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“I don’t know.”
Ash sat on the bed and grabbed my walkie-talkie.
“Shorty, this is Ash. Can you hear me? Over.”
Static is the only sound we hear.
“Curly Sue, tell us you’re okay. Over,” Ash tries again.
Nothing.
When the sun went down, Ash retreated to his bedroom after another failed attempt to reach Shorty through the walkie-talkie. My stomach was tied up in knots, worried something terrible happened to Shorty.
What if her dad hurt her again?
What if I never see her again?
My eyes filled with tears, and I wiped them away.
After brushing my teeth and putting on my pajamas, Mom kissed me goodnight and turned the lights off.
I was lying in my bed when a loud crack of thunder roared in the air. The rain poured down, each drop beating against the window. I rolled on my side, so I faced Shorty’s window. Suddenly, a light flickered through the window.
And it wasn’t lightning!
I yanked the covers off and sprung out of bed like a pogo stick. I quickly slipped on my Nikes and jacket and climbed out the window. I don’t even care that my pajamas will get soaked from the rain.
I land on the muddy ground with an oomph. I grabbed the step stool that was kept in front of my bedroom window and ran across to Shorty’s window.
Setting the stool down, I raised my foot onto the step and gently knocked on her window. I used our secret knock: one, three, two, and two.
I waited.
The rain continued to pour from the night sky.
And waited.
Finally, the curtains are pulled back, and I can finally breathe. Shorty pushed the window up but stopped midway when she cringes like she ate a lemon. I pushed the window up the rest of the way and climbed into her window, landing on my feet.
I closed her window to keep the rain out once I’mfinallyin her room. I removed my wet shoes and jacket, tossing them onto the floor.
“Are you okay?” I quietly asked Shorty.
“Yeah,” she said in a whisper.
She turned away without looking at me. Her small steps look like all she can manage as she walks toward her bed. Why is she walking funny?
“Shorty, what’s wrong?”
When she climbed into her bed, she whimpered in pain. I get to her quickly and helped her under the covers. I sat beside her, waiting for her to either ask me to lie with her or leave.
I hope she doesn’t want me to go. I hadn’t seen her all day, and I was dying inside.
After sitting in silence for a while, Shorty says, “Did you win?”
I hid my smile and ignored the flip in my stomach, knowing I was on her mind.
“Yeah, we won. I missed you.”
