The Red Ballet Boots by Yomerome
Life in a small farmer town like Smithville can become pretty predictable after living some years there. There’s no action and life is an endless routine. Well, that was the point of view of a young lady until this autumn.
One morning, Nancy Hendricks stepped out the school bus and headed to the High school entrance. She was 5’ 4” tall with waist long hair tied in a ponytail with a red bow and as usually, she was carrying her backpack where she kept her gym uniform.
At the doorsteps of the front door of the school where her friends Clara and Diana sat as every morning talking. Nancy waved her hand at them and walked quickly toward the teenagers as they paused for a moment their chat.
“Hi guys, what’s going on?” Nancy greeted.
“Not much Nancy” Clara answered “Say … Nice short skirt where did you get it?”
“Oh, you mean this? I bought it last summer. I heard Short skirts are very popular nowadays in New York City” Nancy answered as she modelled the white mini skirt.
“Hellooooo Nancy!” Diana told her “Is October and we are not in New York!”
“You don’t have to be sarcastic to Nancy” Clara told Diana “I think she looks great on it”
“I’m not being sarcastic, I’m realistic” Diana answered as she crossed her arms “As you can see, no one in the school is wearing mini skirts this time of the year. Is better to adapt to the environment rather than try to change it. For instance, we all are going to the downtown museum and you are carrying your leotard. Isn’t that a little too odd or nobody told you there will not be P.E. today?”
“Diana, please not again” Clara tried to calm them down.
“Why, instead of thinking about international fashion, you don’t accept Bill’s invitation to go out with you? He is a cutie, I wouldn’t think twice if he asked me out” Diana added.
“Oh, shut up! For your knowledge Diana, I brought my ballet uniform because I planned to practice today after we comeback from the school trip. I love ballet and I want to practice after school” Nancy replied upset.
“Always against the flow” Diana stated while shook her head “There’s no future in this town for a ballet dancer. Unless you want to work at the library, with your training you could reach out higher bookshelves.
“As you said, IN HERE” Nancy replied angrily “I don’t plan to stay in this boring town all my life. I’m going to the state capital’s University and my ballet skills will help me achieve it. If you want to spend the last years of your life on a rocking chair watching the crops grow then keep that adapting attitude of yours, Diana!”
Without saying more Nancy leave the place and entered the school. Diana and Clara continued sitting in silence for a while. Finally Diana sighed and lowered her arms.
“Poor Nancy, She is a dreamer. She can’t depend on something as trivial as ballet to construct her future. She has to be realistic and accept reality as the rest of us” Diana said in the sad tone.
“But is necessary for you to be rude with her?” Clara enquired.
“Clara, you were born here and your family has owned the ranch you all work in for several decades. Unfortunately, the Hendricks came here as many others families, including mine, to work at the newly opened fabric ten years ago. They moved from the city to Smithville to build their home to be near the plant. Everything pointed that this town will grew up and soon become an important city, but no one expected the factory to close down two years ago. She feels trapped as I did at the beginning, but I soon understand that life has to go on” Diana concluded as the bell rang.
“Well, we better hurry up” Clara told Diana as she stood up.
“I hope you don’t forget our bet, Clara. Nancy only talked about big cities, ballet and how she hates this place as she always does. So you owe me five bucks” Diana remained her friend with a smirk on her face as they enter the school.
“Sometimes you can be so detestable Diana” Clara stated as they ran to their classroom.
An hour later, the school bus was on his way to Smithville. Nancy melancholically watched thru the window of the bus, the abandon warehouse where the local wholesale store used to be a year ago. The scenario was similar in downtown, most of the locals on main street where closed or in clearance sale. It was a clear financial agony the town was experiencing.
Finally at downtown square, the school bus stopped in front of Smithville Historic Museum. The place used to be the mansion of the town’s founder more than a century ago during the years of the civil war. Slowly everyone formed a line in front of the bus as the teacher began to explain the purpose of their visit.
“Class, today we gather here as part of an important cultural event. We have an exhibition of English Victorian objects. This is a remarkable event and an excellent opportunity for you to admire the late XIX century European culture” The teacher finished her speech while the group dissimulated to have listened to everything.
The group was conducted by the museum guide to the right wing of the mansion where several objects where at display including antique furniture, and personal objects like pocket watches, paintings and silverware. The group was conducted by the guide as he descripts, one by one the old objects.
Nancy and her friends where making fun on an old painting of a woman when Nancy saw something that caught her eye. Inside a square glass cabinet, where in display a pair of high heel boots. The boots where made of red leather and they where above the knee high. The strangest details of the boots were their high heels. They were so high that the wearer must walk “On Pointe” position. Nancy began to ponder what a fetish item was doing in a Victorian exhibition.
