The Stepsister Read online

  The door was pulled open.

  She wanted to run to it, but she was floating now, floating in the dark, dark air.

  “Is anyone in there? Oh, my God—Emily!”

  Emily floated, so warm, so unbearably warm.

  “If only I could breathe . . .”

  Strong arms pulled her away. She floated through the dark curtain of smoke. She floated to the door.

  “Emily—are you okay?”

  Choking and sputtering, she staggered out into the cool, cool hall. She tried to take deep breaths but her heart was pounding too hard.

  “Emily, just sit down on the floor.” Mrs. Hoffler, the teacher, looked very worried. “I’ve got to sound the alarm.”

  Emily leaned against a column, pressing her face against the cool concrete. I’m going to be okay. I’m going to stop choking. I’m going to breathe again. And I’ll be okay.

  She saw Mrs. Hoffler open the glass door in the alarm and pull the lever. A bell went off somewhere above her head.

  I’m going to be okay.

  “Mrs. Hoffler!” Emily called. The teacher was tall and very skinny. The kids called her Mrs. Stork behind her back.

  “Mrs. Hoffler! I’m going to be okay!”

  The teacher hurried to Emily’s side. “Yes. Yes, you are,” she said, looking very relieved.

  Flames leapt out from under the bathroom door.

  “We’ve got to get out of here,” Mrs. Hoffler said, shouting over the alarm. “Think you can walk?”

  “Sure,” Emily said. She took a step away from the column, then another. So dizzy. So light-headed.

  She fell to her knees. “Ouch.”

  “Let me help you,” Mrs. Hoffler said. “You must have breathed in a lot of smoke.” She pulled Emily to her feet and, putting a strong arm around her waist, guided her to the door. “This doorstop was stuck under the door,” she said, holding up the wooden triangle, then tossing it away. “It’s usually under the hallway door right here. How on earth did it get stuck in the bathroom door?”

  They reached the stairway leading to the first floor. “Emily, how did the fire start?” the teacher asked.

  “I don’t know,” Emily said, still struggling to catch her breath.

  I’ll bet Jessie knows, Emily thought angrily. Jessie was the only one who knew I was in that bathroom.

  Her legs felt so heavy going up the stairs. Mrs. Hoffler practically had to drag her.

  Emily stopped at the top step, leaning heavily against the tall teacher, one hand refusing to let go of the railing. “I—I can’t breathe!” she cried suddenly, her voice so terror-filled, she didn’t recognize it.

  “You’ll feel better in the cold air,” Mrs. Hoffler said, pushing open the heavy door and guiding Emily outside.

  The cold air was a shock. Emily breathed deeply. She was shaking all over, but it didn’t matter.

  I’m alive, she thought. I’m breathing.

  The dark curtain seemed to lift from her eyes. The world became clear again. Colors returned.

  What were the sounds that grew louder and louder?

  It was the laughter and loud voices of Shadyside students. Leaning against Mrs. Hoffler, Emily realized for the first time that they weren’t alone out here on the sidewalk, out here in the gray afternoon cold. Everyone was here. Everyone had been evacuated from the building. Everyone was standing out here, coatless, jumping up and down to keep warm.

  Emily heard sirens in the distance. The fire trucks must be on their way, she thought.

  And then Nancy was standing in front of her. “Oh, Nancy!” Emily cried emotionally and, to her surprise, collapsed into Nancy’s arms.

  “Em—what’s wrong?” Nancy cried, catching Emily before she fell.

  “She was trapped in the bathroom, where the fire started,” Mrs. Hoffler explained quickly.

  “Oh, no!” Nancy’s normally pale skin became flour white. “Are you okay?”

  “I think so,” Emily said.

  “Is she in shock or anything?” Nancy asked Mrs. Hoffler.

  “Why don’t you ask me?” Emily demanded, angry for some reason. “Why ask her?”

  “No, I guess not,” Nancy said, a little color returning to her cheeks. “She sounds like herself.” She grinned at Emily, a grin of sheer relief.

  Everyone cheered as the fire trucks pulled right up onto the grass of the school grounds and serious-faced firemen leapt off and began pulling out a long, gray hose.

