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THE GREAT AND POWERFUL ALI

Relish class? It’s when a narrator is all-knowing and can see and hear everything Sounds like a pretty sweet deal, right? Sort of like being the Wizard of Oz I Like when you lost your journal in the locker room—you could see where it went Or at that party last month: You would know if your boyfriend made out with your rival in the back bedroom or not You’d be able to decipher secret looks Hear intihts See what’s invisibleeven improbable

Four pretty girls in Roseished they were o everything—soet to the truth about what happened that fateful night in the Poconos, when Alison DiLaurentis alerous their lives will become

One chilly February night, on a secluded, wooded street in the Pocono Mountains, it was so quiet that you could hear a twig snap, a high-pitched giggle, or a gasp for miles around But no one was in the area this time of year, which hy Alison DiLaurentis didn’t feel the least bit worried as she and four girls she barely knew stood in a dark, upstairs bedrooht have been thin, the s drafty, but no one was around to hear the girls screas, Aria Montgomery, and Hanna Marin would be dead

Ali couldn’t wait

Everything was set In the past week, Ali had dragged not-guilty Ian Tho dead, to one of the second-floor bedrooms of this house and hidden his, Ian’s once-girlfriend, next to his bloated body earlier today She’d asseasoline, the matches, the boards, and the nails, and called her accomplice to let him know the exact time and final details And now, finally, she’d coaxed Spencer, Aria, Hanna, and E them upstairs into that same bedroom where Ian and Melissa were stashed

She faced the girls now, hands on her hips, watching theirl they’d loved—though in truth the “Alison” they kneas actually Alison’s sister, Courtney She’d switched places with the real Alison, sending her twin to theover her life “Letthe smile She knew they’d say yes

And they did Ali tried to contain her excitement as they closed their eyes She counted down fro for sounds on the first floor Unbeknownst to the four others, a boy had sneaked into the house justdoors, and placing boards against s It was all part of the plan

Ali kept counting down, using a lulling, soothing voice The girls went still When Ali was almost to one, she crept out of the room, locked the door from the outside, and slipped a letter under the crack Then she tiptoed down the stairs and rooted around in her pockets Her fingers curled around her lucky matchbook She struck a match, then dropped it on the floor

Whoosh Every wall, every exposed bea Audubon Society bird book, and nylon caasoline vapor, and the smoke was so thick, it was difficult to see froirls’ panicked wails rise through the house That’s right, bitches, she thought gleefully Screa to help

But God, did the fumes reek Ali pulled her T-shirt over her nose and hurried through the first floor She looked this way and that for the boy of her dreams, the only person she trusted, but he must have already been headed to their rendezvous point Quickly, she checked his work on the s He’d boarded al little chance of the others escaping, but she grabbed the haave one of the boards an extra pound, just to make sure

Then she stopped and cocked her head Was thata thu It sounded like footsteps were cla down a set of stairs—only, which stairs? She stared at the foyer No one She didn’t know the layout of this raht it just before Courtney had made the switch and sent her away

Then soray, billowing sures rushed toward the kitchen door and out to safety Ali’s jaw dropped Lavalike rage burbled in her chest

The last girl stopped and peered through the haze Her blue eyes widened Her blond-red hair was a frizzy cloud around her face Ee and disbelief, and grabbed Ali by the shoulders “How could you do this?” she demanded

Ali wriggled out of Erip “I already told you You bitches ruined my life”

Emily looked like she’d been slapped “ButI loved you”

Ali burst out laughing “You are such a loser, Emily”

Emily looked away, like she didn’t believe Ali could say such a thing Ali wanted to shake her Really? she considered saying I don’t even know you Get a freaking life

But then a huge boo theround, and seconds later she landed on her shins so hard, she alue

When she opened her eyes again, the flarily than before She pushed up to her hands and knees and crawled toward the kitchen door, but Eotten there first She had one hand around the knob The other hand held a wooden plank, big enough to bar the door fro Ali in