Allie was also becoming more nervous about Miss Bitty finding out they’d snuck out. Now that she wasn’t so consumed with jealousy, she was thinking much more clearly—and the idea of sneaking out was looking like a truly awful idea. Plus with the storm coming—
“. . . and he’s too weak to stand up for himself, you know? Watching it really pisses me off . . . ,” Hannah was saying, words leaving her mouth at warp speed. She had changed the subject back to Ted and Claire. “But he’s a Cancer, so it’s just natural that he’s going to want to avoid confrontation.”
“Huh? He has cancer?”
“No, silly. I mean his sign.”
“Sign?”
Hannah stopped walking. “Are you even listening to me?”
“Yeah. I just don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Hannah put a hand on her hip. “Cancers are notorious for wanting to avoid confrontation. You do know that, right?”
“Uh, no.”
Hannah sounded incredulous. “You’ve got to be kidding me. Seriously, don’t you people know anything?”
Allie felt her face flush. “You people?”
“Yeah, you know, Southerners. Bayou folk . . . country people,” she said, enunciating each syllable slowly, as though Allie needed her to.
Was this girl calling her unintelligent? Stupid even?
“Oh God. I’m sorry. I can’t believe I said that,” Hannah said. She reached out and tried to hug Allie, but Allie shoved her away.
For one, she was highly insulted. Two, she wasn’t totally used to hugging yet.
Suddenly, Hannah’s face was so close to hers, she could feel her warm breath. “I like you. I really do. Please don’t be mad.” Allie heard her grab her tin and open it again. “God. Maybe I took too many pills and it’s, like, seriously fucking with my head. I mean, I would never say anything like that. I don’t even think that way.”
Allie backed away from the girl. “Do you even care about all that food crap that you talked to Miss Bitty about?” Allie asked.
“Yeah, I do. Why wouldn’t I? Why wouldn’t anybody? We eat the shit, so shouldn’t we care?”
“So what you’re saying is you’d rather kill yourself with pills that make you sound like a total jackass than by eating things that taste good like Hamburger Helper or mashed potato flakes?”
“The pills help me escape for a little while. I need to, sometimes . . . or I’ll just go crazy.”
There was that word again. A word Allie really wanted to just forget.
Allie started walking again, this time much faster. She was practically jogging.
“Hey, wait up for me!” Hannah called.
A few minutes later, the girls emerged from the woods and saw the side of Allie’s childhood house in the distance. Allie frowned. It looked as though a light was on inside.
But when she blinked, it was gone.
CHAPTER 42
HANNAH STOPPED SHORT at the front porch, the beam of her flashlight frozen on the splintering stairs.
“Relax. It’s just a dead cat,” Allie said, a brisk wind blowing strands of hair into her face.
“Just a dead cat? Come on, it’s kinda disgusting, alright?”
Ignoring the girl, Allie drew a deep breath and pushed past her. When she reached the front door, she turned and saw that Hannah hadn’t moved. “Jesus, Hannah. Move your ass or we’ll just go back. I didn’t want to come here in the first place. Remember?”
Hannah stared at the house, her beam illuminating the gutted window and the graffiti. She wavered on her feet as though she were about to fall.
“Are you okay?” Allie asked, pointing her beam at the girl.
The girl’s eyes looked a little vacant for a moment, but she quickly snapped out of it. “Yeah, but stop shining the light in my face. It’s giving me a migraine.”
A cold raindrop hit Allie’s forehead. She looked skyward and one struck the tip of her nose. “Shit,” she muttered. “The storm’s already here. C’mon. Let’s make this fast.”
She pushed the front door and it opened with a creak.
“Wait for me!” Hannah hissed, scrambling up the steps.
Once inside, the first thing Allie noticed in the living room was the television. Someone had taken it from her brother’s bedroom into the living room, which meant someone had been inside the house since she’d last been there.
