Mona proceeded to empty the contents of the Tupperware box, adding to the fire a rooster’s claw, a dead mouse, a live mouse, a Jackrabbits souvenir game program, a toy pom-pom, a rattlesnake tail, a rabbit-foot keychain, a foam-rubber We’re #1 hand, and a jockstrap.

When the box was empty, she brought her eyes up to Cole. “Don’t suppose you have to tinkle do you?”

“Come again?”

“Sometimes helps if someone pisses on the fire.”

Cole shook his head. “Not at the moment, no.”

Mona shifted her gaze to Savannah.

“Not on your life.”

“Damn,” Mona said. “Stupid me, I just went in the river. Screw it, we’ll just have to hope for the best.” She came around the fire and took Cole’s and Savannah’s hands, forming a circle. “Now I need you to repeat after me. Say exactly what I say, exactly as I say it. There are three phrases. At the end of each phrase I need you to kiss on the mouth.”

Savannah folded her arms. “You’re kidding, right?”

“We have no time to waste! Please, do exactly as I say. Now, repeat: Allaka … allaka … allaka.”

They repeated the words and kissed.

“Mallaka … mallaka … mallaka.”

Again, they complied.

“Kimbo … kimbo … gooooo Jackrabbits!”

By the third kiss, Cole was beginning to enjoy himself. He looked toward the water and whispered, “Is it working? What exactly did we just do?”

“Not a damn thing,” Mona answered. “I just wanted to see if y’all would really fall for it. Now shall we begin?”

Cole winked at Savannah.

The gesture was not returned. “Can we just get on with this?”

“What time you got?” Mona asked.

Cole checked his watch. “Midnight. Straight up.”

“Yes. It’s time. Stand back, both of you.”

They did as instructed, backing up to the trees.

“Do you have any idea how messed up this is?” Savannah whispered as Mona walked slow circles around the fire.

“We’ll see.”

Mona made two slow circles, then increased her pace. She broke into a sidestep—crouched at the knees, arms extended. Cole was impressed by her agility, given her age and the fact that she rarely drew a breath that didn’t pass through a cigarette filter. She began to speak some sort of gibberish that sounded less like words than a bunch of jumbled consonants.

This went on for three or four minutes until the fire erupted, sending a ball of white flame into the air. Savannah screamed.

Cole started to speak, but Mona interrupted him.

“Stay back!”

“But, Mona—”

“Stay back! It’s time. It’s finally time!”

Another fireball shot toward the heavens. The smoldering campfire instantly became a roaring bonfire. Lightning flashed. Thunder hammered the sky as an ominous blanket of cloud crept in overhead.

Savannah huddled against Cole’s chest.

“It’s okay,” he said, not quite believing his own words. He hollered for Mona to make it stop.