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Authors: The Egypt Game [txt]
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class at Wilson. April had it figured out that there were at least twenty-five kids who would be going with Mr. Barkley and Mr. Kamata, and that was a lot of kids to keep track of, particularly in the dark. Which opened the way for a fascinating and frightening scheme.
If, April decided, the Egypt gang all stayed together, there might be a chance to slip away from the big group to pay a visit to Egypt. Their flashlights and jack-o-lanterns would be enough to light up the storage yard at least a little, and it would be really terrific-a nighttime ceremony in the spooky half-light, and with everybody wearing their new
Egyptian costumes. They would only stay for a few minutes, and they’d get back to the Trick-or-Treaters before they were missed.
When April first told Melanie about her plan, Mclanie though it was just about the most exciting idea she’d ever heard. She agreed to everything, oven to not telling Elizabeth until Halloween night so she wouldn’t have too long to worry about it. Elizabeth had a tendency to worry about things like not having permission. She might not understand that it was not at all like being downright disobedient. As April pointed out, no one had forbidden them to visit Egypt on Ilallowccn night. Melanie did just mention that maybe that was because nobody knew about Egypt; but April just grinned and said, “Yeah, I know. Lucky, isn’t it.”
Later, when Melanie began to think about it in private, she began to have some doubts. Even though the Egypt gang had decided that the Professor was innocent, what if they just might be wrong? Or what if the Professor was innocent, but the somebody else who wasn’t really did live right in the neighborhood, as so many people seemed to think. In that case a trip to Egypt might be a lot worse than downright disobedient. It might be deadly dangerous. Downright disobedient and deadly dangerous. The two phrases seemed to get stuck in Melanie’s head. The night before Halloween she woke up several times with
those four words throbbing through her thoughts. By morning she’d decided to tell April that she’d changed her mind.
But the next day Melanie had an early morning piano lesson, so there was no time to talk to April before school. And at school there were always too many people around. Even though Melanie tried all day to find an opportunity, she still hadn’t told April about her decision when the time came to get into their costumes.
April had been keeping all the costumes in a box in her closet, and it had been decided that they would all get ready at her place. On the way up Melanie and Marshall met Elizabeth in the hall. Melanie had been almost hoping that Elizabeth would have her two sisters along. That would have put an end to the Egypt question without her having to say anything. But no such luck. Elizabeth explained that her little sisters were staying home because they were afraid of the dark and of all the big kids in their costumes.
When they reached April’s apartment, Mrs. Hall met them at the door. “Come in, come in,” she said. “April’s all dressed already. She’s in her room.”
April looked great. She was wearing her Egyptian headdress and under her sheer jeweled robe she had on the short tunic made of a pillowcase. Around the bottom of the pillowcase there were Egyptian looking decorations done in red and black crayon. But best of all were her face and hair. For once her false eyelashes were on straight, and she had heavy black eye make-up that made her eyes look long and mysterious. But most surprising was her hair-it was cut short in a sort of Cleopatra bob.
“Caroline helped me with my face and hair,” April said, and she looked at Caroline and smiled. It occurred to Melanie that it was the first time she’d ever seen April smile at her grandmother. It also occurred to her that April wasn’t going to be able to wear an upsweep any more, but she didn’t say anything about that.
Instead, she only said,
If, April decided, the Egypt gang all stayed together, there might be a chance to slip away from the big group to pay a visit to Egypt. Their flashlights and jack-o-lanterns would be enough to light up the storage yard at least a little, and it would be really terrific-a nighttime ceremony in the spooky half-light, and with everybody wearing their new
Egyptian costumes. They would only stay for a few minutes, and they’d get back to the Trick-or-Treaters before they were missed.
When April first told Melanie about her plan, Mclanie though it was just about the most exciting idea she’d ever heard. She agreed to everything, oven to not telling Elizabeth until Halloween night so she wouldn’t have too long to worry about it. Elizabeth had a tendency to worry about things like not having permission. She might not understand that it was not at all like being downright disobedient. As April pointed out, no one had forbidden them to visit Egypt on Ilallowccn night. Melanie did just mention that maybe that was because nobody knew about Egypt; but April just grinned and said, “Yeah, I know. Lucky, isn’t it.”
Later, when Melanie began to think about it in private, she began to have some doubts. Even though the Egypt gang had decided that the Professor was innocent, what if they just might be wrong? Or what if the Professor was innocent, but the somebody else who wasn’t really did live right in the neighborhood, as so many people seemed to think. In that case a trip to Egypt might be a lot worse than downright disobedient. It might be deadly dangerous. Downright disobedient and deadly dangerous. The two phrases seemed to get stuck in Melanie’s head. The night before Halloween she woke up several times with
those four words throbbing through her thoughts. By morning she’d decided to tell April that she’d changed her mind.
But the next day Melanie had an early morning piano lesson, so there was no time to talk to April before school. And at school there were always too many people around. Even though Melanie tried all day to find an opportunity, she still hadn’t told April about her decision when the time came to get into their costumes.
April had been keeping all the costumes in a box in her closet, and it had been decided that they would all get ready at her place. On the way up Melanie and Marshall met Elizabeth in the hall. Melanie had been almost hoping that Elizabeth would have her two sisters along. That would have put an end to the Egypt question without her having to say anything. But no such luck. Elizabeth explained that her little sisters were staying home because they were afraid of the dark and of all the big kids in their costumes.
When they reached April’s apartment, Mrs. Hall met them at the door. “Come in, come in,” she said. “April’s all dressed already. She’s in her room.”
April looked great. She was wearing her Egyptian headdress and under her sheer jeweled robe she had on the short tunic made of a pillowcase. Around the bottom of the pillowcase there were Egyptian looking decorations done in red and black crayon. But best of all were her face and hair. For once her false eyelashes were on straight, and she had heavy black eye make-up that made her eyes look long and mysterious. But most surprising was her hair-it was cut short in a sort of Cleopatra bob.
“Caroline helped me with my face and hair,” April said, and she looked at Caroline and smiled. It occurred to Melanie that it was the first time she’d ever seen April smile at her grandmother. It also occurred to her that April wasn’t going to be able to wear an upsweep any more, but she didn’t say anything about that.
Instead, she only said,
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