Help Wanted (12 page)

The cluttered confusion of junk still covered the wall, but as Robin's gaze fell on the class picnic photos, she noticed that several were missing.

Vicki's
.

And mine
.

Robin glanced around the hallway and rubbed a sudden chill from her arms.
It doesn't mean anything, she told herself firmly. Someone probably took Vicki's down because of her disappearing, got rid of it so it doesn't upset people to see her smiling there on the bulletin board. And mine could have fallen or maybe gotten trashed—nobody would want a picture of me
.

She wondered if anyone had even noticed it besides her. So much more stuff had been added to the board, the photos were practically hidden now anyway.
Maybe Jim took Vicki's picture down. To give to the police or something
.

She opened her locker and traded her books for her gym suit. She was so deep in thought that at first she didn't even notice Claudia standing there waiting for her.

“Claudia!” Robin exclaimed. “Is anything wrong?”

The girl looked exhausted. Her face seemed even paler than it had that morning, and her eyes had a haunted, bruised look that spoke silently of tension and fear. As Robin stared in concern, Claudia managed a brave smile.

“I … I was just wondering … if you were going—you know—to the house today after school?”

She doesn't want to go home alone
, Robin thought grimly.
And I don't blame her
.

“I plan to,” Robin said. “At least for a little while.”

“I thought maybe you'd have a date,” Claudia said. The two of them headed for the outside door and started across the yard toward the gym.

“I never have a date.” Robin sighed. “But
you
certainly shouldn't have any trouble.”

“Parker tells me I'm so strange that no one will ever ask me out.”

“Oh, what does Parker know?” Robin threw back at her and was glad to see Claudia smile again. “I'll introduce you to some of the guys, if you want. In fact, I'll introduce you to everyone.” She gave Claudia a scolding look. “You were pretty antisocial yesterday.”

Claudia flushed. “I know I was. I just wasn't ready to meet people.”

“Well, I'm telling you, today's volleyball day, and I'm picking you for my team.”

“I'm not very good,” Claudia warned her, but Robin laughed.

“That's a relief. I thought I was the only one.”

The class went by quickly. To Robin's surprise, her team won for a change, and afterward she spent half an hour ushering Claudia around from one friend to another. The locker room had nearly emptied by the time introductions were over, and as the two girls began to undress, Robin gave Claudia a victory sign.

“You did great. See? No one bit you.”

“No,” Claudia agreed, smiling tiredly. “They all just want me to get them a date with Parker.”

“Let them get their own dates.” Robin tossed Claudia's towel at her and led the way into the showers. “Come on, I'll race you. I can't stand smelling like dirty socks.”

“What are all these signs?”

“Oh,” Robin grunted. “Out of order again. You'll get used to that here, Claudia. Only a few of these showers almost ever work at one time. Let's try these two at the end.”

The hot water felt good and soothing, and as Robin let it flow through her hair, she concentrated on emptying out her mind as well—all the troubled thoughts sloughing off and swirling down the drain. Claudia was actually beginning to act a little bit normal; at least she'd made an effort to talk to the girls just now, and she seemed to want Robin's company.
It'll just take time
, Robin thought to herself,
and why shouldn't it, after all Claudia's been through
.…

She raised her voice a little so it would carry to the stall next to hers.

“You okay over there?”

For a moment there was silence. Frowning, Robin started to call again, when Claudia's voice answered.

“How long does it take this water to get hot?”

“I don't know. Not too long.”

“It's kind of creepy in here, isn't it?”

“No creepier than any other afternoon, except it's Friday and it empties out faster. Don't worry—Miss Nelson's office is just down the hall,” Robin reassured her. “And so is Coach Marvin's. They never leave till everyone's out.”

She closed her eyes and tilted her head back beneath the running water.

“Robin?” Claudia called softly.

“What?”

“Something's … weird.”

“Weird how?”

“Like …” Claudia's voice rose. “Like … someone's watching me.”

Robin's eyes flew open. Instinctively she turned around, her eyes quickly scanning the area outside the shower stalls.

“You've been seeing too many scary movies,” she said, trying to laugh it off. “No one could watch us—there's no place for anyone to hide.”

Claudia didn't answer. Robin peeked out again and suppressed a shiver. The water was steaming hot, yet she suddenly felt chilled.

“Did you hear that?” Claudia asked nervously.

Robin hesitated, her fingers tangled in her hair. A slow rash of goose bumps crawled over her body.

“What?” she whispered.

And yet for just a second she'd thought …

No, that's silly. Now I'm imagining things
.

“A voice.” Claudia's answer was muffled, and Robin had to strain to hear. “Someone talking.”

“Miss Nelson?” Robin shouted. “Is that you?”

Her words echoed back to her, hollow and distorted. There was only the dull roar of the water spraying and the sudden thud as her soap fell onto the tiles. Robin nearly jumped out of her skin.

“Miss Nelson!” Robin shouted louder this time. “Who's there?”

And she could
swear
she'd heard a voice just then … the faintest sound of someone calling.…

“I bet it's some of the guys,” she said with forced confidence. “I bet they're out in the hall trying to scare us.”

“Do you think so?” Claudia peeked cautiously around the corner of the stall, but she didn't look convinced. “Robin, maybe we should get out of here.”

“I'm not going to let a bunch of stupid guys run us off,” Robin said with more courage than she felt. “Are you finished?”

“No.” Claudia shook her head. “The water's still cold.”

