Carrie | Page 5

t h ere , n o t k no w in g
w hat w as g oin g o n. G od , y o u'd t h in k s h e n ev er
' P E R -io d!'
I t w as b eco m in g a c h an t, a n i n can ta ti o n. S om eo ne i n t h e b ack -g ro und ( p erh ap s H arg en se n a g ain , S ue c o uld n't t e ll i n t h e j u ng le o f
e c h oes) w as y ellin g 'P lu g i t u p!' w ith h oars e , u nin hib it e d a b an d on.
' P E R -io d, P E R -io d, P E R -io d!'
C arr ie s to o d d um bly i n t h e c en tr e o f a f o rm in g c ir c le , w ate r r o lli n g f ro m h er s k in i n b ea d s. S he s to o d l ik e a p atie n t o x , a w are t h at t h e
jo ke w as o n h er ( a s a lw ay s), d um bly e m barr a sse d b ut u nsu rp ris e d .
S ue f e lt w ellin g d is g u st a s t h e f ir s t d ark d ro ps o f m en str u al b lo o d s tr u ck t h e t il e i n d im e-s iz ed d ro ps. 'F or G od's s a k e C arrie , y o u g o t
y ou r p erio d !' S ue c rie d . 'C le an y ours e lf u p!'
' O hu h?'
S he l o ok ed a ro u nd b o vin ely . H er h air s tu ck t o h er c h eek s i n a c u rv in g h elm et s h ap e. T here w as a c lu ste r o f a cn e o n o ne s h ou ld er. A t
s ix te en , t h e e lu siv e s ta m p o f h urt w as a lr e ad y m ark ed c le arly i n h er e y es.
' S he t h in ks t h ey 'r e f o r l ip stic k !' R uth G ro gan s u d den ly s h ou te d w ith c ry pti c g le e, a n d t h en b urs t i n to a s h rie k o f l a u g h te r. S ue
r e m em bere d t h e c o m m en t l a te r a n d f itt e d i t
I n to a g en era l p ic tu re , b ut n ow i t w as o nly a n oth er s e n se le ss s o und i n t h e c o n fu sio n. S ix te en ? S he w as t h in k in g . S he m ust k no w w hat's
h ap p en in g , s h e...
M ore d ro p le ts o f b lo o d. C arr ie s till b lin ked a ro un d a t h er c la ssm ate s i n s lo w