“Come on Nancy” Diana told her “We have to catch up the rest of the group”
“Oh … You go ahead guys. I think I’ll stay here looking at this weird stuff” Nancy told them in a distracted way.
“Okay. We will wait for you in the next room” Clara replied and leave the room.
Nancy pretended to be looking at the items aside of the pair of boots until the rest of the group leave. Then she came close to the boots and began to admire them. Behind her a young man approached the teenager unaware of his presence.
“It sure is a strange pair of boots” The youngster stated with a heavy southern accent.
Nancy quickly turned back and recognized the teenager. It was Bill, her classmate that had previously invited her out. Nancy tried to dissimulate her surprise and turned back from him.
“These are called ballet boots. I’ve heard about them on the internet. Not everyone can use them because of the position of the feet. A person needs to have very high elasticity on her feet to be able to walk on them” Nancy told Bill as she kept watching the boots.
“Why would a person use those weird boots in the first place, Nancy? They seem very uncomfortable to work or even to walk on them? Bill asked as he scratched his head.
“That is something you farmer boys will never understand. You would need to have some city experience to be able to understand modern fashion. Cloths are not just overalls and steel toe boots!” Nancy in an anger tone told Bill.
“I don’t know if I did or say something wrong to you Nancy. I just want to be friendly with you. You seem like a nice person that knows about a lot of things and that’s why I like you Nancy. I think I’ll go with the rest of the group” Bill apologized and leave Nancy alone.
Nancy calmed down as soon as Bill left the room. But soon she heard foot steps heading her way. She took a deep breath thinking Bill had returned and turned around to confront him, but this time wasn’t Bill there. It was a tall man in his early 20s wearing a trench coat and with a modern hairdo.
“Actually madam, these boots are not so modern, they are more than ninety years old” The man told Nancy with an English accent.
“Huh?” Nancy exclaimed surprise as she looked at the man.
“Hello madam, my name is Ernest Blackpool. I’m the organizer of this event” The man presented himself in a cordial way.
Hi … my name is Nancy, Nancy Hendricks Nancy answered shyly.
“I noticed you are indeed interested on this particular item among all my vast collection” Ernest stated.
“Wow all these are yours?” Nancy asked surprised as she turned around and looked at the room.
“That is correct madam. I inherited everything about six months ago from my grandmother. As a clause on her will, I had to organize this cultural tour on specific small American towns chosen previously by her. I don’t understand the purpose of this action, but I wouldn’t be surprise if this is some kind of lesson from her or she did it so I would travel and meet young woman to get married as she insisted me the last years of her life.
What is a fact is that I surely have met a lot of women this last months, but few as beautiful as yourself madam” The foreigner told Nancy in a cocky tone.
“Ahem!” Nancy cleared her throat trying to hide her blush “You were telling me about the boots?”
“I heard your chat and you sure know a lot about boots, but unfortunately this pair of boots are not a common fetish item as you told your friend” Ernest told Nancy as he looked at her from behind while she observed the boots “These boots belonged to my grandmother’s aunt Miss Karen Blackpool a famous ballet teacher that taught ballet classes at the Royal Ballet Academy in London”
“Wow these belonged to a real London ballet instructor?” Nancy asked with interest.
“Yes Nancy” Ernest continued “Miss Karen personally instructed to make this boots for the purpose of training her feet constantly. It was common to see her taught her class wearing these boots on and also dance her routines with them on. In fact some say, she got so accustomed to the boots that she spent the last twenty years of her life with the boots fasten to her legs with metal shackles on her ankles” “But that is impossible! Is very difficult to walk on those things and very painful to wear them for more than an hour. What about cleaning her feet? Or cutting off her nails?” Nancy enquired.
“He, he, don’t pay attention to all that, Nancy. They are just legends people invent. Some people even used to say Karen Blackpool was a witch or that she was under a curse. All is part of the English folklore” The couple laughed for a moment and continued looking at the boots. Then the museum guard entered the room and called the English man. The man excused himself to Nancy and leave the room. Nancy remained once more alone that room with the enigmatic pair of boots.
‘Is it possible to use them that long? Someone can actually dance with these on? If I train my feet as Miss Blackpool did I’ll be a better ballet dancer’ Nancy asked all this to herself as she watched the display cabinet.
Nancy looked around and saw no one. She walked to both room exits without finding anyone near. Suddenly, Nancy felt an adrenaline rush thru her whole body.
‘I have to try them on’ Nancy thought.
Nancy took off the glass box and placed it behind the display table. Then took the boots and putted them inside her backpack. Feeling anxiety, she then walked away the table and almost tripping with a nearby display cabinet, fortunately she managed to avoid its fall. Then she headed looking for the bathroom.
