Page 72 (1/2)

Prologue

“You stay here, River Got it?”

Turning up the air-conditioner in the truck, I nodded and signed, Got it

Sla the driver’s side door, my pop and the prospect headed off into the woods, the first body bag of the four dead Mexicans being carried by them

Waiting until they were all out of sight I ju sound as they hit the dried grass

Tippingoutdoors, loved being on the back ofme to talk

Makingspindly branch off a nearby cedar and began whacking the reeds aroundstiffs to the boat, lime, and cover-up—so Ifor snakes in the high grass

I don’t kno long I walked, but when I lifted my eyes, I found myself deep in the forest, the air around me completely still and me completely lost

Shit Pop’s instructions were as clear as day “Stay here, River Got it?” Hell, he was gonna killstiffs were sie

Searching around round I intended to work ot pissed

Using the trunks of the trees to hold on to, I cli the dried mud and bark scum from my jeans When they were sorta clean, I scanned the horizon and frowned About two hundred yards ahead was the biggest goddaher and wider than anything I’d ever seen before It reminded me of prison, with curls of razor rapped ’round the top wall I looked all ’roundto be seen behind the fence but more forest I wondered what it was We were deep in the boonies, miles and miles from the outskirts of Austin, miles and miles from anywhere Folks don’t really come this far outta town… they know better My pop said only bad things happen ’round these parts: death, disappearances, violence and other unexplainable things It’d been that way for years; that’s why my pop chose it as a drop site

Now co a route back to the truck, I began wading through tall grasses toward the edge of the fence Curious excite, but then I ju behind the fence caught my eye

Someone was there

I froze, focusing my eyes on the outline of a tiny sliray dress, her hair pulled back in a funny style at the back of her head

She looked ’bout er?