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I begrudgingly agreed to go next door with my father for the remainder of that bitter birthday The teh the cold

Diane and my father babbled endlessly I peered at Shannie over my coffee cup She stared at Diane andover her face and slouched shoulders Her skin, sporting its ot up and dumped the rest of my coffee in the sink Shannie was riveted to our parent's conversation, her head shifting back and forth between the room, I peered out of the bay n Cehts illuht lower than the previous until they appeared to rest on the street I was adht when Shannie slithered into the room

I waited for her to speak Her eyes scratched and clawed at my back I refused to turn around I refused to break my silence I was convinced that if I did, I would never seeto let ht In the kitchen our parent's laughed

She moved behind me, her steps in sync with the Grandfather clock Her breath tickled the nape of hed and stepped away I continuedCe back," Shannie finally said from a corner of the room

Fuck you Shannie, I didn't say On Ce out the street light

"If you ask uys a favor"

"I didn't ask you," I murmured

"What's that?" she asked

"I didn't ask you," I repeated louder

"That's what I thought you said," she replied The shado closer, kicked a second pole, killing its light

"Up yours Shannie," Ibehind ht side," she said "If death coaze out of the"She isn't dead Shannie!"

"May as well be," Shannie sneered She returned to the kitchen Unable to reply, I did what I do best; I watched My palms were in a cold sweat as I watched the shadow approach the telephone pole between my house and the Ortolan's The shadow kicked the pole - blackening the world at the end of Cemetery Street The shadoas Count, on his way home from his own tryst with Marcy Lucas