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Although soer’s theory, there is onecoincidence that even the townspeople aren’t aware of, and that is theto confidential police files, which were leaked by an ex-Gottfried professor ishes to remain anonymous, more than half of the deaths at Gottfried were deemed heart attacks

I put the book down and turned to Nathaniel "This is it," I said, gripping the page because I didn’t knohat else to do with it "This is the proof that connects "

Nathaniel said nothing, allowing me my moment

"But why?" I said almost to myself I had to tell Eleanor And Dante

"I don’t know," Nathaniel said

"What time is it?"

"Four thirty" Half an hour till I e

So hoas it that so e? And was the school covering up the deaths with claims of disease, war, and natural disaster? To this, many people have answers--conspiracy theories, stories bordering on the supernatural--yet even the most fervent believers are unable to explain why the curse unexpectedly stopped

The Second Autumn Fire, which occurred this May, was the first unexplained tragedy since 1789 Even Headmaster Brownell Winters, who has held the post for nearly seventeen years, was left speechless, as he refused to coins or circumstances It consumed the entirety of the north forest, non as the "Dead Forest," turning the treetops coe--hence the name, the Second Autu the Gottfried Library "A real tragedy," local bookstore owner, Conrad Porley, said "All those books gone forever" The books destroyed included the feritten about Gottfried and its history

To the surprise of the members of the Gottfried community, Headation, nor has he attempted to rebuild the library In early June, just weeks after the fire, he stepped down from his position as headmaster and left the school When asked about the Gottfried Curse, his only response was, "There are no such things as curses; only people and their decisions" As for what hewith the cause of the fire, ree to read raphs The first was a drawing ofchildren into the lake, the same lake that was still in the center of campus The caption read: Doctors cleanse infected students, 1736 outbreak of randfather He was standing in front of Archebald Hall, a forced s on either side of him, their hands clasped behind their backs in stiff poses They were younger than nize, but the second I did She was tall, with a narrow face, sharp eyebrows, and graying hair She earing a housedress The caption read, Froht: Professor Cordelia Milk, Headmaster Brownell Winters, Professor Calysta Von Laark, 1988

The picture had been taken one year before the fire I stared atto comprehend the idea that he had once been the heades, the words blurring into gray What had been the cause of the heart attacks at Gottfried Academy, and what did it all have to do with my parents, who had been three thousand h the rest of the chapter, looking forelse of any interest I stared at the book, frustrated that it didn’t have more answers The rest of the chapters were about Attica Falls --the weather, the town’s setting, the deraphics of the inhabitants No wonder the book was out of print

"Do you think there really is a Gottfried Curse that’s causing the heart attacks?" I asked Nathaniel If there ould randfather send me here?