‘I’ll go to the bathroom put the boots on for a moment, walk on them and return them to the display cabinet. No one will notice it’ Nancy thought as her hands shook nervously.
But as soon as she leave the room, she ran into her class teacher. Nancy was extremely nervous and didn’t know what to do or say. She just stood there watching her teacher hoping she didn’t caught her taking the boots.
I’ve been looking all over for you Miss Hendricks! Where you have been young lady?” The teacher reprehended Nancy.
“I, I was going to the bathroom miss” Nancy tried to excuse herself.
“Oh no Nancy, you are coming with me to hear the organizer’s speech now!” The teacher told Nancy then grabbed Nancy’s arm and pulled her into the room.
Both entered a room where Ernest was talking to the group about the history of his family. The teacher stood aside of Nancy guarding her until the man finished his speech. Then she excused herself and leave the room.
Nancy quickly tried to head into the exhibition room to put the boots on its place, but she saw, at the end of the hall, the museum guard entering the room where the boots were at display. Nervously, she entered the room again.
‘Oh my, if the guard finds out the boots are missing, I’ll be in a lot of trouble. That was so dumb’ Nancy thought with fear.
Without having an opportunity to return the boots, the school group leave the small museum shortly after the speech. At the bus, Clara and Diana observed their thoughtful friend who had not said a word during the trip back to the school.
“Is something wrong Nancy? Clara approached her friend and asked worried.
“Huh? No, everything is fine, thanks” Nancy responded pretending to be fine.
“What’s the matter Nancy?” Diana approached maliciously “I heard Bill went to talk with you. Did you two behaved correctly while you were alone?”
“Diana, stop it!” Clara told her.
“No, everything is fine, thanks” Nancy replied again.
“Nancy didn’t get angry this time, Clara” Diana told Clara in secret after they moved away from Nancy “I think she is sick. I’m very worried”
“Diana, that’s enough. Cut it out!” Clara reprehended her again.
Nancy remained sat with her backpack over her legs the rest of the trip back to the high school. She didn’t know what to do or how to excuse herself for taken the old boots. In silence, she tried to find a solution to her problem. She didn’t even want to tell her friends about the matter. How she would explain she took the fetish footwear to try it on.
As soon as the class arrived to the school, Nancy asked Clara to take her home on her Pickup truck. Nancy didn’t want to stay anymore at the school fearing the police could go there looking for her. So she opted not to practice ballet and return to her house.
Nancy lived outside town in an old farm house her family had reconstructed. The house was a quarter mille away from the road. Clara agreed and took her, but when they arrived to Nancy’s home, she insisted to be left on the road outside her house.
“Thanks for the ride Clara. I see you tomorrow at class” Nancy thanked her friend.
Nancy opened the door of Clara’s truck to get off. Then, Clara placed her hand over Nancy shoulder and stopped her. Nancy nervously turned back.
“Nancy, I know you since junior high. You’ve been behaving very strange these last hours. I’m your friend and I’m worried about you. Is anything wrong?” Clara worried, asked Nancy.
“Err … No, everything is fine Clara. Thank you anyway” Nancy nervously answered her.
“Well, if you need anything or want to talk, please call me. Just promise me that, Okay?” Clara asked Nancy looking into her eyes.
“Sure, anything you say Clara … Bye” Nancy answered quickly, got off the pickup and closed the door.
After Clara left, she began to walk to her house. At half the way she stopped in front of an old stable used by the previous ranch owners. Nancy’s plan was to hide the boots in there as a precaution and to avoid her parents to found them.
Nancy entered the stable and opened her backpack. She pulled off the red ballet boots and admired them for a while. Then she began to think what to do.
‘Mom is not expecting me so early. If I arrive at this hour could be suspicious and I don’t want to be questioned by mom. It will be better if I stay in here an hour or two’ Nancy’s mind started to divagate.
Nancy sat over the haystacks with the boots on her hands. She looked at them and tried to imagine how Miss Karen Blackpool could manage to dance with them on. The whole idea fascinated Nancy. The girl could not hold anymore. She took her tennis shoes off and tried on the ballet boots. It was the first time she ever putted a pair on. She knew her ballet training would help her to balance on them.
With the boots on, Nancy stood up and prepared to take her first steps on them. Her heart was racing on her chest. She was conscious what she was doing was wrong. She had stolen them, lied to her friends and even denied the opportunity to be helped by Clara; just to trying those things on. It had become an obsession for her.
‘Wow! This is not so hard after all’ Nancy thought as she began to walk on them.
Nancy began to walk all over the stable, and then she tried running slowly. Nancy stopped for a moment to rest before the final test, to dance her ballet routine with the boots on. Nancy took a deep breath and began to perform her routine. She started dancing, but soon found out it was too hard. She couldn’t jump too high and she loose balance easily. Nancy decided it had been enough.
