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PROLOGUE

I DIDN’T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT DEATH UNTIL I began studying philosophy That was how I learned the truth about Descartes, about the ancient Greek and Roman civilizations, about my past My mother used to tell me that matter was neither created nor destroyed, only transferred She was filled with old theories that she wouldto tell ht words I never gave theht until she and my father were killed, but by then it was too late to ask what it had all meant It wasn’t until I enrolled at Gottfried Acadean to make sense of who I was and what I was fated to become But first, letthe death of my parents Because it was their deaths that set off the strange chain of events that ledI’ve learned from my first year at Gottfried, it’s that sos that lie ahead

CHAPTER 1

The Encounter in the Woods

MY PARENTS DIED ON A HOT AUGUST evening It was my sixteenth birthday, and my best friend, Annie, and I had snuck out to Santa Rosa for the day to celebrate We took her car and spent the afternoon at Buzzard’s Point Beach, tanning, flipping throughthe jetty Around five o’clock, just as the tide began to come in, we packed up our towels and headed home so we’d be back before our parents returned fro out the open e sped down Prairie Creek Drive It was a scenic road that started at the coast and wound inland, h the redwood forest Annie didn’t want to drive through the national park; the route was narrow and dark and gave her the creeps, but for soht road to take After tenher that it was the fastest way back to Costa Rosa, she coain?" Annie asked lasses

Wes was a senior, tall and smart with perfect teeth, the captain of the soccer tea Unfortunately, all the other girls felt the sa and trying to get his attention I would never be caught dead doing that, partially because I thought it was pathetic, but mainly because I didn’t have time I had lacrosse practice, hoh I was decently popular, I had never been the outgoing type I liked to pickfor quality over quantity, and since I spentinstead of socializing, I always assumed that Wes didn’t even know my name So when he asked me out, I was speechless

"Saturday, supposedly But he said he would call ed his mind"

Annie rolled her eyes "Don’t be ridiculous Of course he’ll call"

I hoped she was right I worked at a far a fruit stand Wes had stopped by teeks ago and asked me to help him pick out apples for his mom He was completely lost when it came to fruit; there are sohis hands nervously through his hair Afterward, he asked me to theof apples, letting them roll about our feet Ever since our date I hadn’t been able to think straight about anything except for the buttery kiss he had giveninto mine with the taste of popcorn and salt

I shook off the thought and shrugged "I don’t even know if he likes et uys are perfect for each other," Annie said, leaning back in her seat

I smiled "Thanks, An," I said, and turned up the radio

We’d both had a crush on Wes for ages, but Annie would never let it coraceful with a gentle personality that was easy to love I, on the other hand, was impulsive and skinny, and wished that I could be more like a character in a novel, so I would finally stop blurting out the wrong things at the wrong time My brown hair avy and had a life of its oith sideswept bangs that had seeood decision at the time, but never stayed in their proper place once I left the hairdresser I preferred outdoors to indoors; running to walking As a result, my knees were always covered with Band-Aids, and my cheeks were sun-kissed and sprinkled with freckles

The road grew narrow,sharp and unexpected twists and turns as we drove north into the redwood forest