The night had turned very cold, and all the neighbors had closed their windows.
There were tears in Rondelle’s eyes as she turned away from the vent. She was stuck in the attic with no one to help her, and she was shivering with cold. She had to keep from freezing, and that meant she had to find something warm to wear.
Rondelle didn’t look at the mirror as she stumbled to the wardrobe. Even though it was dark, she was still afraid of what she might see. She pulled the door open, grabbed the old fur coat, and wrapped it tightly around her shivering body. Then she crept across the floor to huddle against the attic door where a little warmth was seeping up the stairs.
Rondelle knew she should try to sleep. It was the only way to get through the night. But the moment she closed her eyes, she pictured Alice at the party with Craig.
They’d eat in the tent that was set up on the shore, and the thought of all that delicious food made Rondelle’s stomach grumble with hunger. When dessert had been served and everyone had raved about the marvelous dinner, they’d go into the living room to dance to the music of the live band.
Staring up at the darkness, Rondelle could almost see Alice, dancing with Craig. Alice would purr like a kitten when Craig held her close and she’d snuggle into his arms. They’d dance every dance and when the band left, they’d relax on one of the leather couches, the stereo playing softly and Alice’s head nestled tightly against Craig’s chest.
Jealousy was too tame a description for the emotion that Rondelle felt. Alice had stolen her date and, at that moment, Rondelle hated Alice with every fiber of her being. But then something happened that made Rondelle forget all about Alice and Craig. Something was moving, in the far corner, and it was coming closer. She was trapped in the dark attic, and she was not alone!
Her heart pounding frantically, Rondelle began to whimper. Every sound was magnified in the blackness, all the scratching, and creaking, and rustling noises she’d heard earlier. There were rats in the attic and they were after her!
Rondelle shuddered. What would happen if the rats attacked her? Could she fight them off? She grabbed the heaviest object she could reach, an old metal lamp with a broken shade, and held it in her hand. How many rats were there? And how could she fight them if she couldn’t see them? She had to protect herself from their razor sharp teeth!
The old fur coat would help. The rats couldn’t bite through the heavy fur. Rondelle wrapped it tightly around her body, and tucked in her feet and arms. Then she started to rock back and forth. If she kept moving, it might scare the rats away.
Rocking made Rondelle feel much better. It reminded her of how her mother had rocked her when she was a baby. She’d felt so safe, cradled in her mother’s arms, and she needed to feel that safe again. The rocking motion calmed her fears, and without really thinking about what she was doing, Rondelle began to recite a nursery rhyme.
“London Bridge is falling down, falling down, falling down. London Bridge is falling down. My fair lady.”
Rondelle stopped abruptly, and frowned. “My fair lady.” She was fair, but Alice wasn’t. Alice had stolen her boyfriend. Alice was horrible, and she deserved to be punished for what she’d done.
As Rondelle sat there thinking about punishing Alice, the scratching, scrabbling noises started again. They seemed louder and much more ominous, and Rondelle’s eyes went wide with terror. The rats were moving again! They were coming closer and closer, and she had to do something to stop them!
But the rats had been quiet when she’d recited her nursery rhyme. Rondelle didn’t take the time to wonder why. She just started to recite again.
“There was an old woman who lived in a shoe. She had so many children, she didn’t know what to do.”
The moment Rondelle started reciting again, the noises stopped. It was working! The rats liked nursery rhymes! If she kept on rocking and reciting, she could keep them away!
Rondelle recited on and on, into the night, huddled in the old fur coat. She recited every nursery rhyme she could remember: Old Mother Hubbard, Jack Be Nimble, Hey Diddle Diddle, Mary Had a Little Lamb, and Jack and Jill. When Rondelle had gone through every nursery rhyme she knew, she started all over again. She recited hour after hour, afraid to stop for even a moment, rocking back and forth like a pendulum.
The rats stayed away as long as she recited and rocked, even though her voice faded to a hoarse whisper. And in the middle of one of her favorite nursery rhymes, something snapped in Rondelle Green’s mind.
Seven
Steve pulled up in front of Donna’s house at five minutes before midnight. The party had been wonderful, with incredible food and a really great band. Donna had danced with Steve all night, and now they were here, in front of her house. Donna wasn’t quite sure how she should end their date. Would Steve want to kiss her? And should she let him?
“You look worried, Donna.” Steve sounded amused. “Were you wondering if I was going to kiss you?”
Donna felt her cheeks grow hot and she knew she was blushing. But Steve was right, and she nodded. “Yes, I was.”
“Well, you can stop worrying.” Steve sounded even more amused. “I just saw your mother pull back the curtains so I’d better walk you up to the door.”
Donna waited until Steve had walked around the car to open her door. He was old-fashioned that way and she liked it. Even though she was entirely capable of opening it by herself, it made her feel special when he did it for her.
