Clay nods to the first window on the right. “Come on. I’ll give you a boost.”

A boost? That means Clay putting his hands on me, pushing me upward. At any point his hand could slip and feel something that would solve the mystery of my gender once and for all. I follow him, biting my lip. I could suggest Ethan, but he’s too short to reach the ledge and besides, I’d be sending him into a dark creepy building alone.

Clay stands at the base of the window and looks up. He hands Ethan a revolver and tells him to watch the road. Then he laces his fingers together and nods at me. Facing him, I can see the stubble that’s grown on his normally smooth chin. His eyes are red rimmed and bloodshot from exhaustion. I remind myself that he could be at home right now, soaking in a tub of warm water while Auntie rubs his feet. Instead he’s here in the third circle of hell with us.

I put my hands on his shoulders. His muscles tense as he looks deep into my eyes.

“I got you.” His face is calming, reassuring. “On the count of three. Okay?”

I’m so close to him, I can see the flecks of gray in his blue eyes. I grip his shoulders. He stills smells like aftershave.

“Okay,” he says. “One. Two. Three.”

I put my foot in his hand and push up. As he hoists me, my body brushes past his, but I think I’ve avoided him noticing anything suspicious. Then I realize my inseam is hovering near his face as he lifts me. Oh God. I wobble.

“Grab. The. Ledge,” he grunts. His hand grips around my feet, pushing upward.

My fingers find purchase on the cool stone ledge. Being this close to Clay has tingles going in all the wrong regions of my body. All I can think is his hands on my body. My fingers slip. We rock backwards and almost topple. I gotta focus. Dark, scary building, I think. My thoughts fly off Clay’s hand cupping my calf. I pull up and tumble into the dark room.

I bash into something hard. It crashes and goes skittering. I lie on the floor, panting in the dark silent room. Please God, don’t let there be anything in here to eat me.