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The Afterlight introduced himself as Isaiah He didn't offer to shake Nick's hand

"Tell me about Atlanta," Nick said "How many of you are there?"

Apparently Nick wasn't the only one reluctant to give answers Isaiah crossed his arms "First tell me about your train," he said "I've never seen an Everlost train before"

"My train is my business"

"Well, maybe it won't be your train anymore"

Nick wasn't sure whether this was an actual threat, or just a show of force He decided to match Isaiah's confidence measure for measure

"You won't take my train"

"How can you be sure?"

"Because," said Nick, "if you meant to steal it from me, you would have done it already Besides, you don't strike me as the type I think you're honorable I think that's how you got to be in charge here You probably overthrew some bully, and had everyone's support, because the kids here trusted you"

Isaiah smiled "I took dohole lot of bullies, actually" He didn't let the s"

"It's not trespassing if we stop the train, and ask for permission to pass" Isaiah was not i you need"

"And what ht that be?"

"News of the world," Nick told him "News from the north" "I didn't think there was a north in Everlost," Isaiah said "And anyhatever happens there don'tfor Isaiah's curiosity to kick in Finally Isaiah said, "What kind of news"

"Have you heard of Mary, the Sky Witch?"

Isaiah shrugged "Sure I have--but it's just a story, everyone knows it's not true"

"That's where you're wrong" Then Nick told hi he knew about Mary How she had kept hundreds of younger kids fro Everlost How Nick had freed theathering hts to mother, to pamper, to trap This ti herself an arive them coins?" Isaiah asked "Is that how you freed them?"

"You know about the coins?"

Isaiah nodded "We all had them once, but lost them, or tossed them Most of the kids here don't knohat they're for, but sohtful for a ain When we're truly ready tofor you" And that's all Nick said about it So the kids of Atlanta was best left for another day

"There may come a time when everyone in Everlost will have to take sides," Nick told Isaiah "Can I count on you if I need you?"

"If there's a side to choose, I'll choose it when the tiht now, you can count on h Atlanta safely"

Nick nodded respectfully "Thank you"

Isaiah prepared to rise, thinking theirof the minds was over--but Nick wasn't quite done

"One ," Nick said "Because I've heard rumorsMaybe you could tell uarded, uncalculated It was genuine "So ould you like to know?"

Nick cleared his throat, and tried to figure the best way to word the question In the end he decided to just be direct

"What do you know about 'The Ripper'?"

Isaiah's expression was stony He took aas if he had to control so himself to speak "I knohat they say about him Not sure if I believe it all, but I don't want to find out"

"Tell ripped the arms of his chair as he spoke "They call him Zach the Ripper They say he was a bad seed when he was alive, and even worse afterward Evil to the core, and du soworld and pulls their hearts right out of their bodies"

"Ecto-ripping!" Nick said, not sure whether he was more a out of the living world and into Everlostbut that kind of ability, it can make a person crazy"

Nick nodded He had known a spirit called the Haunter Ecto-ripping was just one of his powers He ht have been insane, or siardless, he was darkly evil, and had iht have stayed until the end of ti another Afterlight like the Haunter made him shiver

"There's more," Isaiah said, but then he hesitated, as if he was afraid to even speak it aloud "People say the Ripper can also reach right inside an Afterlight, and pull stuff out, too And when he does, the wound doesn't healand whatever he takesit don't grow back"

"That's iht "flesh" wasn't like living flesh at all Wounds were bloodless, and zipped closed instantly "You can't hurt an Afterlight"

"Maybe it's just a story," said Isaiah "Butfor a spirit such as this? Probably But on the other hand, Mary was building herself an army, and what did he have? Johnnie-O and Charlie? If he were ever to face Mary again, he would need powerful allies by his side to help balance the odds

Alliesand Allie