  “It was scary,” Emily told her sister, hugging herself to keep warm.

  “I’m going to take Emily home,” Nancy told Mrs. Hoffler. “Unless you think she has to go to the hospital or something.”

  “No,” Emily said. “I mean, I’m fine. Really.” She heard the sound of breaking glass. The firemen must be using axes, she thought. Everything was clear now, clear and bright. She stared at the smiling, laughing faces of the kids huddled in groups all over the school grounds, delighted to have this excuse to be out of school.

  They don’t know what it’s like, she thought. They don’t know how frightening fire is. “Take me home—please,” she told Nancy.

  “I guess it’s all right,” Mrs. Hoffler said. Someone was calling her. “Go ahead.” She turned and headed toward the insistent voice.

  “Thank you, Mrs. Hoffler!” Emily shouted. She wasn’t sure the teacher had heard her. It was an inadequate thank-you for saving her life, anyway, Emily realized. She decided to bring Mrs. Hoffler a present—flowers maybe—tomorrow.

  A few minutes later Emily slid into the passenger seat of the small Corsica Nancy drove to school. Nancy started the engine. Emily closed the door and rested her head on the seatback, closing her eyes.

  “Are you sure you’re okay?” Nancy asked. The car started on the second try.

  “Yeah. I guess.”

  “You know, there’s an ambulance here. It came after the fire trucks. Maybe someone should look at you. You know, examine your lungs or something.”

  “No, Nancy. Please. I’m okay. Let’s just go home. I’ll lie down for a bit at home. Okay?”

  Nancy backed out of the parking spot and carefully headed out of the student parking lot and onto Park Drive. Behind them, kids were cheering for some reason. Maybe the fire had spread over the entire building. Emily didn’t turn around to see.

  “So where were you? In the bathroom?” Nancy asked, speaking quickly, her voice tight.

  “Yes. Downstairs. You know. Across from the gym.”

  “And a fire started?” Nancy sounded very confused.

  “It didn’t start. Somebody started it,” Emily said, opening her eyes and sitting up.

  “Huh?”

  “Nancy, look out!”

  Nancy had driven through a Stop sign and had nearly hit an oncoming car. The driver shouted something out his window and shook his fist.

  “Sorry,” Nancy called out meekly. She turned to Emily. “What did you say? Why didn’t you get out of the bathroom? Why didn’t you go out the window or something?”

  “The window was painted shut,” Emily explained. “Besides, it was a basement window. You know. Underground. I would’ve had to climb up to—”

  “But why didn’t you go out the door?” Nancy asked, putting both hands high on the steering wheel, trying to concentrate on her driving even though she was more interested in getting Emily’s story.

  “It was jammed. Somebody jammed it shut with the doorstop from the hallway door.”

  “I don’t believe it!” Nancy exclaimed, shaking her head.

  “Believe it,” Emily told her bitterly.

  They turned onto Fear Street. A few more blocks and they’d be home.

  “Someone came into the bathroom. I didn’t see who it was. And they started the fire,” Emily explained.

  “You mean someone deliberately tried to—”

  “Someone deliberately started the fire. And then jammed the door shut. I know it,” Emily said, surprised at how calmly she could say those words.

 
“Sometimes kids start fires in wastebaskets for no reason. Just messing around. You know. And I guess the doorstop could have gotten stuck accidentally.”

  “I don’t think it was an accident,” Emily said, her voice still calm, still cool. “I think it was Jessie. And I think she knew what she was doing.”

  Nancy pulled the car up the drive and slammed on the brakes. Neither girl moved to get out of the car.

  Nancy turned in the driver’s seat to face her sister. “That’s a serious accusation.”

  “It was a serious fire,” Emily said, crossing her arms over her chest, looking straight ahead through the windshield. “Jessie tried to kill me. I know it.”

  “But how would she know you were in that bathroom?”

  “I ran into her coming out. She started yelling at me, accusing me of being terrible to her.”

  “What?”

  “You heard me. She ran off, doing this phony crying routine. She didn’t fool me for a second. But, of course, I had no way of knowing she planned to come back and murder me.”

