Sample Chapter
"Mercy Meadows, get out of my room - NOW."
I quickly closed the drawer and turned around. I closed my eyes. I pinched myself. Wow, that hurt! I opened my eyes, again. Nope, she was still there, so I wasn't dreaming. I always hope I'm dreaming when I see Mona, but I never am. Mind you, those dreams would probably be called nightmares.
"Hi, Mona," I said, leaning against her desk. "Why are you home so early?"
"Cut that out," she cried, shaking her long dark hair furiously around her face. "You're in my room, and you're not supposed to be. I'm going to tell Mom."
"I was only looking for the dogs," I said to her. "Gosh you do make a fuss Mona. That's why you get zits the way you do. I'm sure your magazines tell you that all the time."
She pushed me out of the way as she hurried to the mirror. "I do not have any new zits, Mercy. My skin is just about perfect."
Well, that was the first time I'd ever heard Mona's skin described that way, I can tell you. Actually, nothing about Mona is perfect, although she thinks that everything is. What can I say? One day she'll find out the truth. When that happens I want to be around. I deserve to be around after putting up with her all these years.
I suppose I'd better tell you who we are before you get really confused. My name is Mercy Meadows and Mona is my ugly older sister. We live in a small town called Riverview and go to Merrywood School. We have a Mom and a Dad, who are a bit boring but very nice, and two lovely poodles called Max and Mimi, who were my excuse for being in Mona's room today.
Actually I was looking for any love letters to Mona from Jason, her boyfriend. They're always fun to read. He goes on an on about her 'silken hair' and sometimes her 'silken skin'. That's when I knew he needed help. Mona has zit problems and only someone blind in love could call her skin silken. I don't know when he's ever seen it. It's usually covered under layers of gooey creams that are supposed to make zits disappear. They never work and she spends all her babysitting money on them. I suppose she thinks they're worth it, especially if Jason tells her she has 'silky skin.' He's not very bright.
Fortunately, before she could think of anything else to yell at me, Mimi crawled out from under her bed and I bent down and scooped her up.
"See," I said,. "You never believe anything I say. Here's Mimi and she looks upset after being crushed under your bed for the past 10 minutes. What else have you got under there? She may need a shot or something."
I dropped to my knees and made a big show of looking under her bed. Quickly, Mona pushed me out of the way and pulled her bed skirt down, but not before I'd seen the shoe box.
I looked at Mona's flushed face. I knew where the letters were. Now I'd just have to find another way to get at those letters before she found a new hiding place.
Oh, Mona, Mona. What a boring life I would have sometimes if you weren't here!
"Come on Mimi," I said, cuddling my little fur bundle. "I'd better brush all the dust off you. Mona's room isn't as clean as ours."
I returned to my own room and sat on the bed, hugging Mimi. I couldn't wait to get my hands on those letters. They'd keep my friends amused for weeks. I just hoped she wouldn't find a new hiding place before I could get my hands on them again.