Free April Raintree by Beatrice Mosionier Page B

We’d have to be more careful. It grew dark and the darker it got, the harder it was for us to walk through the weeds. We waited until it was pitch black and returned to the road. Cheryl began complaining that she was hungry and tired and wanted to stop and rest.
    I urged her on, saying that we had a better chance to make it if we continued through the night. In the middle of the night, Cheryl insisted she just couldn’t go on anymore. I knew how she felt because I was dead tired myself. We left the road for a field. Cheryl fell asleep, her head resting on my lap. I sat for a while to guard her but I soon lay back and fell asleep, too.
    I was awakened by someone probing at me. The sun was shining down on us and when I remembered where we were, I felt exposed. I blinked and was dismayed to find a police officer standing over me. Cheryl was already sitting up and she was still rubbing her eyes.
    We were told to get into the car and I sat there, glumly. The Mountie talked to us but we ignored him and didn’t say anything. I was so disappointed that I couldn’t think of anything except that we wanted to stay together. I was surprised when we got to Winnipeg after all. But we were taken straight to a police station. We were told to sit in the waiting area. After a while, the officer came back and gave us milk and cinnamon buns. I wondered why we had to wait there.
    â€œWe almost made it, didn’t we?” Cheryl said. “If I hadn’t gone to sleep, we would have made it.”
    â€œI went to sleep, too, Cheryl. Don’t worry, we’ll explain everything to them.” I had read about the RCMP. I knew they were good guys and that they would listen to us. I began to wish that I had talked to the Mountie in the car, after all.
    We never did get another chance to talk to the Mounties. Mrs. Semple came in first and she gave us a disapproving look.
    â€œI never expected this of you, April. Mrs. DeRosier is worried sick. Don’t you know how much she cares for you? You girls put a scare into all of us. You should be ashamed of yourselves. Do you know what could happen when you hitchhike? Why you, you could have been hurt.”
    â€œWe didn’t hitchhike. We walked,” Cheryl said, sullenly.
    â€œDon’t try to tell me that you walked all that way. You girls have had a very bad influence on each other.” She turned to stare at Cheryl. “And you, young lady, I won’t be surprised if you land in reform school.”
    â€œWhy should she land in reform school?” I said, bitterly. “I’m the one who talked her into running away. I didn’t want us to be separated again.”
    â€œAnd I suppose you’re the one who attacked Maggie?” Mrs. Semple asked.
    â€œI beat her up. And Ricky, too. They tried to kill Cheryl.” After I said it, I realized it must have sounded ridiculous. Nothing was coming out right. I had wanted to explain everything out in a logical, sensible way. Instead, here I was sounding hysterical.
    â€œYou have too much imagination and not enough common sense,” Mrs. Semple said. “Mrs. DeRosier brought her poor daughter in and showed us what happened. Now they have no reason to lie about who did what. It was a very vicious act, Cheryl. Furthermore, Mrs. DeRosier brought a report from school to back her claim that you are a troublemaker. April, it’s touching that you want to cover up for your sister. But if we don’t do something now, she’ll end up in a reform school.”
    â€œI’m not covering up! I’m telling the truth!” I shook my head in disbelief. How come they couldn’t see through Mrs. DeRosier and Maggie? How could I convince them of our honesty? Then I remembered Mr. DeRosier and the boys. He had spoken up for us once. If he knew about this, surely he would speak up again.
    â€œDid you talk to Mr. DeRosier and Raymond and Gilbert?” I asked excitedly.
    Mrs. Semple eyed me