She shivered, staring at the television set, memories of watching it with her brother over the years flashing before her eyes. Watching TV with him had always been a strange experience. She used to watch him go pale and grip the sides of the couch when certain images triggered him. Images of scantily clad women. Anything oversexualized on the television screen had seemed to disturb him.
“I can’t believe you grew up here,” Hannah whispered as the two moved through the living room. Her eyes found the gaping hole in the kitchen floor. “Oh my God. Were there bodies down there?”
“I don’t think so.”
“Well, someone did if they bothered to dig that huge hole.”
Allie went to the back window and watched rain strike the glass.
“It’s freaking cold in here,” Hannah complained.
Allie noticed it, too. The house was freezing. Suddenly, a chill inched up her spine, crawling to the base of her neck. Trembling, she hugged her body and stood as still as possible. It could be him reaching out, she thought, thinking of her brother. It totally could.
Or . . . it could be her.
Gooseflesh dimpling her arms, she ran her hands along her neck and upper back, trying to brush off whatever it was.
A noise from the backyard. Laughter.
Piglet whimpered from the backpack. Turning back to the window, Allie peered uneasily into the blackness.
“It’s okay, li’l girl. I’ll protect you,” Allie whispered to the pup. She was still staring out the window when lightning lit up the yard. Someone was standing in the tall grass, staring back at her.
She gasped and dropped to the floor, pressing her body against the wall, trying to make herself as small as possible. Piglet whined louder.
Who the hell was that?
“Oh my God! What? What’s wrong?” Hannah asked, instinctively ducking, too.
“Someone’s out there,” Allie whispered.
“What? You’re shitting me!”
“Shh! No, I’m serious.”
On her hands and knees, Allie lifted her head just enough to be able to see out. When lightning flashed again, she clearly made out two dark figures, standing about two yards away, staring back at her.
She ducked again, adrenaline shooting through her body. “Oh Jesus! Oh shit! Did you see them?”
“No, but you’re scaring the shit out of me, Allie,” Hannah said, cowering against the wall. “Let’s go. I don’t want to be here anymore.”
“What? You mean you want to go out there?”
“Stop scaring me! Please.”
“Hannah, did you even look?”
“No. And I’m not going to.”
“No, seriously. There are people out there. Just look.”
“I’ll take your word for it.”
“No, please. Look,” Allie pleaded. Because I need to make sure they are really there. You know, that I’m not just losing my mind.
Reluctantly, Hannah lifted her head alongside Allie’s and watched in the darkness. After about a minute, lightning flashed again, but the yard was empty. “I didn’t see anything,” the girl said, her words an almost unintelligible slur.
Allie frowned. “That’s because they aren’t there anymore.”
“If they’re not out there, where’d they go?”
Good question.
A second jolt of adrenaline shot through Allie’s body and she raced to the back door. She locked it, then ran to the front of the house and locked that door, too, although she knew there were about a million other ways to get in. If someone wanted to get into the house it would be easy.
“C’mon,�
�� she said, grabbing Hannah. She pulled her down the hallway, to her brother’s room, then slammed the door behind them.
Pulling the backpack from her back, she scooped out a whining Piglet and crawled into the bed. Sitting with her back pressed against the wall, she pulled the rough blanket to the base of her neck and held Piglet tightly.
Crap! Crap! Why the hell did I let her talk me into this? Am I really that desperate for a friend?
Yes—yes, she was.
Or, at least she had been.
Never, ever, EVER again, she told herself. NEVER will I come back here.
The wind hissed angrily, shaking the bedroom’s little window. Piglet squirmed beneath Allie’s grip and jumped to the floor.
“Allie?” Hannah called softly from the corner of the room.
“Yeah?” Allie shined the light on the wall behind Hannah so she could see her face. Hannah was staring at her, her eyes glassy. “What?”
“You know, Claire was right. Maybe you shouldn’t, you know—”
“Shouldn’t what?”
“Shouldn’t trust me.”
Allie’s breath hitched. “What did you just say?”
