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“So then I guess it’s good you’ve never written a song about et the horrors and dangers that lurked just outside of theabout me Okay, that was dumb It didn’t hurt—I was just disappointed I think that’s one of the thingswith a rock star They want to have a gorgeous song written about thele, and every tioes out to the one I love!”

His eyes sparked feverishly as he stared atone day I have plans,” his voice was low and rich God, I hoped I’d always be a part of his plans

I reached for the guitar and took it froet that I can play guitar, too He?”

I started stru to find a , ic touch…”

He took the guitar out of ic touch, you’re also ripping off Shirley Bassey in Goldfinger”

“Are you two ninnies still flirting with each other?” Jacob asked, suddenly appearing in the doorway He earing his ugly pajaain and fuzzy slippers that looked like AstroTurf, holding a toothbrush and a leather toiletries bag in his hand “Shouldn’t you be past that stage already?”

“Are we annoying you?” Sage asked as Jacob walked in the co away in the closet

“You, annoy me? Never” He cli himself as he went Jacob had to be in his late forties, early fifties, though itfor hiue” and wasn’t immortal anymore

He settled in the bunk, clasping his hands over his chest like he was a vaetting late and we all need our sleep and if I awaken feeling cranky tomorrow, you’ll both be the ones to suffer for it Have you ever heard ht just have to show you”

“Where’s Max?” I asked

Jacob sighed, keeping his eyes closed “Bar car With Tricky Seee”

Sageht I scooped up , plus my soap, toothbrush, toothpaste, and a towel

“Want uitar on the bed and getting up, careful not to whack his head on the upper bunk

“Nah,” I told hiirl has to have so without my protectors, I still didn’t feel the train would be thatextra hard to pretend the real dangers didn’t exist Because when I did have a chance to think about the—I felt completely paralyzed with fear

“All right,” he said, watching me carefully as I opened the door and stepped out I squeezed against the wall just as apast and followed hiently as it rolled along, and I wished it were daylight so I could see the scenery out theinstead of the unending blackness So far, Italy was just a limitless void

I stopped outside the washroom door and tried it, but it was locked I was only two doors down froet out, but after a fewmore tired by the moment, and it was nearly eleven o’clock The train had dihts would be going off soon in the passenger cars

Unfortunately, if I wanted to get ready for the night, I’d have to et to the other washrooms At least it would be full of people

I walked down the aisle, opened the door, and passed through the accordion-like area between the cars, the ribbed botto beneathto Europe—unless you count the crappy Christ to be in the locoh theat the passenger car and the lights were still on, though dilow

I opened the door and stepped in The car was about half-full, with most people slumped over in their seats, sleep masks over their eyes I would have hated to try and sleep on a train like this, especially since people alking past you all the ti at them

I tried to avertpeople andcareful steps in case the train suddenly jerked around a corner like it had been doing for ht With luck, the bathroolad that most people out there were already asleep so they wouldn’t have to see ht in the boys section at JC Penney that had Fat Albert and “Hey hey hey!” all over them

When I was finished doing my business and felt ready for bed, I stepped back out into the passenger car

Into complete darkness

I squinted, thinking I’d see at least a few individual lights on or e the aisle, but it was black I couldn’t even see through theinto the next car It was black, black, black

I sed hard, suddenly cursing hts were probably out for the night, but there was so So…final It made my chest clamp up, my heart best faster

I took a careful step forward, and the train jostled to the left I blindly thrust my hand out for the nearest chair and luckily I hit one, leaning against it before I toppled over

“Sorry,” I whispered in case I shook anyone awake I straightened up, though still holding on to the top of the chair, and reached across the aisle for the top of the opposite chair I walked forward slowly, keepingto walk through apeople in the complete dark

Suddenly we turned a corner, a large one that threw ainst the armrest with a burst of pain and I let out an “oof!” Thankfully the seat was eer’s lap

I struggled to get up, the train still going around a long bend, and saw the lights up ahead flicker on They were coh I couldn’t see straight into it because of the angle of the train’s bend and the , it meant now I had a point of reference to walk toward

My knee stung, so I rubbed at it for a htened out I stood up in the rip hard on the top of the seat, and felt the train’s curve dissipating I took tard steps forward

And then stopped

I alht

Now, through the glassto the other car, I could see the sallow light flickering, and beloas aabsolutely, deathly still

A man in black with a tall hood around his face, al it in shadow

Al here and there, I could see glints of stark white where his jaas And then teeth White teeth No lips

No…skin

Suddenly the ht atholes for eyes—holes that seeht into the pits of Hell—before the train went black again

“Fuck, fuck, fuck,” I found s threatening to collapse,into the seat

Then the lights came back on

The man was not in the partition anymore