Chapters (95)
- Front Cover
- Title Page
- Copyright
- Contents
- Video #1
- One
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Ten
- Eleven
- Twelve
- Thirteen
- Fourteen
- Fifteen
- Sixteen
- Seventeen
- Eighteen
- Nineteen
- Twenty
- Twenty-One
- Twenty-Two
- Twenty-Three
- Twenty-Four
- Twenty-Five
- Twenty-Six
- Video #2
- Twenty-Seven
- Twenty-Eight
- Twenty-Nine
- Thirty
- Thirty-One
- Thirty-Two
- Thirty-Three
- Thirty-Four
- Thirty-Five
- Thirty-Six
- Thirty-Seven
- Thirty-Eight
- Thirty-Nine
- Forty
- Forty-One
- Forty-Two
- Forty-Three
- Forty-Four
- Forty-Five
- Forty-Six
- Forty-Seven
- Forty-Eight
- Forty-Nine
- Fifty
- Fifty-One
- Fifty-Two
- Fifty-Three
- Fifty-Four
- Fifty-Five
- Fifty-Six
- Fifty-Seven
- Fifty-Eight
- Fifty-Nine
- Sixty
- Sixty-One
- Sixty-Two
- Sixty-Three
- Sixty-Four
- Sixty-Five
- Video #3
- Sixty-Six
- Sixty-Seven
- Sixty-Eight
- Sixty-Nine
- Seventy
- Seventy-One
- Seventy-Two
- Seventy-Three
- Seventy-Four
- Seventy-Five
- Seventy-Six
- Seventy-Seven
- Seventy-Eight
- Seventy-Nine
- Eighty
- Eighty-One
- Eighty-Two
- Eighty-Three
- The Final Video
- Acknowledgments
- About the Author
- Back Cover
We walk back toward the Summerses’ house. Someone is burning leaves, and there’s a smoky scent floating on the light breeze. The stars are out, like crisp and clear pinpoints in the dark sky. We move slowly, side by side, and except for our lack of costumes, I could imagine we were back in time, back to some previous Halloween when Olivia and I went trick-or-treating together. But we’re both in high school now, and we’ve been through too much for the illusion to last.
We’re half a block from the Summerses’ when something rustles in the bushes to my left. It sounds like a dog, maybe a giant one about to bite us. But then a person climbs out wearing dark clothes, and I jump back, not sure if I should run or prepare to fight.
“Easy,” a familiar voice says.
The figure steps forward and gives Olivia a hug.
“Gabby?” I ask.
“It’s me,” she says.
“What are you doing here?” I ask.
“Liv texted me. She said you needed backup.”
“Livvy…” The more people who know…
“She can watch the back while I watch the front,” Olivia says. “I can’t cover the whole place alone.”
“Gabby, I don’t want you getting in any trouble. You don’t have to stay.”
“Oh, I’m going to stay. Look, I’m dressed in black.” She points to her leggings and sweatshirt. “And I brought my switchblade.”
“Your what?”
“I’m kidding, Hunter. Chill. I don’t have a switchblade. Don’t you know immigrants commit crimes at a lower rate than natural-born citizens?”
“I don’t care about that,” I say. “But Olivia shouldn’t be dragging you into this. It’s not a game.”
Gabriela places her hand on my arm. “Hey, I’m here for you, Hunter. Don’t worry.”
“Okay,” I say. “Thanks. But if there’s any trouble—if the cops come or whatever—then just run. Forget about me and get out of here. Both of you.”
“You got it, boss,” Olivia says. Then she leans in and kisses Gabriela. “I’ll miss you, my love.”
Gabriela rolls her eyes, and they head to their posts. I give them a few minutes to get positioned, and then I cut through the next-door neighbor’s backyard, heading toward the window into Chloe’s bedroom. The same window I’ve climbed through dozens of times when she was waiting on the other side.
Fifty-One
I cross the yard, crouched down, moving like a soldier in a war movie.
Except I’m no soldier. My way of ducking across Chloe’s property might make me hard to see, or it might make me stand out like a firework in the night sky.