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Though Luce felt entirely conspicuous, he was right None of the other students' eyes lingered on the two of theer than they did on anyone else

At the gates of the ce in the leaves of the oak trees overhead The entrance had been marked off with yellow hazard tape

Luce saw Randy's black silhouette outlined against the sunrise ahead of the into a Bluetooth clipped to the collar of her shapeless polo shirt

"I think you should wake him up," she yelled into the device "There's been an incident at the school I keep telling youI don't know"

"I should warn you," Daniel told her as he steered her away froh the oak grove that bordered the cee to you down there Caory, it's justdifferent"

Luce didn't think much could alaroing to set her off They picked their way through the forest, brittle fall leaves crunching beneath their feet Luce thought about how, the night before, these trees had been consu locust-shadow cloud There was no trace of theht iron fence

"We can enter there without being seen Well have to be quick about it"

Stepping out from the shelter of the trees, Luce slowly understood what Danieldifferent They stood at the rirave at the east corner, but it was impossible to see rounds was so ht not even have qualified as air It was thick and gray and gritty, and Luce had to fan her hands through it just to see in front of her face

She rubbed her fingers together "Is this - "

"Dust," Daniel said, taking her hand as they walked, He was able to see through it, didn't have to choke and cough it out of his lungs as Luce did "In war, angels don't die But their battles leave this thick carpet of dust in their wake"

"What happens to it?"

"Not much, besides the fact that it baffles mortals It will settle eventually, and then they'll come out to study it by the carload There's a crazy scientist in Pasadena who thinks it coht with a shudder about the unidentifiable flying black cloud of insectlike objects That scientist ht not be too far off

"Penn's father was buried up here," she said, pointing as they neared his corner of the graveyard As eerie as the dust was, she was relieved that the graves, statues, and trees within the ceot down on her knees and wiped away the pelt of dust fro fingers brushed clean the letters that nearly made her weep

STANFORD LOCKWOOD

WORLD'S BEST FATHER

The space beside Mr Lockwood's grave was bare Luce stood up and sta that her friend would join hiive Penn a proper memorial

People always talked about Heaven when someone died, how they were certain the deceased were there Luce never felt like she'd known the rules, and now felt even less qualified to speak about what ht not be

She turned to Daniel, tears in her eyes His face fell at the sight of her sorrow "I'll take care of her, Luce," he said "I know it's not the way you wanted, but we'll do the best we can"

The tears ca Penn back so badly she thought she ht collapse "I can't leave her, Daniel How can I?'"

Daniel gently wiped her tears with the back of his hand, "What happened to Penn is terrible A hugeher" He laid a hand over Luce's heart "She's with you"

"Still, I can't - "

"You can, Luce" His voice was fir and is you are capable of" He looked away froood left in this world, you'll know soon"

A single blip of a police car's siren made both of them jump A car door slammed, and not far froravel "What in the hell - Ronnie, call the central office Tell the sheriff to get down here"

"Let's go," Daniel said, reaching for her hand She slid it into his, giving the crest of Mr

Lockwood's headstone a soraves near the eastern side of the ceht iron fence, then quickly ducked back into the grove of oak trees

A cold wall of air slammed into Luce as they walked In the branches ahead of the upside down like bats

"Hurry," Daniel co, so not to mess with Luce when Daniel was at her side

"Nohere?" Luce asked at the edge of the oak grove

"Close your eyes," he said