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We checked the classroom closets, but there was nothing worth pulling out.
“Hey,” I said, pointing to what looked like a janitor’s closet.
I pried open the door and dust came billowing out. I let it settle before stepping inside. “Here’s an old candle,” I said, picking up a red pillar candle probably used at Christmastime fifty years ago.
“See anything else worth using?” she asked.
I checked the shelves. “Score!”
“What is it?”
“A bottle of whiskey,” I said, dusting off the label. “Unopened from about twenty years ago.” She didn’t say anything. “Cricket?”
“Yeah?”
“Did you hear me?”
“Yeah, a bottle of whiskey, cool,” she said, unenthused.
I pocketed the whiskey and shut the door to the closet.
“Not a fan of whiskey?” I asked.
“You could say that,” she said vaguely.
She started walking back toward the stage area. “You could force down a shot if it got too cold. It’d warm you up.”
“Yeah, I couldn’t do that even then,” she explained, or didn’t explain.
“Okay,” I sang, letting it lie.
“I wonder if there’s anything behind the stage.”
Eugie had stayed behind and was pacing the end of the stage waiting for us. I sat our meager findings on the edge and helped Bridge back up. I didn’t have the heart to tell her there were stairs hidden behind the curtain. I helped myself and began our way to the back when the lights went off and the electricity powered down.
“Dang,” Cricket said.
It was pitch dark, so I grabbed the flashlight I’d tucked in my jacket just in case that very scenario played out.
“Oh!” she said, when I turned on the light. “Good. A flashlight.”
“Yes, a flashlight.”
“Shut up.”
I smiled and led the way.
There was nothing to the left of the stage but the pulley system and the stairs, so I led us back over to the right side. There was a tiny stage room tucked in the corner, and inside there were rows of Christmas costumes.
“That’s it then,” she said. “What we see is what we’ve got.”
“Let’s grab a couple of these wise men beards.” I snatched one off a shelf and put it over her head. “Got to keep that mug warm, Thumbelina.”
“Hey!” she said, laughing and tugging off the beard.
She placed it back on the shelf.
“How about these capes,” I suggested seriously.