“Try another one, then.” Squinting through her wet hair, Robin peered down the line of shower stalls. “Down there—near the other end.”

Claudia wrapped up in a towel and tiptoed quickly down the hall. Then suddenly she stopped and cast Robin an anxious glance back over her shoulder.

“What is it?” Robin asked.

“That sign.” Claudia's voice trembled as she pointed straight ahead of her.

“What sign?”

“That out-of-order sign.” Claudia hesitated, then added slowly, “Wasn't it on that other shower stall when we got here?”

For a moment Robin could only stare at her, bewildered.

“The sign,” Claudia said again nervously. “Wasn't it on that
last
stall?”

Robin looked from Claudia to the sign and back again.

“Claudia, there are half a dozen out-of-order signs in here—how could you possibly tell which one was hanging on which shower stall when we walked in? And how could it possibly have moved?” She paused, watching fear and suspicion struggle over Claudia's features. “And why,” Robin added more kindly, “would you even
think
it moved?”

“I don't know,” Claudia mumbled, putting one hand to her forehead. “I just … thought I heard something again.”

“When?”

The other girl dropped her eyes. “It doesn't matter. Maybe I just—”

“It does matter,” Robin said. “Claudia?”

Shaking her head, Claudia disappeared into the end stall. Robin waited several seconds, then ducked uneasily back into her own shower, burying herself once more beneath the muffling rush of hot water.

She squeezed out her washcloth and reached up to rinse her hair.

And this time she knew she hadn't imagined it.

“Help …”

It seemed to be laughing now. A strange mocking sort of laugh. Floating out of nowhere, yet very close, so very dangerously close—

“Help me …”

“Robin!” Claudia screamed.

But Robin was already running.

“Claudia!” she shouted. “Claudia, are you all right?”

“Oh, Robin—
what's happening!”

Robin swung around the corner of Claudia's shower stall.

And froze.

And pressed one hand to her mouth to keep from being sick.

At first she didn't see Claudia.

There was only the slimy red floor and the splattered red walls, and the dark red spray spewing out of the shower.…

But as Robin dropped her eyes in horror … as she put her hands to her ears to shut out the sounds of Claudia's frenzied screams, she saw the girl at last …

Saw her small tight body huddled on the tiles in the corner …

Saw her hair, her face, every inch of her pale, pale skin soaked and smeared with blood.

R
obin! Robin, are you in there?”

Someone's calling me, but I'm dreaming—I must be dreaming—trapped in the worst nightmare I've ever had and Claudia's here with me and neither of us can get out—

“Robin!”

The voice shouted again, and it was familiar somehow. And something was pounding, loud and heavy and relentless, and as it hammered through Robin's brain, she felt herself come slowly back into focus.

“Help! Somebody help us!”

She dived under the gushing red spray and grabbed Claudia, hauling her to her feet, dragging her out of the shower.

“Oh, Claudia—oh, Claudia—you're all right—you're going to be fine!”

She was babbling and grabbing towels, wrapping Claudia up, wiping the girl's face and hair. And the whole time Claudia was like a mechanical doll, staring, just staring—

“Robin!” the voice shouted again. “I'm coming in!”

Somehow she remembered that she wasn't dressed herself, and as the door crashed open, Robin managed to grab another towel and crouch down beside Claudia on one of the benches.

“My God,” Walt murmured, and he seemed strangely frozen as he stood there beside them and stared.

“The shower,” Robin said. “Go look in the shower.”

“Are you all right?”

“Yes, but I think Claudia might be in shock. Please hurry!”

As Robin put her arms around Claudia and slowly rocked her, she heard the water go off in the room beyond. A second later Walt reappeared and knelt down beside them, wiping his hands on his jeans and gazing anxiously into Claudia's blank face.

“Claudia,” he said gently. “Everything's okay.”

He raised one hand and touched her forehead. Without warning Claudia gasped and made a choking sound, and as Robin pulled back in alarm, Walt grabbed Claudia's shoulders and gave her a firm shake.

“Okay, Claudia, okay. Nothing's going to happen, you're safe.”

“Blood!” she gasped, and her eyes were wild and terrified. “I told you she wanted me—I told you I'd be next—”

“It's not blood,” Walt said, and as Robin stared at him, he shook his head emphatically and repeated himself. “It's not blood. Understand? Just water. Just colored water, that's all it is.”

“What are you talking about?” Robin whispered.

Claudia's face was ghostly white beneath smears of red. She was shaking violently, and as Robin reached over to take her hand, she realized she was shaking just as badly herself.

“Something rigged up in the shower head.” Walt's glance slid toward the other room and then back again to Robin.

“Looks like some kind of red powder or something. It's hard to tell exactly—what's left up in there is kind of syrupy now. Just turn the water on … instant blood. Or whatever your imagination wants to call it.”

“I can't believe someone would do something like that!” Robin said furiously, close to tears.

“Believe it. Someone did.”

Walt stood up and gestured toward the main door of the locker room. “Where is everyone, anyway? How come you two were here all alone?”

“We couldn't have been here alone. Miss Nelson never leaves until she's sure all the girls are gone.”

“Well, I saw her in the office on my way. She looked pretty upset. Something about an emergency call, but when she got there, nobody was on the line.”

Robin felt as if all her strength had drained away. She stared at Walt, and then she stared at the floor.

“Why were
you
here?” she finally asked, but before Walt could answer, another voice spoke from the hall doorway.

“I asked him to help me look for Claudia,” Parker said. “I was supposed to give her a ride home, but she never showed up.”