Page 65 (2/2)

I led him to the third floor of the library On the way I told him about the rest of the files and their contents, and the real reason why I’d wanted to find theot to the oversized book section, the files were gone I double-checked the decimal numbers, even took half the books off the shelves and shook the

"They were here," I said "I put them back the other day"

"Did you show them to anyone else?"

"Only Nathaniel, but he wouldn’t have taken them"

"Could anyone else have known that you took the into Gideon as I was leaving the boys’ dormitory By now he must have realized that soone, but could he have known it was me, and followed me to the library? I sed "Yes"

Finals ca up with Nathaniel during study hall, where we talked briefly about Minnie’s story Nathaniel brushed it off "Everyone knows she’s crazy," he said, looking up froeometric proof And somewhere between exams andwith the cryptic phrases on the school files, because it was the only evidence I had This tih by help, ILatin books without tellingout why Gideon had had the files and what the files actuallyWhen I asked Dante if Non Mortuusto him, he replied, "Not Dead"

"I translated that too," I said over nificance to you?"

Dante shook his head "No"

"What about Undead?"

He laughed "Like revenants and zohed "That’s all I could come up with too"

There were virtually no books or documents on Gottfried Academy, just like the article had said, and no matter howor online, I couldn’t find a single legitimate piece of inforeneral category of vahouls and zombies I tried "Non Mortuus, Gottfried," and then "Sepultura, Attica Falls," and then various iterations of "Cassandra Millet," "Non Mortuus," "Two Deaths," "Benjaave up

By the Friday before Christmas, everyone had already started to leave campus Cars lined the half-crescent driveway in front of Archebald Hall; chauffeurs were packing luggage in trunks while everyone said good-bye for the winter holidays

Dustin carandfather’s Aston Martin I was standing with Dante beneath the la at e flakes of snow floated down on us When I saw Dustin pull up the path, I threwin the woodsy smell of his skin for the last tio," I said "I want to stay here with you"

"It’s only a feeeks," he said, checking his watch "See, we’re already five ain"

"Come with me," I said "It’ll be so much fun We’ll explore the randfather’s cigar parlor"