It is the season of tradition, the season of jolly, joyous blood. It makes me remember the other Christmas and I feel sad, angry, hateful things. Killing helps. And it might be a good idea to send some greeting to them all in this town of my sister. It is joyous blood season and I have a right to be happy, too. She who is my sister is walking around living. This I will not tolerate forever.

Silent Night.

Rose

Thirteen

Ladyvale Caves are in the Laurel Hills beyond Ladyvale Farm, in the western uplands of Connecticut. They’re not much of a challenge for a real spelunker, just ordinary boulder caves formed by the collapse of the cliff face, small and narrow with an occasional strange rock formation. But they can be dangerous, and every few years there’s a campaign to prevent kids from going up there, and the newspaper runs a protest piece on how the graffiti inside the caves is ruining the area’s national heritage.

That’s where Cyn was found.

She’d been stabbed, just like Nancy Emerson, but also strangled; her scarf knotted tight around her neck. They found her after Mackey gave Rose’s message to Chief Henning.

Rose had asked Jerram to deliver the message to Mackey. When Mom brought her home from school, she’d had a 104° fever and could hardly talk. Dr. Morris made a house call, a real miracle. By the time Jerram got home from school she was halfway human and was able to tell him what he had to do.

He looked at her long and hard and then turned away and punched the wall with his fist. And when that made too much noise and threatened to leave a dent, he began punching the end of her bed.

She felt afraid. “It’s bad, isn’t it, my getting these messages from the dead? It makes me feel dirty.”

“It has nothing to do with you.” He scowled, then his face softened. “I mean, no, there’s nothing shameful about it, and that’s not why I’m upset.” He was silent. She had to urge him to go on.

“Why you, Rose? Why only you? It’s been eating at me. I know it’s stupid, but I can’t help it.”

“I’ve been asking myself the same question.”

He smiled sadly. “You want to know the truth? I feel jealous. Now that’s something to feel dirty about.”

She tried to take his hand. “No, Jerram. I’m the one who should be apologizing. I really thought you were having the Nancy dreams and pretending you didn’t. I felt betrayed.”

“It’s crazy, isn’t it? We used to be on the same wavelength about everything; we knew exactly what we were both thinking. And now you’re suspicious and I’m jealous.”