I stuck them in a box and dragged them down to The Hollow, leaving them by the oak Zach sometimes ducked behind. I hoped he’d be back — that he wouldn’t stay away for good. It was crazy to be hoping to spend more time with someone who referred to himself as the prince of darkness. But for some reason, that was exactly what I was doing — hoping — instead of doing what I should’ve been doing, which was being terrified of the idea of being alone with him. I hiked up toward town. The traffic light was on the blink again. George McGraw plopped his meaty hand on my shoulder, scaring the crap out of me. “Did you hear?” he asked. I shook my head, turned down my music. “They’re saying Myra Clay’s ghost was at it again. Melody McDowell heard a great crashing sound over at Myra’s in the middle of the night. They think it may be Old Abe expressing his displeasure at the way Myra’s been attending Bennett’s unusual church services.