Hannah closed her eyes tightly.
“Hannah?”
The girl didn’t budge.
Something banged loudly against the window, making Allie jump. Then rain began falling in sheets.
Piglet! “Piglet, where are you?” Allie waved her flashlight beam around the room to find the puppy squatting in the corner opposite Hannah. She was peeing in her brother’s room . . . desecrating it even more. Just the thought of it made her feel sick and terribly sad . . . and lonely for her brother. But she couldn’t blame the puppy. It had been a while since she’d let her relieve herself.
When Piglet was done, she jumped back onto the bed and climbed back into Allie’s arms. She gripped the pup tightly and cursed her decision to come back to the wretched house. He’s not here. There’s no way he’d return to this place, even if he could. He was miserable here. If anyone’s here, it’s her. I was so stupid to come back.
She turned her attention back to Hannah, needing to find out what she’d meant. But Hannah had fallen into some kind of drug-induced sleep.
For what seemed like hours the storm raged on, until suddenly, as though someone had simply flipped a switch, everything became quiet.
The room instantly took on a different personality as ghostly moonlight spilled through the tiny window and clung to the far walls of the bedroom.
Piglet even relaxed enough to fall asleep and began snoring in Allie’s arms. Lulled by the sleeping dog, Allie sat against the wall, holding her and listening for signs of someone in the house with them.
She listened intently . . . until at some point sleep stole her away, too.
CHAPTER 43
MORNING SUNLIGHT SLANTED in the small window.
The warmth of a sun ray licked Allie’s eyelids and she climbed her way out of a sound sleep. Piglet was nudging her arm, wanting to be taken out to pee. “Okay, okay, one second,” Allie groaned. She opened her eyes and blinked, slowly realizing where she was.
She shot up in bed.
Crap!
Her feet hit the floor and she rushed to Hannah, who still lay in the corner. She was curled into the fetal position, sleeping deeply. “Hannah, get up! Hannah! Get! Up! We have to go! Now!”
The girl stirred a little.
As she shook the girl awake, Allie caught movement out of the corner of her eye.
When she looked up, she saw Miss Bitty. The old woman was standing in the doorway, staring down angrily at her.
Miss Bitty didn’t say a word to Allie until after they dropped a still high, barely coherent Hannah off at her house.
The old woman still didn’t say anything when she pulled out of the Hanovers’ driveway, but her face was red and her lips kept twitching as though she was having a difficult time keeping her words to herself.
Back at the house, she gestured to Allie to take a seat at the table, then went to the refrigerator and poured a glass of wine. After downing it in a few gulps, she poured another, then had a seat opposite Allie.
Allie glanced at the clock on the wall. It was only ten o’clock in the morning.
Why is she drinking so early in the morning?
Is it because of me?
Allie’s cheeks burned. She felt awful about her decision to sneak out. She wanted to apologize, but she knew any apology would sound flimsy. She really had no words for what she’d done. No good reason for why she’d done it.
When Miss Bitty spoke, her voice was disturbingly calm. “Do you understand how dangerous that was? Leaving here in the middle of the night and walking through those woods?”
Allie stared down at her lap.
“There’s a murderer on the loose. Do you know how stupid that was, Allie? Do you?”
“Yes.”
“What you did was incredibly irresponsible. How do I get through that thick, incorrigible head of yours? How do I?” The woman’s tone grew sharper. “Look at me when I’m talking to you, young lady. Don’t you dare not acknowledge me when I’m talking to you.”
Allie looked at her and saw that the woman’s eyes glistened with tears.
“Tell me! What is it I have to do? Are you really that self-destructive? Do I even have a chance? Tell me. What do I do to get through to you?”
Allie’s heart felt heavy. How could she say she had been jealous of the attention Hannah had been getting? That she was immature and stupid and absolutely pathetic. That she hadn’t wanted to go to the house but was talked into it because she was so desperate for Hannah to be her friend.