‘Everything Earnest told me about dancing with this boots on was a lie. Is just impossible to do it’ Nancy thought as she sat back over the haystack.
As soon as she grabbed the sole of the boot to take it off, Nancy discovered something incredible. Somehow the boots had metal shackles on them with locks on place!
“WHAT!” Nancy exclaimed.
Nancy tried to pull the boots off without luck; the metal rings on her ankles didn’t allow them to be taken off. She stood up again and shook her legs trying to make the rings to fall down, but was useless.
“No, no, NO! What ‘s going on?!” Nancy exclaimed again.
Desperation began to invade her. How she was going to take back the boots if they were locked to her ankles? What she was going to tell everyone? Nancy’s joy soon became panic as she kept denying the situation. “No, this is not real” Nancy said crying as she tried desperately to take the boots off her legs.
Nancy observed the metal shackles on her ankles. They where fixed to the boots as the where glued to the leather. The locks danced playfully every time she moved her legs, they were attached to the ankle cuffs by two rings that kept the shackles closed. The teenager meditated her situation as she continued to observe her legs. She finally realized what had happened.
“Oh, what I have done!” Nancy concluded looking at the boots as she sobbed and grabbed her head with both hands.
Nancy had been seduced, welcomed and finally trapped the same way as a fly is caught by a Venus plant. Nancy understood too late that the red ballet boots were actually a trap and she had fallen into it. A trap that had caught a victim ninety years later, probably the same way Miss Karen Blackpool had fallen into it.
An hour and a half had passed after Nancy trapped herself on the red boots. The teenager had found an old and rusty hayfork and was using it to break the locks on her ankles. Suddenly, one of the points of the hayfork broke in half. Nancy looked at the utensil unable to believe it.
Nancy in rage threw the hayfork to the wood floor of the stable. The other point of the fork was all bended. Nancy sat over the haystacks and lowered her face. Moments later, she began to sob as tears fell over the floor between her feet. Nancy had given up hope to free herself.
“What I’m going to do?” Nancy said softly as she regretted her actions.
Minutes later, Nancy heard a vehicle approaching. Instantly, Nancy jumped up as she felt anxiety. She quickly hid behind the haystacks and waited impatiently to see who was coming. From the door of the stable, she observed the pick-up of her mother headed to the entrance of the farm.
‘My mother is going to the supermarket in Longview. That means the house is alone until dad arrives” Nancy thought.
Nancy’s mother usually went to the nearest city twenty miles away to buy food. She knew her father would return from work in approximately two hours. She saw this as an opportunity.
Nancy waited five minutes and then she came out from the stable using the hayfork to help her balance. She began to walk to her house. It was a long walk and she was wearing the tiptoe boots. Unfortunately for her, it seemed Miss Karen had installed a metal bar that went from the boot sole to the back of the ankle. Due this peculiar device, she couldn’t lower her feet.
Nancy walked as fastest as she could. She didn’t want anyone to see her wearing the red boots. The anxiety of being caught and the ballet boots, made the walk seem to last for an eternity.
When Nancy finally reached the house stairs, she threw away the hayfork and quickly crawled inside. She entered the kitchen on her knees and headed to the fridge and grabbed the gallon of orange juice. She began to drink the gallon continually, only interrupted by the pauses she made to breath. After she almost drank a quarter of the gallon, she putted the bottle aside of her as she pant heavily and wiped the abundant sweat from her face.
Nancy looked at the kitchen clock. She had completed the distance from the barn to her house in about fifteen minutes. Karen lay on the floor as she planned what to do.
Minutes later, she stood up and began to walk again on her tip toes. She headed for the basement of the house. Carefully the teenager walked down to the basement and looked for her father’s power tools. She placed one of her legs over the work table and looked at his father’s tools.
Nancy took the electric drill and plugged it in. She then placed the drill’s bit in one of the locks of her ankles and turned it on. After a while she turned off the drill to see how much progress she had done, but the lock was intact.
“You have to be kidding!” Nancy exclaimed.
Sparks jumped from the lock as Nancy continued her desperate attempt to get free from the boots. After a long time drilling, she finally burned the drill’s motor. Tired, Nancy realized what she feared, the lock remained intact.
As she looked surprised, the drill fell from her hand. She took a hammer and slammed it over the lock repeatedly. Minutes later, she found out it had the same result as the drill.
Desperately, she grabbed the lock with her hand and tried to pull it off. She released the lock as her hands shook in fright. More scared than angry, she threw to the floor the tool box aside of her. She realized it was useless to continue.
‘This is witchcraft’ Nancy thought with her eyes widely open.
The first thing Nancy thought was to hide in her room until she came up with a better idea. She leave the tools in the floor and headed up to the kitchen again. She took food and milk from the fridge and went up to the second floor and locked the door of her room.
