she said, and she and Celia left.
I ran to the door and looked out the side
window. They got into Celia's car, backed out of the
driveway, and headed away. It was almost midnight,
and it was still raining steadily. Where could they be
going? I returned to my bedroom. but I was too
nervous to fall back asleep. and I just lay there staring
up through the darkness. Every sound made my heart
thump Finally, pure exhaustion slammed my lids shut.
and I was dropped into a deep sleep.
It was so deep a sleep that I didn't hear Brenda
come back into my room much later. I wouldn't have
known she had come in at all if I didn't open my eyes and see David Peet's camera beside my pillow. It was early in the morning, barely seven, but there was enough light in the room for me to see it. It was one of those throwaway cameras. For a moment. however. I thought I was still asleep. dreaming. Then the realization that it was really there set in. and I practically leaped into a sitting position, gaping down
at it as if
it were a giant spider or something. I picked it up slowly and turned it around in my
hands. How could it be here? With the camera in
hand. I went to my bedroom door and peered out.
listening. The house was dead quiet. Mama hadn't
risen. These days, she was sleeping longer and longer,
and there were mornings when I actually had risen,
had made breakfast, and was just about ready to leave
for school by the time she came out of her bedroom,
looking dazed and confused about the time.
The sight and possession of this camera were so
shocking I couldn't wait for Brenda to wake up. I
quickly crossed to her room, knocked gently on her
door, and then opened it and looked in. My mouth
was forming an apology for waking her when I froze. She wasn't there. The bed was empty. In fact, it
didn't even look as if she had been in it.
"What are you doing. April?" I heard her ask,