A Nine-Year-Olds Diary
Penny Spicer

September 10, 1954--Tuesday
Mary told me today that there was something weird about that church up on the hill but she made me so mad I wanted to hit her because she wouldn't tell me what she was talking about. She said, "I know something you don't know," and laughed at me. She is always doing mean things to me, dear diary. You're the only one I can tell. Nobody else cares.

September 12, 1954--Thursday
Mary did it to me again today. She said her sister, Rhonda, told her something about that church but she wouldn't tell me what. As she ran oft" she said something that sounded like, "moaning." I hate Mary. Why does she hate me so much?

September 14, 1954--Saturday
I was bored so I asked Mary if she wanted to go to the movies today. She said she was bored, too, so we went downtown on the bus and saw a fun movie about the Waltons. We got a soda at the fountain afterwards. I had fun until Mary started teasing me again about knowing something I didn't know about that dumb old church. She said Rhonda made her promise never to tell a soul, cross her heart and hope to die. But she said that Rhonda had been up there on Sunday and heard weird noises. She wouldn't say another word though because she said she had already said too much. Why did she even bother to tell me that much? She is so mean. I want to know what she knows. Why does she have to be my only friend? I wish I had another friend who was nice to me.

September 15, 1954--Sunday
Jeesh! I snuck over to the church today. I wanted to see if there was something weird. And, oh my God, was I scared just going over there. But what was there was so scary I can't even tell you, dear diary, what I heard. It was sooo weird.

September 21, 1954--Saturday
I've been thinking about it all week. I can't tell anybody what I heard. I don't know what to do. I have to tell somebody, but I'm too scared to. I'm afraid.

September 24, 1954--Tuesday
Mary teased me again today about the weird thing she knows about the church. She said, "I know what they do at the church and you don't." And then she laughed. I hate her so much. I didn't even have the nerve to tell her I knew something. I wonder if we know the same thing? I wonder if she has even been there to hear what I heard. I'll bet she is too chicken to go up there like I did and see for herself, the little scaredy cat.

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