Page 18 (1/2)

"You drew the Flash enough, in detail What’d you have? Visions of it? Drea in class each day"

Leave it to Jackson to be resentful of so that hadn’t helped me whatsoever

He narrowed his eyes "No wonder you wanted that journal back--it was a goddas before I ever saw ’eht on one of those pages before it happened Thanks for the heads-up, you"

"Oh, like you would’ve believed s were real!" I yelled, the frustration of the last week, the last several ht I was crazy! And so did anyone who knew about them!" When he looked unmoved, I bit out, "Let me tell you how prepared I was I was so prepared that my boyfriend and his family became piles of ash All our friends were destroyed And Mel"--my voice broke, but I kept on--"she was a sister to me and she died alone, not three aze softened a touch--until I said, "I blame you for her death!"

"What the hell did I do?"

"When I first saw the light, I began to realize as happening, that the things I’d seen et back here But she didn’t have a phone!"

"I didn’t steal her phone, no"

"You just kept me busy while Lionel took it"

"If he did, then he’s paid for it He’s as dead as she is"

"You were just as ue anymore Jackson wasn’t worth my time Unless

"Have you passed a doctor--any kind of medic--on your way here?"

"Why you want to know? You sick? Or yourin town"

"Just answer s that would make the trip worth it"

"Non That’s notit’s not possible"

Swaying onI’ll barter for, Jackson If a doc’s not happening, then leave"

"You doan even knohat I got to offer"

"There is nothing I want--or need--except for a doctor"

"And what about what I need? Maybe I’ll just go take what I’et anywhere near my un

He casually took a swig fro, you?"

God, he infuriated un

He pocketed the flask, rising fro for me

As he stor one he’d given that drunkenpain

Alarun pointed at his head! He didn’t know I couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn "Gee, Jackson, I guess the little doll’s got teeth--"

Hethe barrel aside The slightest touch of the trigger and the gun went off, kicking e for round

My vision avering as he crouched besidethe back of lad we got that out of the way?"

My eyes rolled back Darkness

Chapter 17

The red witch stood atop a raised dais overlooking a crowd of shadowy figures

Villagers They cowered before her

Aggression sizzled through her veins as she surveyed them She would destroy the her claw-tipped fingers to a clearsky, she called on nearby plants to release their thorns With a shriek, she unleashed a tornado of them

Like a swarm of bees, the tempest descended upon her prey People shoved one another down, scrabbling over the fallen to flee, but none could

The razor-sharp thorns bit into their faces, scouring their features off, their noses and lips Inch by vicious inch, those barbs sliced at their flesh, flaying the round

One woman’s scalp was severed clean; her beautiful blackwinds

The witch’s tempest scoured them deeper, deeper Even without ly long time--which she particularly enjoyed

As she cackled with delight, they crawled in place,puddles of re at the a over aze focused on a trio of burning candles Three candles? I’d never be so wasteful

I shrank back when I saw a blurry outline of a person Slowly, my eyes adjusted

Jackson was in my room! I’d never had a boy in my room--much less that boy

He still had his crossbow strapped over his shoulder In his hand? Yet another candle

As I tried to shake off the reotten in bed? as he inside?--I feigned sleep, watching hiazed at the storm clouds I’d painted on the walls, strolled into ed to check out h a supply of sketchbooks--all blank

Drawing held little interest for me these days The voices made it impossible for me to sit still And besides, my brain was already stained beyond repair

As if he couldn’t help hi up the candle to trace his fingers over the clouds The flickering light ghosted over a grisly-looking scar on his forearnized that injury, had been in his home when a drunken man had slashed Jackson’s skin to the bone

I’d witnessed how brutal this boy could be--he’d nearly beaten theently, almost reverently

I felt like a spy, like this was a moment I was never supposed to share It seemedintimate When he touched the cane, I swore I could feel hi for those fields, for that rain about to fall

He abruptly dropped his hands Without turning, he said, "So this is where Evangeline Greene grew up"