Was she okay? Her worries were still there, nibbling at the edge of all her thoughts. She tried to shut them out. That’s what tonight was for. Breaking the spell of fear.

“Sure?”

“Just cold,” she said.

That much was true. It was cool tonight, especially as the top was off the Jeep. She was only wearing shorts and a green Camp Wonder Falls T-shirt. Regular Sabrina would have been more prepared and brought a sweatshirt—new Sabrina was going to be cold. Eric wrapped his arm around her and drew her close. His blond curls tickled her nose as she leaned into his shoulder.

The Jeep pulled off the path and stopped off to the side, under the cover of a small group of trees. The music cut out, and the four passengers stepped out of the vehicle.

“This is it?” Sabrina asked.

“Not here,” said the girl in the passenger seat. “Close, though. We have to walk.”

The girl’s name was Diane McClure and she was a fellow recent graduate of Liberty High. Diane was a tall redhead, with freckles clustered all over her body. She and Sabrina had never been in the same orbit at school. Sabrina led the class in academics; Diane seemed to spend most of her time leaning against lockers and hanging out in the smoking lounge. She was the kind of person Sabrina’s parents told her to avoid. But she wasn’t a bad person. Sabrina had come to like her company. She was loyal, hardworking in her own way, and school wasn’t for everyone. Diane was Todd’s girlfriend, and probably Todd’s only redeeming feature.

Sabrina climbed out of the back of the Jeep, which took a little doing, as they had packed it with several bags of supplies, several of which hampered her exit.

“It’s this way,” Eric said, taking Sabrina’s hand in his. “Let me guide you, my dear. Never fear, never fear. Into the woods we go!”

Diane and Eric both had powerful flashlights, but their beams barely penetrated the dark between the trees. Sabrina had lived in Barlow Corners all her life and certainly had spent time in the woods, but never this deep in, and never at night. It was something you didn’t do. The woods were dark and deep, full of creatures.

“How far?” she asked, trying to make her voice light.

“We’re almost there. Trust me. I come out here every week. I know the way,” said Eric.

“I trust you,” she said.

“You sure you’re okay?” Eric asked.

“I’m sure. Why?”

“You’re kind of crushing my hand.”

“Oh!” She released her grip. “Sorry.”

“It’s okay. I have two. Actually, I have three, but that’s because the experiment went wrong. . . .”

She laughed. That’s what was great about Eric. He could make her worries vanish. Eric knew something about living, something she wanted to learn.

“I won’t tell anyone,” she said.

“Oh, good. I can’t let them shut down my lab, not when I’m so close. Soon my creation will come to life!”