“Oh, right,” Jessica said glumly. “Jessica Day, disaster magnet.”

“The darklings have been getting worse every night, especially out in the badlands. It’s not like downtown.”

“But once the party freezes, I’ll be alone out there.”

“You’ll practically be at the snake pit. It’s right in the middle of the Bottom,” Dess said. “Just take a walk five minutes before midnight, and you’ll be inside my defenses. Melissa can drive me and Rex to the edge of the Bottom. We’ll walk from there. Without you along, we won’t get swarmed by darklings if we’re late.”

Jessica gulped. The thought of making her way to the infamous snake pit, all alone at midnight, didn’t make her very happy. “We’ll really be safe there?”

Dess nodded. “Absolutely. I’ve been working on protection all week. I’ve got a ton of metal ready to go. Rex and I can set it up after school tomorrow. The darklings won’t be able to get within a hundred yards of the snake pit.”

“Really?”

“We’ll be perfectly safe. Of course, remember to watch out before midnight.”

“For what?”

“The snakes.”

Jessica blinked.

“You know,” Dess said patiently, “in the snake pit.”

“Oh. I thought maybe ‘snake pit’ was just a colorful nickname, not to be taken literally.”

“Well, don’t let the name fool you,” Dess said. “It’s more of a sinkhole than a pit. A sinkhole full of snakes.”

“Great, I’ll keep that in mind.” Jessica shivered, remembering the slithers that second night. The idea of real snakes didn’t make her much happier. “But maybe this party thing isn’t going to happen. I don’t even know if I’m still invited.”

Dess looked across the library at the older girls’ table. “There’s only one way to find out.”

A couple of Constanza’s friends looked up when Jessica came over. She still drew some stares, especially in the lunchroom with Jonathan. Jessica ignored them and knelt next to Constanza.

“About the party this Friday?” she whispered.

Constanza looked down at her. “Yeah?”

“I kind of got, um, ungrounded.”

“Really?” Constanza smiled broadly. “Wow. The police bring you home and you’re partying a week later. Not too bad, Jess Shady.”

“I guess not. So how about that party at Rustle’s Bottom? I mean, I know you’re probably—”

“Great.”

“I mean, if there’s already too many—”

“Sure. Come along.”

Jessica swallowed. “I don’t really know how to get there. And it’s probably too far—”

“I’ll drive you. You can sleep over. That way your parents won’t be freaking when we get home super-late.”

“Oh,” Jessica said, “good idea.” Excuses and bailout lines were still rolling around in her head, but Constanza’s beaming smile silenced them all.

“Come home with me tomorrow from school? We’ll have a great time.”

“Cool,” Jessica managed.