Chain Letter

Chapter Nine

Opening nights always made Alison nervous. There were so many things that could go wrong. she could miss an entrance, forget a line, trip on the carpet, or burp when speaking. And tonight, on top of everything else, she worry about getting shot. The Caretaker's ad had been clear.

A.P. Flub Lines Opening Night

No way. Famous last words.

"I'm so scared," Fran whispered. They were standing in the backstage shadows. On the other side of the living room wall, they could hear the audience settling. Curtain was soon. "What if they don't like my walls?"

"In the entire history of the theatre," Alison said, "I've never heard of a set being booed. By the way, it was nice of you to finally decide to bring them in. Rehearsing without them was uninspiring."

"Two minutes," Mr. Hoglan whispered, moving like a ghost in the dark. He had replaced Brenda the day he had dumped her. The new Essie was standing in the corner with a penlight, frantically studying the script. Alison felt sorry for her.

"Mr. Hoglan, did you find your keys?" Alison asked. He had complained about having misplaced them earlier in the week. In her opinion; that was a bad omen.

"This afternoon," he said, his eyes twinkling. "They must have been on my desk all along. I don't know how I could have missed them." He patted her arm affectionately. "I know you'll be wonderful tonight."

"Thank you." What if the Caretaker had simply duplicated the keys or had already planted his bomb? She wished her parents had not insisted on coming tonight. But her dad would soon be going to New York on a business trip, and her mom would be accompanying him. They felt they had to see the play now or else possibly miss it altogether.

Mr. Hoglan went off to encourage the new Essie and she and Fran were left alone again."Is the gang all here?" Alison asked. "Come to watch the latest sacrifice?"

"I haven't seen Brenda, Kipp, or Joan. But Tony and Neil are here." Fran's eyes lit up. "Neil's sitting in the front row!"

"Did you talk to him?"

"No! I can't do that."

"How do you expect to seduce him if you won't talk to him?"

Fran surprised her. "Can't talk and kiss at the same time."

"Touch'e. Now get out of here. I have to psych myself up."

Fran was used to working with temparemental actresses--this one in particular--and was not offended at the brush-off. But when Fran was gone and Alison was left alone in the dark corner--the bulk of the cast was already in place next to the entrances and she did not want to disturb them--she almost went searching for her. Around other people, her chances of getting hurt were small.

Of course, Tony had been in front of two thousand people.

Alison was still furious with herself for having allowed him to run in the second race. She had known he was ill, he had told her as much. She had gone to Coach Sager and insisted he be withdrawn. She had hesitated because, if she knew nothing else about him, he was a determined fellow and would not have wanted anyone to stand in his way. No one else she had ever met could have pushed himself as hard as he had over that last lap. His willpower almost frightened her.

Alison heard the curtain rise and the opening antics of her stage mother but her mind was back in the stadium with the shocked crowd. When Tony had lapsed into his drugged stride, clawing at the air as if for invisible strings that could hold him up, she had cried. And she has not cried since the last summer. Maybe the Caretaker had done what he had for that very reason, to keep afresh their memories.