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Remy

The trash s crawl in there and die?” my friend Clara says beside me as I wheel the trashcan out to the curb She’s stayed over for horror ht, a monthly tradition we’ve held since ere twelve

I holdwas ht”

“What was that?” Clara says

“Tofu”

“Is that some kind of bird, because if it is, it should be hunted until it’s extinct”

I laugh Poor Clara Her family is strictly meat and potatoes She never even saw a Brussel sprout until we e until she actually tried it Now she calls them devil warts

“It’s made from soy beans, I think”

The sun has just risen There’s aoff the cement as the day ware and yellow, looks like candy corn A beautiful fall day

The sprinklers come on with a hiss that startles me at first before I realize what made that sound We have to sprint across the lawn in bare feet to get to the newspaper before it’s ruined No uy who delivers our newspaper always tosses it onto the lawn instead of the front porch

I’ off the water droplets when I hear the deep ruhbor’s—driveway But hbor drives a Toyota Prius, so I know it’s not hieek appearance, he doesn’t really seeuy, so I doubt it

The engine turns off and it takes a minute for the driver to exit the vehicle Then Deacon steps out of the driver’s side and my heart explodes in my chest

“Ohthere, dumbfounded

Clara turns toward hbor’s house “Holy shit, is that—”

“Yes, it is Don’t stare!” I grab her by the shoulders and twist her body to face me

“Pretend we’re talking,” I say