Croak by Gina Damico Excerpt

7/28/2019 Croak by Gina Damico Excerpt

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Go ahead and die laughing, knowing that the safe transport of your mortal soul

will be the summer job of a sweetheart teen with godlike power and discipline problems.

A lot of books make me wish I could live within their pages,

but I wouldnt mind dying in this one.

Adam Rex, author of Fat Vampire


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pyight 2012 by Gina amiMap illustatin pyight 2012 by al hu

All ights eseve. F inmatin abut pemissin t epue seletins m this bk,

wite t emissins, Hughtn Miin Haut ublishing mpany,

215 ak Avenue uth, ew Yk, ew Yk 10003.

Gaphia an the Gaphia lg ae taemaks

Hughtn Miin Haut ublishing mpany.

www.hmhbks.m

ext set in Gaamn emie

Library o Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

ami, Gina.

ak / by Gina ami.

p. m.

ummay: A elinquent sixteen-yea-l gil is sent t live with he unle the summe,nly t lean that he is a Gim Reape wh wants t teah he the amily business.

ISBN: 978-0-547-60832-7

[1. eath Fitin. 2. Futue lie Fitin.] . itle.

PZ7.D1838Cr 2012

[Fi] 23

2011017125

Manuatue in the Unite tates Ameia

doc 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

4500341976


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Lex wnee, a eeting mment, what he pinipals heamight lk like i it wee stabbe atp a giant wen spea.

ant imagine why yue smiling, yung lay, M. uittsai m behin his esk, but an assue yu that thee isnthing unny abut this situatin. Hw many yu lass-mates must en up in the emegeny m bee yu get itthugh that hea yus that ghting n shl ppety isstitly bien?

Lex yawne an pulle the h he blak sweatshit evenathe ve he ae.

tp that. He mthe pushe it bak t eveal a messy hea lng blak hai. Yue being ue.

m in an awkwa psitin hee, the pinipal ntinue,unning a han thugh his geasy mb-ve. nt wanttexpel Lex. knw yu tw ae g paents; y is patially

a mel stuent! He pause an eye Lex a mment t letthis sink in, hping t maybe guilt the wike gil int bei-ene. He ae, hweve, emaine stny.

ut when it mes t Lex, nt see any the hie in thematte, he went n, wning. m sy, but the list sas thatmy stuents have sustaine at the han yu aughte gws

lnge eah week. Lgan Hhspings am will eveay an impint he ental es!


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2 gin ad amico

Yu bithim? Lexs athe sai.He alle me a wannabe vampie, she sai. What was

suppse t ?Oh, nt knw maybe notbite him?Lex zne ut as he paents ne again launhe int the

taitinal patie begging M. uitt just ne mehane. he ha hea it s many times by nw that she uleven muth the ws in etain plaes, with a little hes just

tuble, yu see spinkle with a llp ts pbably just aphase an lsing, use, with the eve-ppula tll be i-eent this time, yu have u w. Lex stuk a slene ngeint he muth an she aun until she un a small blnhai. he pulle it ut he teeth with a quik snap, the memy Lgan Hhspings statle ies pain inging thugh heeas.

Vey well, M. uitt nally sai, staning up. One mehane. With nly a week le in the shl yea, an halyjustiy an expulsin. He shk he paents hans with a meatypaw, then egae Lex with a smile. ehaps a summe awaywill yu sme g.

Lex hisse.

As she was yanke ut t the paking lt, hweve, the pin-ipals ypti aewell began t tuble he. An smethingabut the way he ha smile the way ts beam at hilenight bee jabbing them with tetanus shts elt veyminus.

What i he mean, a summe away? she aske.

knew yu weent listening, sai he mthe. Well talkabut it ve inne.

ant wait, Lex sai as he athe shve he int the bak


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seat, taking nte the aable way he attempte t engage thehil saety lk withut he ntiing.