They walked up the steps to Donna’s front door, and Steve reached out for her hand. “So what are you doing tomorrow afternoon?”
“Not much.” Donna felt her heart beat faster. Was Steve going to ask her for another date? “I don’t really have any plans. I was just going to hang around the house.”
“Let’s drive to Rondelle’s house and ask her some questions. I talked to a couple of people at the party, and they were sure the red shoes were still in the dressing room when she used it.”
Donna frowned slightly. “But will it do any good to confront Rondelle?”
“We won’t confront her. We’ll just say we know she had a lot of other things on her mind, playing the lead in the play, and then landing a part in Mr. Michaels’ movie.”
“You’re right,” sa
id Donna. “With all those other things on her mind, she probably forgot about seeing the red shoes. But now that she’s had a chance to calm down from all the excitement, she might remember.”
“Exactly! We’ll be giving her an excuse she can use. Rondelle might have lied to us deliberately, but this’ll give her a second chance to tell the truth.”
“What do you really think, Steve?” Donna was very serious. “Did Rondelle take the red shoes?”
Steve shrugged. “They were there when she used the dressing room, and they were gone when we checked it later. Mr. Parks said that Rondelle was the last person to leave the theater, and the red shoes couldn’t walk away all by themselves.”
“I don’t know about that.” Donna couldn’t resist teasing him. “You’re forgetting that the red shoes are cursed, and cursed shoes could have magical powers. They might have danced off into the night.”
Steve laughed. “Right. If you believe in magic, I guess that’s possible, but I’m willing to bet that Rondelle knows exactly where they are.”
“And if Rondelle thinks she won’t get into trouble for taking them, she might give them to us?”
“It’s worth a try.” Steve nodded. “I’d better let you go in. It’s getting cold out here.”
He was right. It was a cold night. But Donna hadn’t even felt the cold before Steve had mentioned it. Perhaps it was because he was still holding her hand.
“I’ll pick you up around three. Rondelle and her parents should be home by then.”
“Okay.” Donna smiled. And then something popped right out of her mouth before she’d had time to think. “If my mother wasn’t watching, would you kiss me?”
Steve laughed. “You bet I would! Mr. Parks was right. You’re wonderful, Donna.”
“You’re wonderful, too.” Again, the words popped out before she’d had a chance to think. Was it wrong to tell a boy that he was wonderful? Donna wasn’t sure, but Steve was still smiling and he looked as if he liked what she’d said.
The curtain fluttered again. Steve noticed, and he grinned at Donna. “Your mother’s still watching.”
“I know.” Donna nodded.
“Let’s show her what a nice guy I am.” Steve was still grinning as he bowed from the waist and raised her hand to his lips. He kissed it lightly and then he released it. “Thank you for a very enjoyable evening, Miss Burke.”
Donna giggled. And then she held out the corners of her skirt and curtsied, something she’d only seen in the movies. “Thank you, Mr. Harvey.”
“Until tomorrow?” Steve backed down the steps, grinning all the way.
“Until tomorrow.” Donna answered him. Then she opened the door, stepped inside, and smiled all the way up the stairs to her room.
The night seemed endless. Rondelle huddled in the old fur coat and recited to the rats until her eyes closed in exhaustion. But every time she fell asleep the rustling sound would awaken her and she’d have to recite some more. Finally, a faint gray light began to filter in through the attic vents. Morning was here, and she was sure she’d read somewhere that rats only fed at night.
She could sleep now. There was an old couch against the far wall, but Rondelle was too tired to drag herself across the attic floor. She stretched out by the door where she’d be sure to hear her parents when they came home, and tried to go to sleep.
But Rondelle couldn’t sleep. Her eyes snapped open every time she thought of Alice with Craig. Alice had stolen her boyfriend. Her best friend had turned into her worst enemy.
What could she do to punish Alice? Rondelle sat up, her back propped against the attic door, and thought about it. But her thoughts were so jumbled, nothing seemed to make sense.
Rondelle was still thinking when the first rays of sun came in through the vent. They streamed across the floor, almost blinding her, stopping directly at her feet. The red shoes glowed brilliantly in the bright stream of light, the red shoes she’d stolen, the red shoes that some people thought were cursed.
“The red shoes!” Rondelle’s hands were shaking as she reached down to take them off. She didn’t know why, but she was sure that the red shoes were responsible for everything bad that had happened. Rondelle was about to toss them away, in the farthest corner of the attic, when she had a wonderful idea. She’d give the cursed red shoes to Alice.
“Hello?” Alice’s voice was groggy with sleep when she answered the phone in her room. But she sat up straight and began to smile as she recognized the voice on the other end of the line. “Hi, Craig! What’s going on?”
As she listened to Craig’s voice, Alice glanced at the clock. She’d slept all morning, and it was already one o’clock in the afternoon!