That she’d never had a friend before except for her brother.
That she was really, really sorry . . . Yes, again.
Allie loathed who she was. She loathed that apologizing was so hard for her. Her eyes welled up with tears and words she hadn’t planned to say came pouring out. “Maybe you expect too much of me. Maybe I can’t be who you need me to be.”
Miss Bitty’s eyes hardened. “Excuses aren’t going to cut it, young lady. Not with me.”
It wasn’t an excuse. She had meant it. The woman was the only one who had ever expected anything out of her—and clearly, she was letting her down.
Bitty stared hard at her. “Look, Allie. Don’t make me fail you because I’ll probably be the last chance you’ll get.”
I know.
The old woman exhaled loudly and left the room.
Piglet growled softly in Allie’s arms.
“Miss Bitty?” Allie called.
Silence.
This time she called out more loudly. “Miss Bitty?”
The old woman appeared in the doorway again. “Yes? I’m listening.”
“You’re right . . . and I’m so sorry. I promise I won’t do it again.”
CHAPTER 44
Great to hear from you, Li’l Bit! I was just thinking about you the other day. How are things? You make it back home yet? Get your pic up on here. Miss seeing your beautiful face!
-Johnny
PS: I canceled the credit card so no worries.
IT FINALLY CAME. A message from Johnny! Tears of joy running down her cheeks, Allie danced around the room while Piglet yipped happily at her feet. She needed to tell someone, and fast . . . or she was going to burst!
She never imagined she’d be the type of girl who would have a friend who she could confide in over a boy. It felt good! Exhilarating even! Her heart smiled all the way to Hannah’s house.
“Have fun,” Louis said, easing the car to a stop. “Call when you need to be picked up.”
“Okay, thanks!” Allie threw the car door open and tried not to skip up the porch steps. When she was at the door and about to knock, she heard voices.
“No, honey. If you really need me to fix you dinner in order to feel like a real man, then I want to do it for you.”
The voice was Claire’s and it was coming through an open kitchen window.
“No, it’s okay. Seriously. I’ll stop what I was doing to make sure you get it. I’m here for your happiness, sweetheart. After all, that’s what God put me here for, right?”
The voice that answered was Ted’s. “Claire, come on. That’s enough. I only asked—”
If the circumstances had been different, Allie would have turned and left, but she was giddy and practically bursting to tell Hannah about the message Johnny had sent.
About Johnny, period.
So she rapped sharply on the door.
The talking in the kitchen stopped and a few seconds later, Claire opened the door. The lady’s icy eyes narrowed shrewdly.
“Uh, is Hannah home?” Allie asked, realizing it was the first time she’d seen Claire since she and Miss Bitty had driven home a heavily medicated Hannah. Surely the woman blamed Allie for her daughter’s recklessness. But Allie’d been so excited about the message from Johnny, she hadn’t even considered it before she’d come.
“Sure, Allie. She’s in her room,” the woman said, her thin lips easing into a smile. Her icy eyes even seemed to grow warmer. “Just go on in. I’m sure she’d love to see you right now.”
“Thanks,” Allie said, surprised by the woman’s sudden good nature.
Allie hurried to Hannah’s room and was just about to knock on the door when she heard Hannah talking inside.
“It was so creepy I literally peed my pants in the first five minutes,” she was saying on the other side of the door.
Another girl spoke: “You really saw someone in the yard?”
“I didn’t, she did . . . and I thought she was going to lose it. The puppy started going crazy, too, like she sensed something was there.”
Allie’s pulse quickened. Who was Hannah talking to? And why was she talking about her . . . and that night?
“At first I thought it was you guys messing with us. Seriously. You sure you weren’t there?”
“Are you kidding me? There’s no way I’d go to the Murder House, especially at night.”
Murder House?
Another girl’s voice: “And you guys really slept in his bedroom?”
“Yeah. She slept on the bed and I slept on the floor.”
Ugly Young Thing Page 15
