CHAPTER FIVE
"What is it, Melissa?" Callie asked. Melissa's screams died down as she opened the door and closed it again. Her forefinger was red and swollen from being shut on.
"Callie, get me some ice, please!" Melissa gasped, plopping onto the couch.
"What's ice?"
"It's cubes in the freezer."
"What's a freezer?"
"Never mind. I'll get it." Melissa realized that the more she explained, the more questions Callie would ask. Teeth clenched tightly, Melissa retrieved a bag of ice from the freezer and laid it on her sore finger.
And all the while Callie just stood there, watching, a confused expression on her face.
Ring, ring, went the phone later that night.
Melissa rolled over sleepily and grabbed her phone. "Hello?"
"Melissa? It's Brittany," said the voice on the other end of the line.
"Oh, hi, Brittany. What's up?" Melissa asked, sitting up. She looked over at Callie. Good. Her twin was sound asleep.
"Can I spend the next couple of weeks at your house?" Brittany asked.
"Weeks?" Melissa repeated.
"Yeah," Brittany replied. "My parents are really, really high. They were on rampage when I got home from your house, and bottles were strewn all over the place. And you know how bad my parents can get. When they get high it makes them more addicted to the stuff, so they're always high for about a month. And right now I'm in my room-did you hear the shouting and banging? - And I need to get someplace else. I'm already packed up."
"Sure." Melissa said, glad to help her friend.
"Great! I'll be right there!" Brittany hung up and so did Melissa. Quickly, she pulled sweats over her pajamas and went out on the porch to wait for her friend. The night air was chilly, and her toes were frozen, even though she had slippers on.
Melissa waited and waited, but Brittany never came. Since Brittany lived far enough to where you couldn't see if she was coming or not, Melissa decided to go inside and phone her house.
Nobody answered.
Melissa began to get scared. She decided to go up to Brittany's house and see what was keeping Brittany. So she grabbed a flashlight and headed up the street. The neighborhood was quiet, and Melissa could only hear the crunch of the snow under her shoes.
Melissa reached Brittany's house and looked around the yard. Nothing. Then she spotted something. It was medium-sized and skinny. Curiously, Melissa peeked closer-and screamed with fright.
"What is it, Melissa?" Callie asked. Melissa's screams died down as she opened the door and closed it again. Her forefinger was red and swollen from being shut on.
"Callie, get me some ice, please!" Melissa gasped, plopping onto the couch.
"What's ice?"
"It's cubes in the freezer."
"What's a freezer?"
"Never mind. I'll get it." Melissa realized that the more she explained, the more questions Callie would ask. Teeth clenched tightly, Melissa retrieved a bag of ice from the freezer and laid it on her sore finger.
And all the while Callie just stood there, watching, a confused expression on her face.
Ring, ring, went the phone later that night.
Melissa rolled over sleepily and grabbed her phone. "Hello?"
"Melissa? It's Brittany," said the voice on the other end of the line.
"Oh, hi, Brittany. What's up?" Melissa asked, sitting up. She looked over at Callie. Good. Her twin was sound asleep.
"Can I spend the next couple of weeks at your house?" Brittany asked.
"Weeks?" Melissa repeated.
"Yeah," Brittany replied. "My parents are really, really high. They were on rampage when I got home from your house, and bottles were strewn all over the place. And you know how bad my parents can get. When they get high it makes them more addicted to the stuff, so they're always high for about a month. And right now I'm in my room-did you hear the shouting and banging? - And I need to get someplace else. I'm already packed up."
"Sure." Melissa said, glad to help her friend.
"Great! I'll be right there!" Brittany hung up and so did Melissa. Quickly, she pulled sweats over her pajamas and went out on the porch to wait for her friend. The night air was chilly, and her toes were frozen, even though she had slippers on.
Melissa waited and waited, but Brittany never came. Since Brittany lived far enough to where you couldn't see if she was coming or not, Melissa decided to go inside and phone her house.
Nobody answered.
Melissa began to get scared. She decided to go up to Brittany's house and see what was keeping Brittany. So she grabbed a flashlight and headed up the street. The neighborhood was quiet, and Melissa could only hear the crunch of the snow under her shoes.
Melissa reached Brittany's house and looked around the yard. Nothing. Then she spotted something. It was medium-sized and skinny. Curiously, Melissa peeked closer-and screamed with fright.