While she was taking a bath, Nancy heard a motor. She went out of the bathroom and looked thru the window of her room to find out it was her mother. She checked again the lock of her door and sat over her bed quietly.
Nervously, she heard her mother walking up the stairs. Nancy quickly covered her legs as her mother approached her door. Nancy’s mother tried to open the door and after find it lock, she knocked.
“Nancy, are you there?” The woman asked.
“Y … yes mom. Don’t come in! I’m … studding for a test” Nancy told her mother.
“Okay Nancy. I just wanted to tell you that a man called you this afternoon. I think his name was Mr. Blackpool”
Nancy’s eyes wide as she heard her mother. She felt hopelessly cornered. Nancy grabbed her pillow and hugged it in silence.
“Well Nancy, I’m going to make dinner. If you get hungry, please go down stairs”
“… Thanks Mom, but already eat” Nancy finally answered.
Nancy in shock, sat over her bed for more than half hour until her father arrived. All this time, she uselessly tried to find a solution to her problem. Telling everything to her parents seemed like the only solution.
As Nancy was gathering strengths to walk down stairs, her cellular phone rang. She quickly answered the phone. It was Clara calling from her house.
“Err … Nancy, Hi this is Clara! I was just calling to see if everything was fine. You didn’t look Okay this afternoon and I thought that you probably were sick …” Clara nervously told Nancy and then she paused as she had dropped the phone.
“Nancy? This is Diana!” Her other friend had taken the phone from Clara’s hand “Guess what? Someone called today looking for you!”
Nancy in silence listened to Diana. She gulped while her hand sweated. Trying to remain calmed, Nancy talked to Diana.
“W..who?” Nancy nervously asked.
“Bill! He called me today asking me about you …mph!”
In that instant, Diana received a pillow hit in the face. The phone fell from her hand and was picked up by Clara again. As Clara grabbed the phone, Diana looked at her angrily while rubbing her face.
“Hello Nancy. This is me again” Clara told Nancy on the phone.
“Clara … Can you make me a favour? Is very Important and also a secret” Nancy asked Clara while biting a fingernail.
“Sure Nancy, anything you want. What is it?” Clara answered with anxiety.
“Can you come here to my house tomorrow in the morning and pick me up at 7:00 AM? Is very important” Nancy told Clara still biting her fingernail.
“I will Nancy” Clara respond.
“Please, this is a secret between us. Pick me up tomorrow here and don’t tell anyone about this” Nancy warned Clara.
“Yes Nancy”
“Bye, take care” Nancy told Clara and immediately hung up.
Nancy prepared everything for the next morning. She had decided to tell anything to her parents. Instead, she planned to solve this problem by herself. She set the alarm clock for 6:30, and then putted her backpack and a very long blue skirt over the bed. She remained in the bed until she fell asleep.
The next morning, Nancy woke up when she heard the alarm. She quickly putted on the long skirt. It was perfect; the skirt was long enough to cover entirely her legs while standing. Only the tips of the boots were visible.
Patiently, Nancy waited for Clara to arrive. She sat near her window to see when Clara arrived. Five minutes before Seven, Diana saw Clara’s Pick-up truck arriving to her house. Downstairs, Nancy parents were talking while having breakfast.
“Dear …” Nancy’s father talked with his wife “Did you hear a Ledd Computers’ executive visited yesterday the closed factory? The rumour is, The Ledd Company is interested on expanding and this place is perfect to open their new plant.
“Honey, last year was the home appliances company too. I don’t want to sound pessimist, but will be better if we wait a little longer until there is an official announcement.
Remember Nancy’s disappointment last year when the company decided at the end not to purchase the building”
In that moment, Nancy walked thru the corridor behind them. Trying not to be noticed by her parents, Nancy walked quietly as she headed to the front door. Her mother caught Nancy when she passed in front of the kitchen entrance.
“Good morning Nancy. Aren’t you going to have breakfast?” Her mother asked as her father turned around toward Nancy, who stood still when she got caught.
“Err… I have to go now to study with Clara. I’ll buy something to eat later” Nancy excused her self as she continued to walk slowly toward the exit.
“Okay Sweetie” Nancy’s mother replied “Nancy … You are walking kind of strange are you alright?”
“Oh, you mean this? I … I twisted an ankle yesterday while I practiced. Nothing serious Mom” Nancy replied as she finally reached the door and escaped from her parents.
“Our daughter is growing up” Nancy’s mom exclaimed as she heard Clara’s truck leave.
“Yes dear, she looks taller” Her husband stated.
“I meant she is getting more responsible with her studies, even with that injury” The woman replied upset.
