FOOTSTEPS

"Class, what is the capital of Djibouti?" asked Mrs. Crankib.  She was the teacher of the geography class.  Nobody answered.  She became impatient.  She had curly blond hair.  It was up in a bun.  She had green eyes.  Sometimes, when she's mad, they flash. 

"The capital of Djibouti is Djibouti," replied beautiful Kristina Darks.  Kristina had dark brown hair.  She has honey brown eyes that glow when she's happy.  She's 5'5".  She often wears pants, but now, she wears a long red skirt with pleats, a black sweater, and a silver-diamond stud in her nose.  She went to Parker High School.  She liked to draw a  lot. 

            "Good Kristina," said Mrs. Crankib.  When the bell rang, Kristina walked out of class with her boyfriend, Raymond Cross.  He always wore his letter jacket to classes. 

            "So?  What are you doing tonight?" asked Raymond, his brown eyes flashing.  He ran a hand through his light brown hair. 

            "Well, I'm going to the mall, and I want you to come with me to shop, say, at 5:00?" replied Kristina. 

            "While we're there," said Raymond, "why don't we go to Montoni's Pizzeria?"

            "Alright, it's a date," replied Kristina.  When she walked down the school's steps, she threw her pack into the backseat of her gold convertible.  She was driving down the street when she heard a loud, long, screeching noise. A red Miata slammed into a blue car.  She stopped abruptly. 

            Finally, she drove around the wreck and she pulled into her driveway.  She pushed the garage door opener button on her dashboard.  The door started to rise.  She pulled in and turned off the ignition.  She reached behind her and got her pack.   The garage door closed.  In the dark garage, she felt her way to a door on the side of the garage.  She felt for the doorknob.  Kristina grabbed the big brass knob.  She turned it and it opened.  She raced in and ran up the stairs from the kitchen to her room.   She wanted to watch her favorite TV show, "Pinky and the Brain".  She picked up her remote and clicked on the TV. 

            She turned to channel twenty-one.  She threw her pack on her black and white blanketed bed.  Her mom didn't get home until 5:00.  She glanced at her Tweety clock.  It was 4:30.  She picked up her lime green phone and called Raymond.  She heard two rings.  Then someone picked up.

            "Hello?" answered a raspy voice. 

            "Is Raymond home Mrs. Cross?" asked Kristina.   She knew it was Mrs. Cross.

            "Yes, he is," answered the raspy voice again.   There was a long pause on the line. 

             "Hello Kristina!" said Raymond in a joyful tone.

            "It's 4:30.  Come over ASAP," said Kristina.   She wanted him to come over so they could go on their date. 

            "I'll be over in fifteen minutes," said Raymond.   He hung up the phone.  She heard a click on the line.  Then, she hung up.  As she got up, she heard a loud slam from downstairs. 

            "Kristina! I'm home!" shouted her mom, Monique Darks. 

            "I'm upstairs mom!" called Kristina.  She was holding a short, black sweater dress in front of her.  She was looking at herself in the mirror. 

            "It looks nice," said Kristina.  She changed quickly.  She brushed her long, brown hair and put two black hair clips on each side of her hair.  She walked over to her barrette, ponytail holder, and make up strewn dresser.  She picked up a black and a white scarf ponytail holder.  She slipped them into her black and silver purse.  Kristina slipped her white stocking feet into some black, zip up, patent leather knee-high boots. 

            As she raced down the carpeted steps, she felt a chill go down her spine.  She thought she heard footsteps.  She looked behind her.  

            "Weird," she said aloud.  She continued down the steps. 

            "Mom, Raymond's coming over to go to the mall with me!" shouted Kristina as she came down the steps.  Her mom came from the kitchen wearing a grease-stained apron. 

            "Alright, but be back by 7:00, okay?" said her mom.  

            "Okay," replied Kristina.  When the doorbell rang, Mrs. Darks ran back into the kitchen.   Kristina answered the door.  Raymond stood there, with his hair neatly tucked behind his ears.  He had his letter jacket on, as usual.  Underneath it, he wore a blue turtleneck and black jeans. 

            "Wow, you look great Kristina!" said Raymond, his eyes flashing.  When he was happy, his eyes always flashed. 

            "Thanks," said Kristina, blushing. 

