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"No kidding When the heck did the sun set?" I asked, hitting the light against h the darkness "I don’t reht appeared at my side as Glitch checked his watch "It’s after seven"

"Grandonna kill me" My insides seized with anxiety and a special torturous kind of dread "I told her I’d be home before dark"

"Well, she can’t do any worse than my parents" Brooklyn shivered "When they find out I skipped again…"

Glitch pushed open the front door "It’s not locked Maybe he really is here"

An excited thrill shot throughWhat if Jared was here? What would I do? What would I say to hi my life; sure hope your near-fatal concussion is better, seeh search of the first floor, I stood with Glitch and Brooklyn at the botto to the second The house was in a sad state of disrepair, cru from time and a serious lack of TLC Trash and debris cluttered the floor, and tattered curtains hung uselessly over dirty s If I hadn’t known better, I’d have said it looked haunted

In a word, it was beautiful

"Do you think it’s safe?" I asked nevertheless, studying the stairs doubtfully

"They look okay" The uncertainty in Glitch’s voice did not inspire confidence "Stay close to the railing just in case"

We tiptoed up the staircase single-file: Glitch, ainst the walls with every step, the boards cracking just enough to push our stomachs into our throats I didn’t even want to think about the hundreds of spiders it would’ve taken to weave the heavy curtains of webs that hung listlessly overhead Surely they were out doing irip onare extre," Glitch said

After we reached the landing, we began our search again Carefully, as there was a lot of space between the first and second floors But five rooan to sink I’d been wrong He wasn’t here I was beginning to wonder if I’d ever see hih of despair, I opened a door to one of the s hall A dark silhouette sitting on a sill turned toward e sent a jolt of delight surging through my body Finally, I had found him And he was alive

"Jared," I said, elated But when I raised the flashlight to illuive beneath me

His face ollen, bloodied, and bruised He squinted against the harsh light and tried to shield his eyes with an arer white Stained with dirt and blood, it looked like soled it to shreds