  “This is dreadful,” Nancy said, her voice cracking. She looked as if she might cry. She took Emily’s hand in both of hers and squeezed it tightly. “And you really think that Jessie started the fire?”

  “I know she did.”

  “But you have no proof,” Nancy said.

  “Proof?” Emily jerked her hand out of Nancy’s. “What proof do I need? My dead body?”

  Emily realized she shouldn’t be yelling at her sister. “I’m sorry. I guess I’m more upset than I thought. I mean, I almost died in there, Nancy. Jessie almost got her wish.”

  Nancy didn’t say anything. She stared down at the steering wheel, seemingly lost in thought.

  “You do believe me, don’t you?” Emily asked. “About Jessie?”

  Nancy thought for a long moment. Then she turned to her sister. “Yes. Yes, I do. From what you told me about Jessie’s diary, and from the little bit that Mom let slip about her, I think Jessie is definitely dangerous. I believe you, Em.”

  “So what are we going to do?” Emily asked.

  “I’m going to help you get the proof you need so we can convince Mom and Hugh,” Nancy said.

  “You mean—”

  “From now on, I’m going to keep my eye on Jessie. I’m going to make it my business to know every move Jessie makes. I’m going to stick to her like glue. I want you to just lay off, to just cool it. Just avoid her as much as you can. Let me handle this.”

  “But, Nancy—”

  “She hasn’t given me any trouble—right? So she won’t suspect that I’m going to be the one to expose her. When I have the proof we need, then you and I will sit down quietly with Mom and Hugh and tell them everything.”

  Emily leaned her head back against the car seat. She still felt trembly all over. But she also felt relieved that Nancy believed her, that Nancy was going to help her.

  “Come on. Let’s go inside.” Nancy pushed open the door and climbed out of the car. She came around to the other side and held the door open for Emily. “How do you feel?” She helped Emily up from the low car seat.

  “Better. Really. You don’t have to help me up. I’m just a little jumpy, that’s all.”

  Nancy took her arm and led her up the flagstone walk to the front door. “It’s not going to be easy,” Emily said, surprised at how dizzy she still felt.

  “What isn’t?”

  “Convincing Mom and Hugh that their golden girl has been trying to kill me.”

  “Just let me worry about that,” Nancy said, unlocking the door and following Emily into the house. She was about to go make Emily some hot tea when the door burst open and Jessie came rushing in.

  “Emily—I heard what happened!” Jessie cried, her face filled with emotion. She lunged across the room and threw her arms around Emily, drawing her into a tight hug. “Oh, Emily—are you okay? Are you okay?”

  She pressed her face against Emily’s and wouldn’t let go. Her face was burning hot.

  “Oh, let’s be friends—okay?” Jessie cried, her arms still around Emily. “Let’s start all over again. Okay? Please?”

  Emily was too shaken to speak.

  Despite the heat radiating off Jessie, Jessie’s impassioned hug made Emily feel cold all over.

  Colder than she had ever felt.

  Struggling to free herself from Jessie’s emotional grip, Emily realized that she had never been so afraid in her life.

  Chapter

  14

  Rocking—and Rolling

  Nancy lifted her foot off the brake and eased the car forward a few feet, then quickly braked again. “We’ll never get there,” Emily whined. “The concert will be over, and we’ll still be trying to get into the parking lot.”

  “I can’t even see Vets Auditorium from here!” Jessie complained.

  “Give me a break,” Nancy said softly, waiting for the car in front of her to move. “We still have half an hour. That should be enough time. Besides, there’s always a warm-up band.”

  “But the warm-up band is the Deltoids,” Emily said, rolling down her window and trying to get some fresh air, but inhaling only car exhaust fumes. “Kathy saw them at a little club the last time they were in Waynesbridge, and she said they were awesome.”

  “Awesome?” Jessie laughed. “Emily, I never knew you to be such a teenager!”

  Emily didn’t return the laugh. And she didn’t turn around to acknowledge her stepsister’s presence in the back seat.

  Ever since the fire, Jessie had been extra nice to Emily. Much too nice, in Emily’s opinion. She didn’t want Jessie helping out with her chores and offering to run errands for her.

  She wanted Jessie to leave her alone.

