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On the presence of htower is curiously silent

Chapter 4

A Coin on its Edge Night had fallen over the woods, and the three dead kids sat on the highest platforht that truly hosts It took a while for Nick and Allie to realize that the ht

"Great," said Nick, not thinking it was great at all "Just what I alanted--to be a glow-in-the-dark ghost"

"Don’t call us ghosts," Allie said

Nick simply didn’t have the patience for Allies issues ord choice "Face it, that’s e are"

"‘Ghost’ is that I am NOT Do I look like Casper to you?"

"Fine," said Nick "We’re not ghosts, we’re Undefined Spectral Doohickies USDs

Are you happy now?"

"Well that’s just stupid"

"We’re Afterlights," said Lief They both turned to hih -- that’s what they call us, on account of hoe glow in the dark -- in the daytihts," repeated Allie "See, I told you eren’t ghosts"

Allie and Lief began to talk about ain, and, as far as Nick was concerned, this was a conversation he would just as well stay out of Instead, Nick decided to hold his breath, to see if it were true that oxygen was no longer a require can hurt you here," asked Allie, "why be afraid of the McGill?"

"The McGill kno to hurt you in other ways It kno to make you suffer till the end of tiets the chance" Lief’s eyes ide, and hea caet stuck here -- hates the sounds we ue if it hears you talk, and rip out your lungs if it hears you pretending to breathe They say the McGill is the devil’s own pet hound that chewed through its leash, and escaped It couldn’tworld, but it made it to here That’s e have to stay in the forest It doesn’t know about the forest We’re safe here"

Nick could tell that Allie wasn’t convinced He wasn’t convinced hiht of their current predica seemed possible

"How do you know all this?" Allie asked

"The other kids who coh the forest They tell stories"

"Did these kids actually see the McGill?" Allie asked

"No one who’s ever seen it has escaped"

"How convenient"

Nick released his breath, having held it for ten ," Nick said, "there have always been monsters, or at least they were called that until people knew soamouth shark The anaconda"

"See!" said Lief

Allie threw Nick a withering look "Thank you Mr Google The next time I need some crucial information, I’ll type in some choice keywords"

"Yeah," said Nick "I’m sure your keywords will all have four letters"

Allie turned back to Lief "So, is this McGill a giant squid?"

"I don’t know," said Lief, "but whatever it is, it’s terrible"

"It’s made-up," insisted Allie

"You don’t know everything!"

"No," said Allie, "but now I’ve got all the time in the world, so I eventually will"

Nick had to admit that both Lief and Allie had their points Lief’s stories reeked of exaggeration, but every story had some basis in truth On the other hand, Allie had a practical view of things

"Lief," Nick asked, "has anyone who’s passed through here ever come back?"

"No," Lief said "They were all eaten by the McGill"

"Or they found a better place to be," suggested Nick

"Either we stay here, or we get eaten by the McGill," said Lief "That’s why I’ here"

"What if there’s another choice?" said Nick "If we’re not alive, but we’re not quite dead, then maybe …" He pulled a coin out of his pocket-- one of the few things that had co with those overly formal clothes he wore