Nancy asked Clara to take her to downtown. Most of the trip, both friends remained quiet. Finally, they arrived to Smithville’s Historic Museum. Clara parked in front of the old building while Nancy prepared to get out of the truck.
“Thank you Clara for the ride. I’ll see you later” Nancy thanked her friend.
“Nancy!” Clara called her when she opened the door “Aren’t you going to tell me what is going on”
“I… I…” Nancy babbled nervously.
“Please I’m your friend Nancy. I know there’s something going on here!” Clara interrogated Nancy.
“I can’t Clara … But I promise I will soon. Trust me on this one” Nancy replied to her friend feeling bad.
“Okay, just promise to be careful. Good luck Nancy” Clara smiling, said to Nancy.
Clara placed her hand on Nancy’s shoulder and pulled her friend toward her. Clara gave a big hug to Nancy. As both teenagers embraced together, Clara looked at one of Nancy’s feet that wasn’t covered by her skirt. She noticed the metal ring on her ankle and the red tiptoe boot she was wearing. Dissimulating, she turned to Nancy and smiled at her.
“Bye Clara” Nancy said goodbye and headed to the Museum.
‘What are you up to Nancy?’ Clara thought as she waved to Nancy.
After Clara leave, Nancy headed to the front door of the Museum. She knocked the door, but no one answered. After several tries, Nancy sat on the door steps. Minutes later, she walked to the side of the building and look thru a window trying to find someone inside.
“What are you doing here lady?” A voice told Nancy from behind her.
“EEE!” The teenager screamed as she turned around.
Behind Nancy was a policeman. He was a 5’8” tall and two hundred pound man with sunglasses and beige uniform. The man fixed his hat as she looked at Nancy.
“Err… Hi! My name is Nancy Hendricks and I came here to talk with the man from the Victorian exposition” Nancy answered the policeman still shaking.
“You mean the British people? They left Smithville last night; they had an exposition scheduled for today at a small town at the other side of the Stateline” The fat policeman informed Nancy.
“NO! There must be a mistake mister! I got to talk with Ernest Blackpool!” Nancy told the policeman containing her hysteric laugh.
“I’m sure they leave Miss Hendricks… Say, aren’t you supposed to be at school right now?” The officer asked Nancy as he rubbed his chin.
“You don’t understand! Is urgent I see Ernest. I can’t stay this way!” Nancy desperately, told the policeman.
“You can’t stay here Miss. You have to be in school now. If you don’t have a valid reason then I’ll have to take you there. If you don’t cooperate, then I’ll have to take you into custody” The policeman warned Nancy.
“Didn’t you hear me? I have to talk to him immediately!” Nancy snapped as she grabbed the fat man’s uniform.
“Hey! Hey! Calm down Miss!” The policeman took a step away from Nancy and kept a hand between him and Nancy “You can’t talk to him now, everybody left town and the museum opens till nine. This is what we are going to do. I’m taking you to your school and you can comeback here after class. If you have a good reason to skip school Miss, then please say it”
Nancy remained quiet with her eyes down. The policeman escorted her carefully to his patrol and headed to Nancy’s school. Looking thru the rear mirror of his patrol, the policeman noticed Nancy’s worry.
“I noticed you don’t walk right Miss Hendricks. What happened to you?” The policeman asked while looking at her thru the mirror.
“I twisted an ankle in the gym” Nancy told the officer sadly.
“To me it looks like you twisted both ankles” The policeman replied to Nancy “Don’t worry Miss Hendricks. I’m going to talk with the museum personal and try to contact the British guy. If there is anything, I’ll let you know immediately, just relax a bit”
“Thank you” Nancy answered forcing a smile.
Minutes later, the patrol car parked in front of the high school. The officer helped Nancy to get down the vehicle and took her to the front door of the school. Thanks to the long skirt she was using, the policeman didn’t notice the red ballet boots she was wearing.
“I have to go back to the police department now. I’ll go later to the museum and talk to them about your problem. Don’t worry about anything. Good day Miss and take care of those wounded feet” The officer told Nancy as he touched the tip of his hat and headed back to his car.
Nancy entered the school and walked down the lonely hallway. The sound of the locks and her tapping heels echoed all over the place. After passing several doors, she reached her classroom. Nancy stood grabbing the door knob for a few seconds, then took a deep breath and opened the door.
Nancy’s entrance interrupted the teacher’s lesson. Nancy looked at the teacher while she shrived. Then the teacher instructed Nancy to sit in her desk then turned to the classroom and continued teaching.
‘If I fall, everyone will notice the boots’ Nancy thought as everyone in the classroom looked at her.
Nancy tried to dissimulate by walking as fast as she could and without leaning to the wall. The barely audible sound of the jingling locks seemed to her like loud church bells pealing. As she walked to her desk, everybody continued to look at her until she sat and hide her feet under the long blue skirt. At the other side of the classroom, Clara stared at her skirt.
