Joshua came up the stairs, the cool evening air ruffling his hair.

"Hey," he whispered, hands shoved in his jean pockets. "It's good to see you." He leaned against the opposite side of the doorframe from me and we stood talking like that for five minutes before I worked up the courage to invite him in.

My mom was cooking. She covered her surprise when I told her a boy from the band was here to see me, smiling instead. She invited him to stay and eat with us, but he declined. He was almost scared of her.

I tried to imagine a life where I was scared of meeting a boy's mom who invited me to have dinner with the family.

In my room, we both found a wall to sit down and prop up our backs, our feet separated by half an inch of air. He told me about the stupid shit the guys in the band were doing during practice instead of playing and how badly they needed me back.

I wanted to go back. I wanted to forget that I ever snuck into Levi's house and saw a dead girl pissing on his bed right before a vine shot out of her mouth and she came running after me.

Reality check. What I had seen couldn't be reality. What I was doing here with Joshua – chatting and joking – was. I could ask thousands of other people their opinions, and they would tell me to get help if I told them the things I'd seen.

Later, at the table my mom said I wasn't allowed to talk to Alicia anymore. Her parents had forbidden any contact between us and my mom said she had to agree with them. It was for the best. There was something dangerous between the two of us, as though we were constantly bringing out the worst in each other.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you before," my mom said over her spaghetti. "I didn't want to hurt you. I know you are friends."

"It's okay," I replied. "I can't talk to her right now anyway."

My mom nodded, but I couldn't read her emotions. Relief? Probably.

And on Monday I went back to school and pretended nothing had ever happened. I acted as if I and the whole town of Allsbury was perfectly normal. The hardest part was hiding my surprise when I would turn around and be face-to-face with something disgusting or horrible.

Do you ever expect to see a donkey carcass in the school hallway? I didn't. Every single time something nasty popped up, I had to bite back a scream.

And that damn donkey rotting away right in front of my chem class. I was trying to walk around it without seeming to, and it started kicking. Its bloated intestines spilled out on the carpet and the smell—

I managed not to vomit.

I found myself constantly checking for my scissors in my bag. Their cool, sleek blades calmed me.

Several weeks like this went by. I was wound tight with the constant fear of seeing hideous things, but at the same time strangely numb to them. I knew the visions would come, but not when. Each time one appeared, at least I knew the wait was over for another few minutes.

I pretended everything was fine. I avoided Kaylee's darting glances whenever I startled and her haunted questions. What is going on? How do we get rid of it?

I didn't have the answers.

"Don't do any more research in the town's history," I told her during a study period in the library. "No more digging. We just hang on until we're old enough to get out of here."

"What about Levi?" she asked.

The one question that killed my resolve to get out of here and forget this place. What about Levi? What about his older brother Sean who I'd never been able to admit to that I had a crush on him?

I shook my head. "Alicia might know something, but she's never going to admit it." Then, going against my advice about not digging, I asked, "Do you ever get the feeling your aunt might know how to find Sean and Levi?"

"No. Like I said, she used to set out rat poison and complain that the dolls were moving around on their own, but now she's on medication. She seems normal."

"But would she have any ideas?"

"I'm afraid to ask," Kaylee said.

"We could go together. Try to keep it subtle."

"No more research, huh? I'm going over this weekend to help decorate for Halloween. Come with me."

I agreed, knowing full well the less we stirred the hornet's nest the better.

Up until then, I had kept up with practicing with the band and Joshua drove me home after practices once or twice a week. He would ask me sometimes, if I was all right or needed to talk. I could only pretend so a certain extent that nothing was wrong. He even offered to drive me back and forth to my self-defense classes when my mom was working.

Alicia's dad had already paid for my classes through December and like hell I wasn't going to go. Since he knew Todd had attacked us in the forest, my instructor didn't bat an eye when I asked him to teach me to work with small weapons. Like pointy, household objects. He had sais and short, practice knives in the studio and I pretended these were scissors.

I explained that Todd had used a heavy chain to attack Alicia and that she had gotten away without a mark.

He shook his head, not believing my story. Because it wasn't possible.

On Friday before going to Kaylee's aunt's house, the counselor called me to his office. It was the same as always, stupid fraying chair and cheesy mug, his smile of 'I understand this is hard for you.'

"Brooklyn, we haven't talked in a while and I kept meaning to see how you are dealing with the attack in the woods," Mr. O'Neil said. "The principal was in contact with the police for security and they reassured us Todd McIntosh has left town. Do you want to talk about what happened and how you feel?"

I mumbled out my prepared thoughts and feelings all based on past trips in here. Certain sorts of phrases satisfied his curiosity better than others. Too cheerful or well adjusted, and he didn't believe me. Too close-mouthed or honest and he wanted to talk more.

"Brooklyn, Brooklyn, quite calm and thin. How does your garden grow?" he asked.

"What?"

"I said tell me how your garden for Sean and Levi is doing these days," he said, twirling his pen around his fingers.

"My garden....It's fine. I put a German Shepherd in there to keep out strangers."

"That's an excellent idea. You need to have a safe place for them in your heart."

The bell rang.

"I have a test. I have a Spanish test. I'd better go." I hurried out of his office.

That was when I saw Levi kneeling in the middle of the hallway. Dirt and flaking blood smudged his face.

I inhaled mildew smells and wood smoke. The floor crackled and a twig snapped under my weight, a fire-cracker pop in the muted silence that suddenly blanketed the school and other students.

Fatigue and pain lined his face and red-rimmed eyes. He swayed slowly in place, hands clasped or tied behind his back. As high schoolers hustled to get to class on either side of us, I didn't know whether I should try to help him or step aside casually like for the donkey's rotting guts.

