Are You Afraid Of The Dark   ::   Sheldon Sidney

You're black and poor. You're not going anywhere." That was the moment Kelly made her decision.

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AT FIVE O'CLOCK the following morning, Kelly took a packed suitcase from under her bed and headed for the bus station. In her purse was two hundred dollars that she had earned babysitting.

The bus ride to Manhattan took two hours, and Kelly spent that time fantasizing about her future.

She was going to become a professional model. "Kelly Hackworth" did not sound professional.

I know what I'll do. I'll just use my first name. She said it in her mind over and over. And this is our top model, Kelly.

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SHE CHECKED INTO a cheap motel, and at nine o'clock, Kelly walked in the front door of the modeling agency at the top of the list Mrs. Houston had given her.

Kelly had no makeup on and was wearing a wrinkled dress, because she had no way to iron her clothes.

There was no one at the reception desk in the lobby. She approached a man sitting in an office, busily writing at a desk.

"Excuse me," Kelly said.

The man grunted something without looking up.

Kelly hesitated. "I wondered if you needed a model." "No," the man muttered, "we're not hiring." Kelly sighed. "Thank you, anyway." She turned to leave.

The man glanced up, and his expression changed. "Wait! Wait a minute. Come back here." He had jumped to his feet. "My God. Where did you come from?" Kelly looked at him, puzzled. "Philadelphia." "I mean-never mind. Have you ever modeled before?" "No." "It doesn't matter. You'll learn it here, on the job." Kelly's throat was suddenly dry. "Does that mean I'm-I'm going to be a model?" He grinned. "I'll say. We have clients who will go crazy when they see you." She could hardly believe it. This was one of the biggest modeling agencies in the business and they"My name is Bill Lerner. I run this agency. What's your name?" This was the moment Kelly had been dreaming of. This was the first time she was going to use her new, one-word professional name. Lerner was staring at her. "Don't you know your name?" Kelly drew herself up to her full height and said confidently, "Of course I do. Kelly Hackworth."



CHAPTER 9

THE SOUND OF the plane buzzing low overhead brought a smile to Lois Reynolds's lips. Gary. He was late. Lois had offered to go to the airport to meet him, but he had said,

"Don't bother, sis. I'll take a taxi."

"But, Gary, I'll be glad to-" "It will be better if you stay home and wait for me there." "Whatever you say, bro."

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