Blackout by Caroline Crane

but it gave her moral support. Slowly, with the
table’s help, she inched her way toward the window. It was only a
few feet but it felt like eternity.
    The windowsill was covered with some kind of
grillwork. Air blew up through it. Not frigid, not warm, just air.
The blind was closed. She couldn’t possibly raise it. She had to
save her strength for the window and hoped it wasn’t locked.
    Why would it be locked? Nobody could get in
that way. She could tell from what she saw in the daytime that she
wasn’t on the ground floor. She pushed herself up under the
blind.
    She ought to leave a note. But she’d done
that the first time. Her motive ought to be clear enough to anyone
who knew what happened. And who in the world, or at least in
Southbridge, didn’t?
    The window had handles, one on each side. She
grasped them and pulled upward.
    It rose more easily than she expected.
     

 
    Chapter
Nine
     
    Another dismal day without my car.
    What would I do if I still didn’t have it by
the time school started? I would have to take the bus! There wasn’t
anybody up where I lived who took the bus to Southbridge High. They
mostly went to Lakeside or had a car, or both. This really
sucked.
    I called the service manager, Mr. Patton, at
Barger Brothers.
    It sounded as if he was chewing on something,
maybe a good excuse. Finally, he said, “That depends.”
    “On what?” I asked.
    “When did you bring it in?”
    “Do you mean there’s big long line waiting
for service?”
    “Give me your name again.” That was an order,
not a request. I gave him my name.
    I could almost see him flipping pages in his
order book. I knew they kept it all in a looseleaf binder.
    “We had to order a part,” he said.
    “Yes, I know that. They wouldn’t tell me what
part or how long it would take.”
    “Depends,” he said. “Car needs a new
engine.”
    “A new—” I felt myself choking. I thought I
was having a heart attack.
    “Can take a while,” he said, unmindful of my
distress. “We’re looking for a used one to save you some
money.”
    “How much—do you think—” Then I had a clearer
thought. “I want one that’s going to work. And will go on working
for the next ten years.” By that time, maybe I could afford a new
car.
    “We’ll give you a call when it’s ready,” he
promised.
    My head went on spinning. I had a crazy
thought about going and living with Cree. She could walk to school
from her house. It was only one more year. We could walk together
and keep each other company.
    Now I missed Ben as much as she did. If he
were here, I could ride to school with him.
    No, I couldn’t. Not when he’d already
graduated.
    If it weren’t for Evan, I would still be at
Lakeside. I could easily walk there from home and usually did.
    Then I started thinking about Kelsey. She was
supposed to go to some college in Massachusetts. Mt. Holyoke, I
thought. Would she still do that? Would she be ready? If I were
her, I wouldn’t want to go anywhere ever again. At least she’d be
far away from Southbridge and anyone who knew her. As long as that
turd didn’t put her pictures back on the Internet.
    How I missed Rick. If his hostage situation
were over, he would have called me. Unless they had a big long
debriefing, or something. Even then, I couldn’t get a picture of
him and Rosie out of my mind. Sitting with the others at a big long
table, talking, listening, and holding hands.
    Was that an accurate picture? The hands? Why
did my brain have to focus on it? Or bring it up to begin with?
Curses.
    I tried to call Phil Reimer and ask about the
hostage situation, like if it was still going on and where.
Couldn’t get him and nobody else answered his phone. Probably it
was top secret anyway, to keep away gawkers who might get hurt and
would certainly be in the way.
    My call to the garage seemed to work. Or I
liked to think it did. By mid-afternoon they got back to me. My car
was ready!
    “Are you sure?” I asked. “A nice new