Madison is almost past the backyard of Mr. Hooper’s house. She watches carefully before turning up that little road next to the side of the house and walks as quietly as she can.
She breathes in and out slowly, watchful for Old Man Hooper or his dog. The front of the house faces the other street, her destination. Just a few more steps and she is past the backyard and beside the house.
All is quiet. And then she hears the chilling jangle of the chain. Caesar!
She almost freezes with fear, her heart racing, and with a yelp makes herself run for her life.
Madison does not dare look back. She hears the snarl that she knows is Caesar, the jangling of his chain, his panting breath, and the sound of his feet thudding on the ground and churning up the snow as he charges across the yard after her.
Madison feels like little red riding hood about to be eaten by the wolf, and she is sure Caesar must have eaten a few grandmothers and kids in his nasty life. Her breath catches and she stumbles, almost falling.
He sounds so close!
She looks at the second window on the side of the house.
“If I can just get to the second window I’m safe. Caesar’s chain doesn’t go to the first window, but it’s the second one that is the safe window. It puts enough distance between me and the dog that I can dare to look behind me. At least, that’s what everyone says.”
Madison is about to test that out.
She passes the corner of the house, the dog’s feet pounding after her in the snow and the chuffing of his breath through bared teeth is practically on top of her.
Madison feels like her pounding heart is going to stop beating with her fear. She passes the first window; sure she can feel and smell the dog’s hot nasty breath on her back.
Before she reaches the second window, Madison is startled by a strangled yelp and a scuffle behind her. She waits until she reaches the second window before she turns around to look, just in time to see Caesar getting to his feet and shaking the snow off. He had run himself right to the end of his chain and flipped himself over.
Feeling sick with fear and relief, Madison makes a face at him and hurries on her way.
Caesar watches her go with just a few loud barks to send her on her way.
With that out of the way, Madison can focus on where she is going now, and her need for help. “Please, please, let there be someone at the school to let me in,” she begs.
Madison jogs for as long as she can, and then slows to a walk. A painful cramp is cutting through her side and her lungs feel burnt by the cold air. Her hands and feet are beginning to feel frozen inside her mitts and boots. She is frozen by the time she reaches the school.
Madison’s heart sinks. There is not a single car in the parking lot. She goes to the front doors, pulling on them. They are locked. Cupping a mittened hand to block out the light, she presses her face and hand to the window on one of the front doors, looking in. Not a soul in sight.
“Oh no, there’s no one here,” she groans with a sinking feeling in her stomach. Just knowing she can’t get out of the cold makes her feel colder.
Madison goes around the school looking in all the windows she can reach and trying all the doors. “Maybe one of the teachers is staying late. Maybe they are getting picked up.”
The place is locked up tight and completely abandoned. The classroom lights are all off and she can see only a security light on in the hall.
There is no one there and Madison is freezing and alone and stuck outside with nowhere to go.
“What am I going to do now?” she whimpers.
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