  Emily knew that Jessie had tried to kill her. She was just waiting until Nancy had gotten the proof they needed. Then they would show Hugh and her mother. Then they would make sure that Jessie got the treatment she needed. And make sure that Jessie was safely out of Emily’s life.

  In the meantime Emily had been trying to stay as far away from Jessie as possible. Having to share the same car with her made Emily very nervous.

  She hadn’t wanted Jessie to come to the rock concert with them. Emily had three tickets to the huge auditorium in Waynesbridge, the next town. One for herself, one for Nancy, and one for Josh. But at the last minute, Josh had had to help out at his father’s store.

  “Who should I invite?” Emily had asked Nancy. She didn’t know that Jessie was eavesdropping.

  “Oh, please, please, please,” Jessie started to beg. “Let me come with you. I’ll even pay you for the ticket.”

  Emily looked at Nancy, as if to say, Get me out of this fix. I don’t want to give the ticket to Jessie.

  Nancy just shrugged.

  Jessie pleaded some more.

  Emily was about to tell Jessie “no way” when her mother entered the room. “Why is Jessie down on her knees begging like that?” she asked.

  Emily had to tell her. “Well, of course Jessie can go,” Mrs. Wallner said, oblivious to the looks Emily was giving her.

  Jessie jumped up and down happily.

  “Of course,” Emily said, trying to sound gracious about it, even though she was furious. The concert was ruined for her. Maybe I’ll just get sick and skip it, she thought.

  Why couldn’t her mother mind her own business? And why was she always sticking up for Jessie, always on Jessie’s side? Was she really blind to everything that Jessie was doing?

  The answer to that question, Emily knew, was yes.

  So here they were, just outside the Vets Auditorium parking lot on a Saturday night, creeping forward an inch at a time, nervously glancing at their watches, wondering if they’d get inside before the concert started.

  “Oh, turn up the radio. I love this song!” Jessie cried, leaning over into the front, trying to reach the radio.

  “Ugh.” Nancy made a face. “How can you listen to that? He has such a whiny voice. He sings everything through his
nose.”

  “I think that’s sexy,” Jessie said.

  Nancy turned up the radio until the car windows vibrated. At least it drowns out all the honking horns, Emily thought.

  A white Honda Civic roared past them, at least six boys crammed in like sardines. “Where do they think they’re going? They’re trying to ditch ahead of everyone,” Nancy said angrily.

  “No one will let them back in line,” Jessie said. “Did you see the driver? He was kinda cute.”

  “Now who’s being the teenager?” Emily said, laughing.

  “Well, I am a teenager,” Jessie replied. “What’s wrong with acting like one?”

  “Hey—we’re moving now!” Nancy exclaimed. She eased the car forward two entire car lengths.

  “Only twenty minutes until eight,” Jessie said, looking at her watch for the two thousandth time.

  “They never start on time,” Emily said.

  They pulled the car into a parking place at about eight-fifteen. It was a warm, windless night, so they pulled off their down jackets and locked them in the car. Then all three of them went tearing at full speed in their jeans and sweatshirts across the vast, nearly filled parking lot.

  “I don’t hear any music,” Jessie said as they crowded through the enormous marble lobby of the old theater and made their way up to the row of ticket-takers at the theater entrance.

  “It probably won’t start for another hour,” Nancy said, shouting over the laughter and loud voices. “These bands never show up on time. And then they warm up for two hours.”

  The uniformed ticket-taker, a thin-faced young man with a complexion that resembled the surface of the moon, reached a hand up to Emily for the tickets, but his gaze was toward the parking lot. “You’re about the last ones,” he said, shaking his head. He tore the three tickets in half, then glanced down at them. “Stairway to your left. All the way to the top.”

  “Top?” Emily repeated, looking at her stubs.

  “Yeah. You’re way up on top. Hope you don’t get a nosebleed!” he said, and laughed a high-pitched laugh, as if he’d never made that joke before.

  Emily followed Nancy and Jessie into the auditorium and looked to the stage. The lights were up, but the stage was bare, except for a few roadies in jeans and T-shirts, scrambling about, fiddling with the microphones and giant amps.