An Act of Courage

The spotlight shone on me, a brilliant actress. My words cascaded up and down, filling every corner of the grand auditorium. The audience burst into thunderous applause.

“Where’s Grandma?”

I whirl around, tripping over the pillows ducking under blankets hanging from furniture.

“Where’s Grandma?” Jennifer, my older sister repeats.

“I don’t know! She was right here a minute ago!”

Jennifer grabs my shoulders and faces me with frantic eyes. “Mom told us to keep an eye on her.” Her voice rises. “Mom’s been gone all of fifteen minutes. You had one job!” Jennifer looks around. “What did you do?”

“I--I just rehearsed my lines!”

“You’ve moved every single piece of furniture!”

“It’s supposed to be a stage,” I grumble.

“Oh--never mind! Let’s just find Grandma.”

I rush into the hallway and shiver. The front door swings open in the cold wind.

“Jennifer!”

We run outside, snow and ice biting our bare feet.

I see Grandma. The wind tugs at the corners of her bathrobe. Her eyes are wild, unrecognizing.

Tires screech and horns blare as I run. Grandma and I stand in the middle, shivering, as cars whiz by. I grab her hand. “Grandma, we have to go.”

She snatches her hand away. “Who are you?”

My mouth opens. “I--I’m Mackenzie, your granddaughter!” A horn blares as another car speeds by. I grab her hand again. “We have to go!”

“Don’t touch me. I don’t know you.” Grandma turns away and starts across the road. “I have to get my cat.”

“Grandma—you’re allergic to cats!” My head’s spinning, cold terror running down my veins. “We have to get off the road.” Think, MacKenzie, think.

And I remember. The spotlight’s on. I’m an actress.

“Gra--uh, ma’am?” I smile sweetly. “Your cat’s that way.” I point to Jennifer.

“Really?” Grandma squints. “I could’ve sworn . . .”

I see my chance. “Come on, we have to hurry.” Grandma hobbles across the frozen pavement.

Stepping onto the curb, my body trembles with joy. We made it. “Your cat’s up there, ma’am.”

We open the front door. Grandma gasps. “What happened to my living room?”