            "Ready?" he asked, holding up his convertible car keys. 

            "Ready!" replied Kristina, her cheeks returning to their normal color.  She shouted goodbye to her mom.  Her mom stepped out of the kitchen.  She said, "Bye!" She stepped back into the kitchen.  As Kristina and Raymond were walking to his black convertible, he stopped.  She stopped, too.  Then, he kissed her softly on the lips.  She smiled.  They continued down the concrete walk to his car.  He opened the passenger side door.

            "Thank you," said Kristina.  He nodded at her, telling her that he said your welcome.  He closed her door, and walked over to his side of the car.  He opened his door and got in. 

            "I love you," whispered Kristina.  He looked over at her and flashed a smile.  He started the car, and they roared off.  They were heading to Red Creek Mall.  Raymond pulled into the humongous parking lot.  He got out and opened Kristina’s door.   She got out and smoothed her dress. 

            "Wait at the front door for me," Raymond said.  

            "Okay," said Kristina, with a smile on her bright face.  She started walking towards the tall, white building.  As she was walking, she glanced up at the sky.  She saw a beautiful, baby blue sky.  It had white, pink, and, purple clouds streaking across the sky.  All of a sudden, she heard faint footsteps behind her.  She turned on one foot.  No one was behind her.  She turned back around and continued walking.  The footsteps began to get louder and louder. She started to run. 

            "RAYMOND!" shouted Kristina.  She didn't here his response.  The footsteps started to run after her.  She darted into the front door of the mall.   It was dark and gloomy in there.  She looked down at her watch.  It was 5:30. 

            "They closed at 5:30?" Kristina questioned aloud.  She looked around at each of the stores on the first floor.  She walked slowly over to a store that had its lights on.  She stepped into a record store.  The rest of the stores in the mall were closed for Halloween.  Kristina walked over to a CD display case.  She picked up a "TLC" CD.  As she was looking at it, she felt a cold, clammy hand clamp around her mouth.  She tried to scream, but another hand clasped around her neck and squeezed it a little. 

            "Shut up!" shouted a raspy voice in her ear.   The two hands fell away.  Kristina turned around.  She gasped. 

            "Mrs. Cross!" she said surprisingly.  Mrs. Cross' hair was red with silver streaks in it.  It was standing out on end.  She had tried to put it in a ponytail, but it came out.  Mrs. Cross was holding a knife with a long sharp blade in front of her. 

            "How old are you?" asked Mrs. Cross

            "Seventeen," replied Kristina, with a puzzled look on her face.

            "My son is eighteen!  You shouldn't be with him!" shouted Mrs. Cross. 

            "Yes I do because we're on a date," Kristina shouted back.  Mrs. Cross lunged at her.  Kristina gasped, than dodged her flying body.  Mrs. Cross landed with a thud on the CD display.  She got up, dazed.  Kristina tried to run, but Mrs. Cross knocked her down.  Kristina got up.  She ran towards a display case.  Mrs. Cross followed her.  Kristina picked some CDs and started to throw them at her.  Mrs. Cross dodged them, except for one, which hit her in the mouth.  Bright, red blood spurted out of her mouth. 

            "YOU STUPID GIRL!" shouted Mrs. Cross, as she started to walk towards her.  Kristina threw one last CD.  It hit Mrs. Cross on the forehead. 

            A huge, blue- black bruise formed on her forehead.  She fell to the ground.

            "Yes!" Kristina said, with a joyful tone.  She walked over to the lifeless body.  She kicked her.   Kristina ran out like a deer out of the store.  She was happy as a lark.  She pushed the door open.   When she got out, she laughed like a banshee.  She started to look around for Raymond's car.  Then, she saw a black convertible.  When she was finally over there, she saw a body lying beside it.  She walked up to it. 

            "Raymond," she whispered.  She hopped over to him.  She knelt down and pressed two, shivering fingers on his neck.  The pulse was faint.  She placed both hands on his heart.  She started to press on his heart continuously.  Suddenly, he was coughing vigorously.  She saw a little gash on his forehead. 

            Blood was caked around it.  Kristina coaxed him to get up.  His eyelids fluttered open.  His eyes stared into hers. 

            "Hi," Kristina said.  A little smile crept along his face.  Then, he got up and they both got into the car and drove off.