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The sht I felt a chil down my spine, and the hairs on the back of my neck stood on end From each end of the all eyhispers floated from the shadows

I squeezed Beth’s hand "We should see what’s taking so long"

Beth nodded We took a step, and then froze A large nized fro black spheres HisI’d never heard before

Beth let out a s me with her A dark, metal side door opened, and the bartender stepped out Her expressionless face and dark eyes signaled that she had shel ed as wel

"Oooooooh sh--" Beth began, but I pushed her against the brick wal , right beside a dumpster

"It’s okay Jared and Chad wil be here anyup my hands in a defensive pose

The two shel s approachedsmile, and knife in her hands

"Chad!" Beth yel ed "We’re in the all ey!"

"Help!" I cal ed I could stil hear yel ing froht It would be difficult for anyone to hear; not that any of the with Shel s of his own, or he would already have reached us The Shel s came closer, and I braced ed ather knee Her head hit the brick cement wal just a few feet from Beth’s feet Beth covered her ained her feet, blood dripping from her hairline, and took a step toward Beth I picked up a branch beside the duround The knife clanged against the asphalt

Beth leaned over, picked up the knife, and held it in front of her, shaking "Don’t go near her!" she said "She’s pregnant!"

The ain He ran athim careen at ful speed into the brick walHe stumbled back, and I attacked My hands bal ed into fists, and I punched his face over and over, and then grabbed his leather jacket with both hands and threw hi , htened again, signaling that , but it was too late Someone burst out of the shadows and hooked an arm aroundat us with the knife

I held out ainst the wal , Beth!"

She stoppedmy assailant in the nose with my skulI turned to see another round Blood was spattered on his cheeks and forehead

The larger man came at me with the branch I used my forearm to hit it out of his hand, and then shoved the heel of my hand into his throat In Claire-like fashion, I spun around, kicking him in the head He fel to his knees I reared backhim out cold

The skinny ht myself before I fel flat

"No! Nina!" Beth screamed

I turned around, and threw every one ofWe were half way down the all ey before he final y swung and punched me in the face Half-surprised that he had landed a punch, half-ae, the skinny ed at e wel ed up inside of ainst the brick

Seeing that he’d left his side open attack, I reacted, shoving my elbow into his throat, and then with one hand, I picked hith, I cried out, siainst the opposite wal

He rol ed to the ground, and didn’t get up again

Beth ran to my side and threw her arainst her chest, and she could barely catch her breath

Jared and Chad rounded the corner, both disheveled Jared’s terrified expression melted into relief, and his shoulders fel

Chad’s eyes ide, his breath labored "Beth!" he cried, ju over the bodies in his way

Beth releasedinto loud sobs It was then that Chad noticed the liround, and his eyes met mine "What the hel happened?"

Beth held up her hand, pal She wiped her nose and took a step toward me "I love you, but please don’t tel me how you did all of that I honestly don’t want to know"

"Wel , I do," Chad said

"It’s better that you don’t," Jared said, shouldering past Chad He reached for me, and I fel into hiet out the door"

"It’s a sha his head "It’s been taken over by misfits and criminals"

"Where’s Claire and Ryan?" I asked

Chad rol ed his eyes "Cleaning up I think they’re enjoying themselves"

We walked around the corner to find Claire standing alone, her arrabbed a man twice his size and head-butted him

"The PD wil be here any minute," Jared said

"I know," Claire said "But I find hiht now"

Jared rol ed his eyes and led me to the street, and Beth and Chad fol owed When we reached the parking lot, Chad took a deep breath His hands were tre, as were Beth’s I felt so sorry for theed into our mess

"Beth," I said I licked the blood fro away"

Her eyes shot up "Again? But, you just got back"

"I need you to cover for one for the summer"

Beth left Chad and wrapped her arht "I just need to know one thing: Are you going to be okay?"