It was a quarter to eight when Zack finally said good-bye to Ziggy, went out back, and unwrapped Marilyn like a birthday present. Her paint seemed to glow in the moonlight.

Zack got behind the wheel and slid the key into the ignition with shaking hands. She smelled divine: old leather, gasoline, and adventure. He took a deep breath, half to take her in and half to steady his nerves, before turning the key.

Marilyn’s engine roared to life. It would never have the gentle purr of a modern car, but Zack didn’t care. In fact, he preferred it this way. It sounded like he was inside the belly of a fierce but benevolent beast. The radio lit up on the dash, and he used an old-fashioned tuning dial to find a classic rock station. He adjusted his mirrors, turned on his lights, and, at long last, put Marilyn into drive.

The ride was far from smooth—Marilyn shook when he braked, and she stalled once when he made a sharp turn—but it was glorious. Zack rolled down the windows and let the crisp night air sluice through his hair. He turned his music up as loud as he could and belted out lyrics that were only half-right. The road seemed to melt away beneath him, and before Zack knew it, he was in front of John’s house.

Zack almost did a victory lap around the block, but Mr. Alvarez had only put so much gas in the tank.

He pulled into the driveway and parked behind John’s car. When he got out, he patted Marilyn on her hood. “Don’t let that Lexus intimidate you, beautiful. It may be flashy and new, but you’re classic.” He trotted up to the front door and unlocked it with his key.

The house was quiet and dark. Nine times out of ten, John was in his room, reading or listening to music. Zack started to head that way, but then he heard John’s voice coming from the living room. John was probably watching some foreign film that he would claim was way more educational than studying. Zack smiled and made his way toward the noise.

As he approached, Zack realized John was talking to someone. Maybe he had a study buddy over. Now that he thought about it, John had never mentioned any school friends to him.

Zack walked through the doorway. “John?”

Several odd things struck him at once. First, John was alone, though Zack was certain he’d heard his voice a moment before. Second, the TV was off, so it definitely wasn’t the source of the sound. And third, when John saw him, he jumped off the couch.