T is for Tapping on Rooftops
"See, there it is again!" Sheena hissed, her blue eyes wide, glued to the ceiling as she jabbed a finger towards it, and Faith followed the direction of her gaze, her brow furrowing.
"I still think you're nuts-" she started, but then she heard it again. Strange noises above their heads, like rhythmic tapping…almost like footsteps, like someone walking on the rooftop. And seeing as it was after midnight on Christmas Eve, that was very strange indeed.
"You had to have heard it that time!" Sheena insisted, voice hushed, mouth close to Faith's ear from where she sat close to her on Faith's bed, clutching her arm unconsciously as she continued to look up towards the ceiling. "It was like footsteps. It was like-"
"It's not footsteps," Faith shook her head, though her expression was more doubtful and startled than her tone, and she didn't shake off Sheena's grip. She had been far from happy a few minutes ago when Sheena climbed into her bed and shook her awake, hissing that someone was on the rooftop, but now she too was alert and wondering. "It's just a squirrel or something, okay?"
"That's the biggest fucking squirrel I ever heard in my life, then," Sheena scoffed. "Faith, someone's on the roof, and it's not a squirrel."
"Well what the hell do YOU think it is, then, Santa Claus?" Faith sneered- but the words were no sooner leaving her lips then both girls heard the distinct sound of bells, jingling and jangling as the patter of steps continued.
Both girls froze, almost holding their breaths as their eyes bulged. Then, meeting each other's gaze slowly, they pulled away from each other as Sheena got to her feet.
"Maybe I should go back to my bed," she whispered in a voice that was barely louder than a breath, and Faith nodded hurriedly, agreeing.
"Yeah, maybe…hurry up, go!"
As Sheena slipped out the door and down the hall, intent on making it to bed and closing her eyes as though in sleep as fast as possible, just in case, Faith closed her eyes too. She knew perfectly well there was no Santa…but…well…this time she wasn't taking chances.
And up on the rooftop Diana smiled to herself as she stomped around several more minutes for good measure, shaking her string of bells, before dismounting down the ladder she always left for Sheena at the side, slipping back into the house…but not before leaving the bells well hidden in a bush.