Part 10 (1/2)

Gertrustein pa.s.sed the cookies to Sam, and he took another.

”I know a code,” she said.

”Do you really?” Sam asked. ”Or are you talking in code? Because if you're talking in code and you say, 'I know a code,' then it would really mean 'I don't know a code.'”

Gertrustein chuckled. ”No, actually, I do know a real code. Not a made-up one like Anastasia's. I know the Morse code. I learned it during the war. I wonder if I can remember it.”

She closed her eyes, thinking. Sam sneaked his hand over to the cookie plate while her eyes were closed.

”Dit dah,” Gertrustein said aloud.

Sam stared at her.

”Dah dit dit dit,” she said with her eyes still closed. ”Dah dit dah dit.”

Quietly Sam pulled his sneaking hand back, away from the cookie plate. He slid off his chair. He decided that he would escape through the back door, run home faster than a speeding bullet, and tell his mother that something was seriously wrong with Gertrustein. His mother could call an ambulance.

But as he was tiptoeing across the kitchen toward the door, Gertrustein opened her eyes.

”I remember it! Every bit of the Morse code! Let me find a flashlight, and I'll show you!”

That night, after Sam was bathed and in his pajamas and had brushed his teeth and had had his bedtime story and had kissed everyone good night and been tucked in and his light was turned out, he decided that he didn't even need his night-light, for the very first time.

”Are you sure?” his mother asked. ”You've always had your Mickey Mouse night-light.”

”Tonight I don't want it,” Sam said firmly. His mother leaned down to where Mickey lived in the electrical outlet on Sam's bedroom wall. She clicked Mickey off.

”Do you want me to leave your door open so you'll have a little light from the hall?” his mom asked.

”Nope,” Sam said. So she said good night and closed his door.

His room was very, very dark. After a moment, when Sam's eyes adjusted to the dark, he could see the two big windows and the dark sky outside and a few stars.

He reached under the covers and found his daddy's flashlight where he had hidden it.

Then he tiptoed, carrying the flashlight to his window.

He balanced the flashlight on the windowsill, aimed it across the dark yard, and with his thumb, Sam found the b.u.t.ton that would turn it on.

Dit dah dit dah, Sam flashed. That meant: Desire to establish contact.