“Sure. I’ll be there.” Alice hung up and jumped out of bed. She had to hurry. She’d promised to help Craig clean up after the party, and he wanted her to meet him at the cabin in an hour!
Alice was singing as she turned on the water and stepped into the shower. She’d had a fantastic time last night, thanks to Rondelle. Alice really couldn’t understand why Rondelle had left town without a word. Maybe her parents had forced her to go, but why hadn’t she called Craig to cancel their date?
As she washed her hair, Alice sang at the top of her lungs. She knew she didn’t get the melody right, but that didn’t bother her at all. And even though the Jefferson High chorus director had asked her not to sing so loudly at their concert next week, Alice intended to ignore his advice. She liked to sing and enthusiasm should count for something. After all, chorus was supposed to be for everyone.
Alice frowned slightly as she began to get dressed. Rondelle would be furious when she got back to town and found out that she’d gone to the party with Craig. But Alice wasn’t about to let a little thing like friendship stop her from enjoying her date this afternoon. It was all Rondelle’s fault, and Alice didn’t feel one bit guilty.
Rondelle was smiling as she put the red shoes in a shoe box, but it wasn’t a nice smile. It was more of a grimace with her lips drawn back from her teeth, and her eyes glittering dangerously.
When Rondelle’s father had heard her pounding on the attic door, they’d all rushed up the stairs. Her mother had stood by, wringing her hands, while her father had taken the door off its hinges. Even Janie had been very subdued, and the first thing she’d asked her older sister was whether the attic monsters had hurt her.
Rondelle had concentrated on one thing and one thing only. She had to convince everyone that she was fine so they’d leave her alone. She’d told her parents that they didn’t have to worry about her. Of course she’d been bored, all alone in the attic, and her back hurt from sleeping on the floor. What she really wanted to do was take a nice, hot shower and stretch out on her bed for a long nap.
Perhaps she really was a good actress. Rondelle gave a small, bitter laugh. She’d been so convincing, she’d persuaded her parents to go right on with their plans to take Janie to a friend’s birthday party. Janie hadn’t wanted to go. Questioning her big sister about the terrors of the attic was much more interesting than watching someone else open birthday presents. But Rondelle had promised to tell Janie all about it when she got home, and Janie and her parents had left.
It didn’t take long to wrap Alice’s package. Rondelle used silver paper and tied a beautiful red bow on the top. It looked very professional, as if it had been wrapped by a shop in the mall. Then she printed Alice’s name on a card and taped it to the box.
The moment she was through, Rondelle raced for the door. Alice lived over two miles away, but she ran almost all the way there. Rondelle placed the package in front of Alice’s door, and then sprinted down the sidewalk, as if the rats in the attic were chasing her.
By the time Rondelle got home, she was exhausted. She flopped down on the couch, curled up into a ball, and began to rock slowly back and forth. The red shoes would work. They would punish Alice, and she wouldn’t have to do a thing.
Eight
“You look great, Donna!” Steve turned to smil
e at her as he started his car.
“Thanks, Steve.” Donna’s eyes sparkled. She was wearing another of her instant creations, a tan jumpsuit her father had brought back with him when he’d inspected a pipeline the government had built in Alaska. The jumpsuit was standard issue. All the government inspectors had worn them. But Donna had shortened the legs and sewn wide elastic around the waist. She’d added a bright blue belt, tied a long blue scarf around her neck, and now the jumpsuit looked like something she’d bought at the mall.
They talked about the red shoes on the way to Rondelle’s house. Steve was sure they had nothing to do with Tammy’s accident, and they weren’t really cursed at all.
“I hope that’s true.” Donna looked a little worried. “I’d like to believe it was only a coincidence. But something very strange is happening.”
Steve reached out to squeeze her hand. “Go on, Donna. I’m listening.”
“I talked to Lisa this morning. She told me that Rondelle’s been wanting to date Craig for years. We were right there when he asked her to his party and Rondelle said yes.”
“I know.” Steve nodded. “But I heard that she had to go out of town with her parents.”
“Maybe that’s true, but Rondelle didn’t call Craig to cancel their date. She just stood him up. Don’t you think that’s a little strange?”
Steve nodded. “Definitely. It only takes a minute to call.”
“I’ve been thinking about it all morning, and I’m sure Rondelle has the red shoes. If she was wearing them the night she read for that part in the movie, it would explain why Mr. Michaels was so impressed with her. What if Rondelle didn’t go with her parents? What if she stayed home? And what if she wore the red shoes?”
“We’ll know soon.” Steve squeezed Donna’s hand, again. “Rondelle’s house is right around the next corner.”
Steve parked in front of the house, and they got out. As they walked up the sidewalk to the door, Donna felt very anxious. She was really worried about Rondelle.