Nancy managed to hide successfully her secret all morning. At noon, Nancy was more confident and decided to go to the school cafeteria. She noticed some of the male students looked at her flintily. She bought a sandwich and dared to walk between all the cafeteria tables.
Nancy didn’t know it, but the mystery metallic sounds she made as she walked kept everyone in suspense. Further than any possible prediction, she had become the center of all looks. Nancy in the other hand, enjoyed the feeling of be fooling the entire school.
Nancy sat at a lonely bench outside the cafeteria and unwrapped her lunch. Before she could taka the first byte, someone approached her. Before Nancy could raise her head, someone began to talk with her.
“You could probably fool all the school with that skirt covering your legs, but I know what you are hiding” A woman voice told Nancy.
“Huh?!” Nancy exclaimed surprised as she noticed it was Diana.
“Judging by the height you gain and the clicking sounds. I’ll say you are wearing platforms heels and ankle bracelets with little bells on both legs” Diana told her friend with a smirk on her face.
“He, he, he! How did you notice it?” Nancy pretended to be surprised.
“Come on Nancy! All Those International fashion attempts you always do have finally hit the Jackpot! Your new, slow and elegant walk; plus the fact everyone is trying to figure out what are you hiding under that noisy skirt you are wearing, have the entire school on suspense, even me. Come on Nancy, let me see the bells” Diana asked Nancy.
“NO!” Nancy exclaimed as she retrieve her legs and embrace them.
Diana tried to look beneath the blue skirt as she continued to ask Nancy. Completely embarrassed, Nancy grabbed the skirt and covered completely her legs. Nancy begged Diana to stop, but her curiosity was big. Then, someone grabbed Diana from behind and pulled her away from Nancy.
“Leave her alone Diana” Clara ordered Diana.
“Hey! I just want to see the anklets!” Diana replied.
Clara, being raised in a farm family and worked since she was five, grabbed forcefully Diana. She pulled her up and then grabbed both Diana’s wrists. Diana looked with fear at Clara realizing how strong she really was.
“Leave NOW!” Clara told Diana as she grabbed and shook her wrists.
Diana scared, fled leaving Nancy and Clara by themselves. Nancy with her head down released her legs. Clara sat aside of Nancy in the bench and look at her.
“So are you finally going to tell me what is going on Nancy?” Clara asked Nancy in a demanding tone.
“I’ll do it tomorrow. I wasn’t able to solve this matter today” Nancy excused herself.
“I’m disappointed at you Nancy. You think I don’t know you are locked on those red perverted boots from the English man?” Clara complained.
“But … How did you found out!” Nancy asked perplexed.
“I wanted to help you, but I needed a little trust from you. For me was important you trusted me enough to tell me your problem. We are friends, well at least that was what I thought” Clara with sadness revealed this to Nancy and then she leave.
“Please wait!” Nancy shouted “Understand this is shameful for me!”
Nancy stood up to follow Clara. But as soon as Nancy took two steps, someone stopped her. Nancy with fear discovered it was the man in the black raincoat. She sat again and watched him nervously.
“You have something that belongs to me!” Ernest told Nancy as people gather around them.
“He, he, he! What are you taking about? I … I don’t understand you” Nancy pretended confusion as she looked at the curios students.
Among the people circling them, was Diana. Standing near Ernest, Diana suddenly walked away from the place after she recognized Ernest Blackpool. At the center of the circle, Ernest seriously looked at Nancy.
“Do you have any idea of what you did to yourself Madam?” Ernest asked Nancy.
Ernest raised his hand above his head. Immediately Nancy stood up ad began to dance gracefully. Nancy’s with a terror expression watched how her body danced out of control.
“Every month is the same story! Some dumb teenager tries to steal the same object from the collection. My great-grandaunt Karen was a perfectionist. To become the greatest ballet dancer in the world, she used a magic treated leather to make those boots. The boots gave her the abilities she needed to become a great dancer, but paid a very high price. The leather needed to feed from her greed and obsession. The boots became so dependent of these crooked feelings that attached themselves to her legs and spent the rest of her days trapped. After she died, the boots fell from her lifeless legs and were locked to avoid they found a new victim”
Nancy watched with terror how the skirt raised every time she turned showing the locked boots. Nancy’s secret had been revealed to all the school. She wished with all her strength everyone disappeared.
“Decades without being fed with those negative feelings had made those boots to search for a new victim. The boots must have sensed the similar feelings of Karen Blackpool in you, Nancy and they seduced you to take them away and wear them. Now you are condemned to be their prisoner for the rest of your life Madam!” Ernest continued.