I walked towards him, my feet ruffling through the leaves. He didn't react. A student got too close and bumped his head with a bag, but he still hardly moved and the glassy film on his eyes didn't change.

"Levi?" I whispered, pretending to tie my laces.

"Brooklyn?" he asked, not seeing me. "The lines are open. Brooklyn, can you hear me?"

"Oh, god, Levi, yes. Tell me how to help you, how to find you!"

"Walk away. He's watching you, Brooklyn. He's watching all of us."

"Levi, tell me how to help you," I said, glancing up as a girl frowned down at me, smacking her gum. I could see but not hear her mocking laugh.

"Walk away if you want to help me, and don't look back. He's watching."

I stood, dread settling in my stomach. I couldn't leave him like this. "Tell me where to find you," I whispered, hiding my lips behind a book.

"Run, Brooklyn. You're next. He's coming."

A hand grabbed my shoulder. I jumped and swung to knock the person away. Mr. O'Neil was frowning at me in concern.

"Are you all right? Were you talking to someone?"

"Fine. Just tying my shoe laces and thinking about my Spanish test. I'd better go." Levi had disappeared, taking the dead leaves and loamy odors with him. I glanced back as I left, noticing the counselor staring at me. He had been watching me.

Joshua caught me right before I ducked into my Spanish class.

"Am I still taking you home tonight?"

"Yeah," I said, not sure if we had arranged that. "That's great."

"Are you all right? You seem jumpy."

The bell rang. I waved good bye.

I was pretty sure I failed my Spanish test. I remembered to put my name at the top of the page and I filled in the multiple choice randomly. I left the blanks empty, though. I couldn't focus to even read the questions.

Joshua drove me home after school and he put up with my silence until we reached my parking lot.

"I know you've got difficult things to deal with and maybe you don't want to talk to me, but I just want to say that I'm here if you need someone who will listen."

"Thanks," I said. Then, strangely guilt laden for shutting him out of the horrors of my life, I continued. "Do you want to go for a walk?"

He reached over to hook his fingers in mine, rooted to his seat. "You get the feeling that something about this town is really weird, don't you? In Chicago, it was so different, and I don't have experience with any other small towns, but this place makes me ...claustrophobic. Like it's closing in on me."

I couldn't disagree. "Wanna run away with me?"

"Yeah, I'd like that," he said.

Then he didn't say anything else. He leaned forward, a hopeful, hesitant question on his face. I met him at the halfway point over the stick shift. He wasn't the first boy I had kissed, but he was the first I wanted to kiss. His lips moved slowly, seeking mine out and exploring first the middle and then the corner of my mouth. He cupped my nape and breathed softly.

I began to doubt. This kiss was tearing me in two, I wanted more urgently, and I pulled him towards me. His breathing picked up. But I knew I shouldn't be kissing him when all the time I was thinking of a different boy. Or two other boys. I had the Walters brothers so tangled up in my heart and head I didn't know which one was which or who I wanted. I was kissing one or both of them night after night in an alternate life and that pent up need was coming out now.

I grabbed Joshua's hair and head and kissed him so hard, I bit his lip. He reacted with more fire and shifted on his seat to get closer. I tried to push him away, but I couldn't make myself. I wanted something so badly that I didn't know what I was doing.

Hands roved and lips sought. His tongue flicked between my lips and I answered with mine. He pulled my shirt up and kissed along my neck.

"Wait," I breathed. My hands were on his bare skin and I lifted them like it was burning hot. "Wait. Please stop."

He buried his face in my hair and slowly took his hands away. "I'm sorry. Did I do something wrong? I thought..."

"No. It was me. I'm sorry."

He settled back in his seat. "You aren't mad, are you?"

"No, of course not.

"I guess I got carried away. Do you want to go inside? I can walk you up."

I shook my head. "I'm heading to my neighbor's, I'll be all right. I'm going to Kaylee's this evening, but can I call you tonight?"

"You can call me whenever you want," he said. He leaned forward ever so slightly and I gave him a quick kiss – just a brush of lips. I didn't trust myself to do more.

After I waved him goodbye from the sidewalk, I realized he tasted like mint gum and rain water.

He pulled out of the parking lot as another car pulled out of a space to leave as well, and I started up the stairs. The car stopped behind me. The window went down and there was a metallic click.

The click of a gun cocking.

"Brooklyn, turn around and don't scream," a voice said.

My blood froze and all my senses went into overdrive. I knew that voice. I hadn't heard it much, but shit, I knew it.

I pivoted carefully on the stairs not to fall.

Todd was sitting in the beat up Chevy, the black circle of a gun poking over the door top straight at me. He looked like hell. Greasy hair pulled back, dark bruises under his eyes, gaunt cheeks and a sneer on his lips.

"I don't want to kill you, but I'll do what has to be done. Get in the car. I need to show you something."

I nodded and forced my feet to move one at a time. Please let someone see this. Please let someone notice a man telling me to get in his car. Please.

I did the tour around the front bumper, knowing that black circle of the gun was following my every move. I didn't doubt he'd shoot. There was no question in his gaze.

The door opened with an ear splitting creak.

Please let someone hear and come look.

I put my bag on the floor and slid into place. There was no seat belt. I couldn't crash us to try and escape.

"Where are we going?" I asked.

"There's something in the woods I want to show you."

The car filled with the stench of old cigarette smoke and foul body odor as he rolled up the window and revved the engine.

*** Thank you for reading! Let me know what you think - a lot happens and quite a bit of time passes in this chapter. I hope you enjoyed it! Please vote to let me know or leave a message. :-) ***