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"What happened?" I smooth my drenched hair out of my face Did I just die?

"I’ houard rail crushed to pieces It wasn’t that hen I drove up, so I thought I’d check I saw your car sinking into the lake, so I ran down and ju and throat feel like their bruised

"I think we need to call an aet you checked out" He stands up and brushes the dirt and pebbles off his jeans "That was a pretty bad crash and you weren’t breathing when I pulled you out"

I take in thethe rocks on the hillside as bits and pieces of what happened rush back to me "I think the brakes went out and then I think someone ran into me"

His eyes a, wringing out ht I was dead"

He ss hard and then clears his throat "You have to report this It’s basically like a hit and run"

"No, it’s not My brakes going out are what caused the crash to begin with" I touch the side of h, I’m not sure how they went out and I just checked the brake pads and lines"

Did someone cut them? Like the owner of the car who ran into me? Or the creeper with the X tattoo on his eye? But ould want to hurt me? A lot of people, come to think of it

He aie your own brake pads?"

"My dad was a mechanic," I explain wryly "And he liked to teach me while he worked on cars"

"Was a o"

"Sorry, I kno hard that is I lost my dad too" He extends his hand to help me to my feet "My phone’s in my car Do you think you can walk? Or can I carry you?"

I love the idea of hi ainst his chest But then he would have to touch uy will die "I think I’ers grazing my knuckles, then slide down the back of h mine

Oh my God It finally happened, after so many years of noises, there’s only silence No one has ever touchedaway en But there’s no blood, no pain, no expiration date It’s exhilarating and terrifying, and my body completely and utterly filled with desire But I have no idea what to do with it

His eyes remain on me as he pulls me to ering onto my chest as he slips an arood?" he asks, and I swear he knows my secret

I nod and the rain pours down on us as we hike up the hill My legs feel rubbery and my skin is scratched and torn up I touch a tender spot on the hollow of my neck and then panic

"Ohthe front of my neck "I lost my necklace"

He moves in front of me and puts his hands on my shoulders "I’ave it to me before she died" I watch the lake ripple fro to the top But h to return it and I forceup the hill

"So you never told ravel

He hand tightens on ht up as he an"

"Asher I like that name… Did you just move to Hollows Grove?" I ask as we step over the hilltop and onto the highway The rain is starting to let up, the groundto my body "I’ve never seen you around before"

"Monday will be my first day" He steers us down the road, with his aruardrail "I just moved here from New York"

"Why on earth would you want to lance back at the dark, empty road

He chuckles softly "For the beautiful scenery"

I frown at the pine trees bordering the road "I guess that could be a plus for some people, but I’m sure it’s not really why you moved here, is it?"

"You don’t like it here?" he inquires, evading the question with a cock of his eyebrow

"No… I don’t mind the low population, but a lot of people do My best friend Raven hates it here" I stop as the past hour catches up with round "Oh no" I slip fro like a drunken person