Clara, among the crew, listened to the red ballet boots’ story as she watched astonished how Nancy danced with the red boots on. Ernest continued to make Nancy dance as the boots glowed in an intense red color.
From behind Ernest, some one approached him. He made Ernest turned around by grabbing his shoulder and punched him in the face. Aside of this person was Diana.
“Leave alone Nancy, stranger!” Bill demanded Ernest.
Ernest rose again and shook his head. Bill tried to hit Ernest again, but this time Ernest rose his had at him. Without touching him, Bill fell back as he was in trance. Quickly, Diana approached Bill to help him.
“Bloody Yanks! Never appreciate what people do for you!” Ernest stated as he watched Bill.
Ernest continued to make Nancy dance. Nancy felt like she was inside a horrible nightmare. Without knowing what exactly was going on, more students continued to arrive.
“Well now that you are trapped like this forever, I could take you with me and live in my castle so you can dance all day long” Ernest told Nancy.
“NO! Please help me get out of these horrible things! I beg you Ernest!” Nancy begged desperately.
“And why is that madam? I thought you loved those beautiful boots or isn’t it?” Ernest asked Nancy.
“NO I HATE THEM! I HATE THEM WITH ALL MY HEART!” Nancy cried.
“Ha, ha, ha! That’s all I needed to hear Nancy! Good bye Madam” Ernest informed Nancy while smirked.
A bright light covered the entire playground of the school. Moments later, it disappeared along with Ernest Blackpool. Nancy was sat on the ground, she was barefoot and confused.
Clara quickly approached to Nancy and asked if she was Okay. Bill finally woke up and along with Diana, he approached Nancy. With relief, Nancy found out she was freed from the red boots. Diana approached Bill and slapped him in the back of the head.
“What kind of gentleman you are Bill! Nancy is hurt and bare feet. Take her to the sickbay immediately!”
“Oh… Sorry… You are right Diana!” Bill replied and carried Nancy on his arms to the school doctor.
“They make a great couple!” Diana stated as she sighed “Clara, do you have an idea what was this all about?”
“I don’t know Diana, but it seems the British actually helped Nancy” Clara told Diana as they watched Bill carried Nancy away.
“Err… Thank you Bill for defending me” Nancy shyly said to Bill.
“You’re welcome Nancy. If anyone tries to hurt you again, I’ll be there to help you” Bill told Nancy as she smiled.
And that’s what happened last autumn. Nancy and Bill are still dating. Although Bill thanked me for helping him meet Nancy, Clara finally convinced me to stop playing the cupid roll with my friends.
Bill is amazed of Nancy! He says Nancy never stops to amaze him with all her knowledge about the world. It seems Nancy has forgotten the idea to leave Smithville and that makes everyone happy. Smithville is a great place to live. One think I really hate about Smithville now, is the traffic jams created by those guys at the Ledd factory.
The other night just a week ago, I found Nancy and Bill going out. They were having dinner at new bar they opened in downtown. I couldn’t help myself and sat at the contiguous table to listen to them. I listened to their conversation while I hid behind my menu.
They talked about the weird episode at the school playground for the first time since it happened. For Nancy was a tough experience that showed Nancy how a simple lie can create a situation than can harm all those close to her. Bill patiently listened how Nancy expelled those traumatic moments.
“Still having nightmares Nancy?” Bill asked her.
“No Bill, actually I’m fine with all that. At the beginning I thought I was going to be excluded or marked by everyone as someone weird. Fortunately for us, that didn’t happen” Nancy confessed.
“Well, we sure have to thank Diana for that” Bill told Nancy.
“You are right Bill”
“You know… I now understood why they make those weird boots. You looked like a goddess, proud, elegant, and beautiful when you wore them” Bill tried to make her feel better.
“Thank you Bill, but I don’t think I’m going to be able to wear a pair of those ever again” Nancy blushed while covering her cheeks with her hands.
“Don’t worry Nancy. You’ll get over it soon. Besides, I’m a patience person; I can wait a while to see you wearing a pair again” Bill told Nancy and she giggled.
“Let‘s toast for Diana! For the idea that saved the reputation and honor of the nicest girl in town” Bill asked Nancy as he raised his soft drink and winked at me after discovering I was there.
“He! He! You have walk a long way before becoming a perfect gentleman, but I love you the way you are” Nancy replied unaware of my presence and she rose her wine glass while I leave the scene.
Most of the students don’t have an idea of what happened that day, but thanks to my intervention, most of them think it was a play rehearsal Nancy, Bill, Clara and I were doing. Even though none of us were in acting classes or the “play” was ever shown… I think is easier to buy that rather than to think about witch stories.
As for Ernest Blackpool, we never saw him again in Smithville, but I’m sure those darn cursed boots will continue to cause problems.