Episode 4: The Truth About Sadie Wilkins
Read “The Truth About Sadie Wilkins” from the beginning.
Episode 4: Imaginary Friend
Mama and Daddy were already gone when I got up. Tommy was eatin' breakfast. I figured I should just let him alone, but I had to ask.
"Is Stevie up?"
"No," Tommy said. "And I ain't waitin' for either of you. I'm going to go ask old Mr. Tucker if he'll let me ride his horse."
"Fine," I said. "No skin off my nose. I got other stuff to do anyway. I want to check on Rhonda."
"You are plain nuts, you know that?" Tommy said and took off out the back door.
***
I tried to forget about our Ghost in the Graveyard game, but I couldn't understand why Tommy was mad at me. I wasn't the one who scared Rhonda half to death. That and the dream about her had me all worked up.
Stevie still wasn't up at four o'clock in the afternoon. I did all the chores by myself since Tommy was still gone. I had a feelin' in the back of my mind that kept naggin' at me. I couldn't take it anymore. I had to ask Stevie what the heck was happenin’. I took a deep breath and went into his room. He had the curtains pulled closed.
"Stevie," I said. "You okay?"
There was no answer. But I felt a presence in the room that wasn't Stevie. A weight pressed down on me, and I got really worried about my brother. Then, I turned on the light and sat beside him on the bed.
"Please," I said, my voice shakin’. "Stevie, just tell me you're okay."
"I'm okay, sis. Just tired," he said.
"Can you tell me what happened last night?"
"What do you mean?"
"With Rhonda. You sure scared her, Stevie."
"Your imaginary friend?" He laughed.
I froze.
"I don't understand. You said to bring Rhonda, and you would play. She's not imaginary."
"Sadie," he said, "I figured it was part of the game. There ain't no girl named Rhonda. Ask Tommy if you don't believe me."
"That's not funny, Stevie."
"Well, I'm not trying to be funny." He said, sittin’ up. "Rhonda's not real. And that house where you pretend she lives is empty, sis."
Stevie's voice sounded hollow like he was standin’ in a cave. His words echoed in my ears. I ran out of his room, out of our house, and down to where Rhonda lived.
***
The front door swung open when I knocked. I couldn't believe what I was seein'. Stevie was right. The place was empty and fallin’ apart. My heart was poundin’ in my throat.
"Sadie," a tiny voice whispered. "Please, help me."
I thought I must have lost my mind. I didn't know what to do, but I figured I had to find out more.
"Who are you? What do you want from me?"
"Rhonda." Her voice sounded like a whisper in the wind, and she was gone.
I didn't know what the heck to think. It must be my imagination. It couldn't be a real ghost. I must be crazy, like everybody always says.
The dark had settled in, makin' it dangerous in that empty house, so I decided I'd come back tomorrow as soon as Mama and Daddy left for work. I went to open the door to leave, but then—
THUMP!
A loud noise scared me so bad I jumped and let out a squeal. Shakin’, I waited for somethin’ to happen. Nothin'. I opened the front door, and somethin’ hit my heel. There at my foot was a small diary with a little clasp to keep it closed.
"Go, he's coming!"
I grabbed the diary and bolted out the front door, runnin’ all the way home.
***
Stevie's laughter drifted through the open window. It sounded like daddy was whoopin' his ass good. I didn't want anyone to see the diary, so I hid it outside by the back porch. Mama was in the kitchen by the back door, and Daddy was givin' Stevie an ass whoopin' in the livin' room.
I figured goin' in the back door would be the safest route. But I was wrong. Daddy was done beatin' Stevie by the time I walked into the kitchen. And he was waitin' for me, mad as hell. Tommy was sittin’ on the couch in the livin’ room, waitin' his turn. He glared at me, accusin’ me with his eyes. Daddy looked at me with that same vacant stare Stevie had that night in the graveyard.
"You go to your room. I'll deal with you later." He said.
"Yes, sir."
Then I went to my room, grabbed my flashlight, climbed out the window, got the diary, and ran up the hill to Shady Grove Cemetery as fast as I could.
Read Episode 5