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I pulled the Jeep over, killed the engine, threw it into first gear, and set the eency brake, then just sat for afeltfunny A slight breeze wafted through the leaves of the live oaks, and the faint rustling was the only sound in the cemetery I scanned the rows of headstones, the white ed crypts, and realized it ay too quiet--even for a graveyard Not one cricket, bug, or bird htest of sounds It was totally silent, and it weirded lanced over atthe air He felt it, too "Stay, Chaz," I commanded He whined but fire until I told hi up the dirt path,my heels, toward the back of the ceot to the crypt, the stranger I felt, and an odd sensation crept over led for absolutely no reason, and I was acutely aware of it as though hundreds of tiny ants crawled over ain--up--just like the night before As if my feet had awas, so didIt all accelerated

Once da hell stone was in sight, I stepped off the dirt path and cut across the grass, the weird sensation growing stronger as I drew closer Probably justin, but I was still juot close to the crypt and stared in disbelief I slowly eased to the jagged opening, only it wasn’t jagged at all The rusted gate was in place, unbroken It was as though nothing had been disturbed Squatting down, I lightly ran es where it fit perfectly against the crypt’s opening even looked rusted into place It was sealed tight Untouched Unbroken What the hell? I continued to search the ground, the dirt, the stone, for any signs of what had happened the night before with Seth and his buddies I didn’t even see a Converse footprint I even inspected some close-by crypts, and they all seens of vandalise boys horsing around and stu out of a crypt

Suddenly, I turned and ju to the back of ainst my skin I looked everywhere; no one was around Far across the ce a wheelbarrow, but not a soul was close to h to have blown on --I’ve been kickboxing for seven years and did plenty of street fighting before that--but I was done with my inspection of da hell stone People? They didn’t scare me at all I had handled the very worst of humanity, up close and way too personal But spirits? Like I said earlier, I wasn’t completely convinced they existed, but Preacher was one hundred percent sure about the wudus, and that fact alone made me nearly break into a run I hurried back to the Jeep, wherepatiently, ju dah Bonaventure’s black pillared gates, I couldn’t help but feel like solance over my shoulder Very, very weird

I wondered whether I’d been at the wrong crypt last night I didn’t think so; I grew up here I knew Bonaventure like the back of roundskeeper could have fixed it, but that fast? The gate had been rusted into place It didn’t look repaired It lookedancient And that hy I knew I definitely had to talk to Preacher Sout that only he’d be able to figure out what I’d talk to hihts continued to ramble as I made h the back door of Inksoed the absolute hell out ofthe keys on the counter, I hurried upstairs to shower, Chaz right on my heels Nyx, my other artist and closest pal, would be here soon, and I was already running a little late Before I hit the bathroom, I peeked into Seth’s room, and the moment I pushed open the door, a wave of heat and brine hit me The bedroo in Seth was sprawled over his bed, shirtless and still wearing the jeans he’d worn the night before I walked over, closed the , and shook his arrowl sounded fro there, the fur at his neck on end "What’s wrong with you, boy?" I asked "It’s just lazy Seth Go downstairs and wait on Nyx" He growled again, then turned and ran off Totally strange, but I shook it off and turned back to ia Power to cool off the riverfront What’s up with the open ?" I asked Seth’s dark brown hair was slick with sweat, his skin all sticky I sain "Hey, Bro--wake up" He continued to sleep, hard, and just when I thought he wouldn’t answer, he did

"A little more," Seth mumbled, and buried his face into his pillow "Beat"

I stared down at iven me a minute’s trouble since Mom died, and couldn’t resist "Yeah, whatever, brat," I said, then leaned down and kissed the top of his head Teenagers I used to sleep like the dead h, I left his room and jumped in the shower

By the time I’d pulled on my favorite red-and-black plaid ed belt that was slung low over my hips, and a pair of red lacy boy shorts to wear beneath), clunky ankle-high black boots, and a destroyed black tank that had Inkso hair in a high ponytail, I heard Nyxup shop I fastened a black-corded choker with the cutest little black glass heart charm with a ruby in the center around ed down the narrow steps The h the breezeway, Nyx turned and flashed ht Chaz was in his usual spot, on a large braided rug near the corner

"Hey, Riley," she said, and set down a box of Skin Candy ink thatto be a superb day!" She turned,River Street, and yanked open the blinds "Just look at it out there Sunshine perfectly tee to elanced back at me expectantly, eyes innocently widened, hands on hips "Don’t you think?"

I grinned There wasn’t another soul in the world like Nyxinnia Foster "I bet you dinner at Garibaldi’s we get at least onethe devil’s work"

Nyx studied ether, bunched in the center Her eyes narrowed "You’re on, Poe"

If there was one thing in my life I could count on now, it was cheerful Nyx Foster always having a cup half full instead of half eether (that’s Savannah College of Art and Design) and had become fast friends the very first day of class After I’d established Inksoht Like me, she definitely had her own style, her own mentality and outlook on life, and it also leaned tohat people in general would classify as alternative, or Goth--with a few Nyx twists With straight auburn hair that she ith bangs and--nine titails, porcelain skin that was nearly as white as mine, smoky eye makeup, and red lips, she definitely stood out in a crowd To us, it was just an artistic expression of ourselves Knowing today was the first Saturday of the month, and that River Street would be jam-packed by noon, she wore one of her favorite outfits (I thought she looked fantastic!): black shorts with suspenders, black-and-white ripped stockings that rose above her knees, a pair of black platfor On the back of the shirt was an embroidered spiderith a little spider in the center It matched the one inked onto the back of her neck perfectly Nyx was a sweetheart--one of thewe didn’t have in coround While she was her own unique person and, like me, comfortable in her own skin, she’d never lived on the street, never been in trouble, never seen the inside of a police station, and had a fantastic, supportive fa ticket I’d spent ht train, got into one too hts, skipped school, and ran with the badasses That crowd happened to be into heavy ; just because solooerous I just happened to have hooked up with a bunch of losers who’d fancied their own personal take on the Goth look And I’d run fast and hard, right along with theret, that is Goth is not what you are It’s who you are The general public makes thatlike I was back then Not the crazy, partying, careless teenager I ah

You see, that’s what’s funny about Savannah The publicized, touristy part--the Savannah you see in travel eous When people think of Savannah, they think of the Old South, horse-drawn carriages, inal colony with scenic squares, tall church spires, and, strangely enough, Gothic Revival architecture Maybe even Paula Deen and Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil The part of Savannah they don’t see, and the part society is blind to? It’s there, in the recesses of the shadows Dark Dangerous Hidden, unless you’re in Hell, there are parts I’m probably not even privy to--especially now And if you aren’t careful, you can be sucked right into the pit of despair There’s always potential to fall into bad shit I know I’ve been there I fell and ed in it And sometimes, when you’re in, you stay in Or you don’t leave alive I escaped, but not without repercussions Big ones