Sadie said quietly, “She can do anythin’ she likes to mebut I’ll never agree.”
Fan sighed. “It’s always the same,” she said. “My God, I’m sick of all this! She sends me up to talk you kids into being sensible, but you all say the same. You all think you’ve got enough guts to take it and in the end you give way. Why don’t you be sensible? What the hell’s the use of being bashed about, losing your nice skin, just because you ain’t got the brains to know when you’re sunk?”
Sadie shook her head. “Nothin’ you can say will make any difference,” she said.
“Carrie distrusts a dame she has had to beat into submission. She makes sure that she’ll stick when she finally gives in. There won’t be much kick−back coming from you. Can’t you see this is the one time you can’t beat the rap? You can’t get away. Carrie’s got everything the way she wants it. She won’t have any mercy on you. I’m tellin’ you. Use your nut and give in right away. It’ll be tough, but it ain’t goin’ to be the hell you’ll make for yourself if you try and stick it. I’ve said my little bit. It’s up to you. She’ll be up in a while. Think it over.” She got off the bed.
Sadie beat her to it. She darted across the room, wrenched open the door and ran into the passage. Fan grimaced. She made no attempt to intercept her.
Sadie could see a flight of stairs at the end of the passage. Blindly she ran towards them. Halfway down the stairs she became aware that someone was waiting for her at the bottom. She brought herself up with a jerk.
Carrie, her flat face expressionless, looked up at her. “Go back to your room,” she said harshly.
Sadie didn’t move. Her heart pounded against her side. She felt as if she had suddenly become involved in a horrible nightmare.
“Go back to your room,” Carrie repeated.
Sadie retreated one step up. Then, realizing that this would be her one chance of escape, she said, “You’ve got to let me godo you hear? You can’t do this to me.”