"What's wrong?" Alanis asked first.

"I forgot to take the gas tank out and hook it up."

"Well, you can't do it now, Stuart. It's too late and you'll make too much noise," she said. "Come even earlier tomorrow morning and do it. Stuart, are you listening?"

"Okay, okay," he said and restarted the engine.

"Make sure he goes straight home. girls, No hank-Wan-1; Alanis called to them.

Nikki muttered something I didn't hear. She and Raspberry laughed, then Stuart turned the truck around and went bouncing down the driveway a little too fast. We could hear Nikki and Raspberry screaming. They paused at the bottom and yarned left to disappear into the night.

"Well, that was fun, wasn't it?" Alanis asked.

I nodded. I wasn't feeling well and it really hadn't been all that much fun for me. but I could see it was important to her that I thought it was.

"Don't worry about Stuart. If you don't like him, we'll find someone else. You better go in and get to bed. You know what time to get up and all. right?"

"Yes."

"Don't depend on your aunt to wake you, girl. You got an alarm clock or something?"

I shook my head. I'd never thought of it. All my life my mother or Ian would wake me for anything.

"Well. I do. It's my granddad. He could wake the dead. Don't worry. I'll come around as soon as I get on my clothes and make sure you're up and ready. Remember our motto," she warned. "We die first."

She started toward her house, then turned.

"Go on inside. Jordan. and get yourself to bed." "Okay." I said and ran around to the front of the house.

The television was still on. Great-aunt Frances was asleep. I hurried up the stairs and to the bathroom to get my teeth brushed, my face washed, and then into my pajamas. When I crawled into bed and pulled the blanket toward my chin. I moaned regret. I hadn't read another of Ian's letters. and I'd so wanted to read them all already. I vowed to do it as soon as I returned from school.

My brain was in such turmoil that I didn't see how I would fall asleep. The music, the alcopops. Stuart's tongue kiss, all of it whirled around. I felt as if I'd been spinning in the bed. I finally fell asleep, but again I woke up in the middle of the night, Vaguely. I remembered the sobbing I had heard the night before, but this time I could hear Great-aunt Frances washing her face in the bathroom and humming something. I knew she had looked in on me. but I didn't think I should show her I was awake. Minutes later. I was asleep again, and this time. I didn't wake up until I felt myself being shaken.

Alanis was standing at the side of my bed.

"Damn. girl, you gonna need an alarm clock. She's dead asleep. too. Lucky, for Granddad. Get up and dressed quickly. Stuart should be here by now if he's going to hook up that gas tank before he takes us to school. Hurry," she urged.

I was so confused. To me it was as if I'd still been in a dream. I didn't wake up fully until after I had washed and dressed and gone down to at least have a piece of orange. Great-aunt Frances finally rose herself and hurried down the stairs in her nightgown.

"Oh, good, you're up." she cried. "I'm sorry I overslept. We'll make sure the clocks are on alarm for tomorrow. Did you have some breakfast?"

I nodded. I really wasn't very hungry. but I remembered what Alanis had told me.

"I need lunch money." I said.

"Oh, dear, lunch money. Yes. I found some money yesterday. I had forgotten about it." Her eyes widened with excitement, and she went to the cabinet under the sink. She pulled out a can of soap powder and opened the top. It was full of tens and twenties. "I don't know why I forgot this," she said. "It's been under here so long."

Lucky Mae Betty doesn't do her job that well, I thought. She would have found it for sure. and I had no doubt she would have taken it.

"Take all that to your room. Great-aunt Frances," I told her. "Otherwise, it will disappear."

"Yes. I will. Yes. Here," she said, handing me a twenty. That should be enough."

"Thanks," I said and reminded her to take the money to her room. "Put it somewhere safe," I said.

"I will. Oh, look at you. That's a lovely dress, a wonderful dress for the first day of school,"

"Thank you. Grandmother Emma bought it for me."

Tags: V.C. Andrews Early Spring Horror
Source: readsnovelonline.net