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But it’s too late Nothing I can do will turn back the clock Deep breath I scribble a quick note to my mother and leave it on the kitchen counter And as the sound of ets louder, I quietly head out the front door of the aparth the fronds of the pal hter than the backpack I alht Almost

Half the stars have disappeared out of the sky Like the universe just swiped a hand and erased the, a pale white streak appears, and I hope Lennon is watching it with Avani Miles away, but the same starry sky

I head toward the left aparthts are still on in the s The Mackenzies have always been night owls--another thing my dad points to as proof of their hedonis the doorbell and wait In fact, I’ past thisface appears, and she’s blinking into the porch light, I say the first thing that comes to ht here with you and Mac? My parents are having proble in a pair of pajama bottoms printed with tiny cartoon trolls "Of course you can, baby Come on inside before you freeze to death"

Then she pulls me over the threshold, past the photos of Lennon and his dad dressed in Halloween costumes Their house s and old books And when I see Mac curled up on their worn living roo eyes, I feel as if I’, I’m completely disoriented It takes me several seconds to realize that I’ in his empty bed, and the sheets sood For a moment, anyway Then I spot his dastardly wall of reptiles, including Ryuk, who’s staring at h his lizard habitat

"Sorry, buddy," I tell the bearded dragon "Your dark master is not here"

And he won’t be for several hours Mac got a text froht before I showed up Apparently, Lennon’s phone is still dead, and she infor ho atop a pile of gruesoraphic novels, the clock on Lennon’s beside table says it’s half past nine I smell bacon and coffee, and h I showered here last night before I dropped dead in Lennon’s bed, I didn’t eat, and my body is more than aware that the last meal I had was freeze-dried stew yesterday afternoon when Lennon and I were hiking toward Condor Peak

Part ofthe stacks of horror coer here forever So after checking the state of reat, but not out of control--I dress in the clothes I stuffed in ht and head down a short hall to the Mackenzies’area Sunny and Mac are already dressed and sitting at the dining roo news headlines on a tablet with a cracked screen

"Good htly "How’d you sleep?"

"Like the dead"

"Excellent," she says, getting up to head around the kitchen counter "How about so"

Mac squints at s or pork, have you?"

"As long as no one’s cooking shri to be exasperated "Will I ever live that down?"

"Bad shrimp," Sunny calls out cheerfully from behind the stove