Lexingtn atleby, age sixteen, ha spent the last tw yeastansming he squeaky-lean, staight-A lie int that ahligan. A elinquent. A naughty little apsallin, as it wee.

the untaine eye, it appeae as thugh Lex ha simplygwn be. he ha begun ating ut in evey way that a us-tate bunle pubesene pssibly ul: she stle things, sheswe like a unken piate, an she punhe peple. A lt peple. es, jks, heeleaes, gths, gays, staights, blaks,whites, that ki in the wheelhai n ne was sae. He peesha t amie he that, at least yannsauus Lex, as theyalle he, was an equal pptunity peat.

ut smething abut this tansmatin int quite a up.He utbusts wee tiggee by the smallest annyanes, bub-bling up m nwhee, n matte hw ha she tie t esistthem. An wse still, they seeme t gw stnge as time wentn. y the en Lexs juni yea, evey swea w was eve-

beating at a eaening vlume, an eah human punhing baglst at least ne his he pemanent biuspis.

aents, teahes, an lassmates wee stymie by the at-ius behavi the menae in the blak hie. Tese imespees simply i nt t with the bight, aable Lex eveyneha knwn an lve uteen yeas pi. Even he twin sis-

te, n, wh knew he bette than anyne, ul nt meup with a way t unavel this massive nspiay. Lex was uiusatsomething, an n ne ul gue ut what.


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4 gin ad amico

ut the tuth was, Lex int knw eithe. t was as i hepsyhe ha been inete with an insiius pathgen, like the

viuses in all thse zmbie mvies that tun thewise eent hu-man beings int blthisty, unkempt manias wh ae pwe-less t stp themselves m unleashing thei wath upn theweully unepepae masses. he just elt angy, all the time,at abslutely nthing. An wheneve she tie t pinpint theeasn why, n matte hw ha she tie, she was neve able t

me up with a single, slitay explanatin.

Te atleby huse was a mest abe, squeeze an ampent a we neighbh steet in Queens, ew Yk. Onegt the impessin that the ity plannes, when making m the slene pile w that the atlebys wul ne ay allhme, simply shve the ajaent huses t eithe sie, umpea tukla bas an piping an eletial wies intthe empty spae, an let natue take its use.

Te ining m was at the ea the huse, velking asmall bakya that ntaine the llwing items: a usty swing

set, a ae plasti tutle sanbx, a haal gill still usty withthe gtten emains last summes kuts, an a ne-be-lve tee huse nw inhabite by a amily ans.

Lex lke ut the sliing glass at the emnants hehilh an wnee i the tee huses new tenants weeabi. Maybe she ul tain them as he minins.

Lex, sai Ms. atleby, using he aughte m he ma-niaal antasies, yu athe an ae ging t talk at yu. Anyu ae ging t sit hee an listen. Any questins?


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Yes, sai Lex. Ae estaints eally neessay this time?Yu bet. He mthe shaply tightene the tangle mess

jump pes aun Lexs misetin, all the while stuggling ntt let he heatahe shw. Ms. atleby, espite all uent ap-peaanes t the ntay, lve he hilen me than anythingin the wl. Eah uble knt she mae in the pe miethe ineasingly gnale lumps tugging eep within he gut.

snt this hil abuse? y pipe up m ass the table,

eyeing he withing twin. hes nt ging t biteus.

he might, ne we stat talking. te the absene utleyas well. Tees a an g easn mae tas tnight.

Lex wiggle sme me, but sn un that the pes weetighte than usual. Tis is insane! she yelle, teaing at theknts. eiusly, what the Lexington!He mthe pinte ass the m t a lagepikle ja lle t the bim with lla bills. nt think neet emin yu that yue aleay ty-tw llas in ebt. Yuant a t swea any me, my ea hil. Ms. atlebylathe sweaing, but was in at beginning t seetly enjy thesmall stash he aughtes ul muth ha pue. he wasthinking using the pees t puhase a esktp ivil Wa

annn eplia he h gae lassm, as the nly thingMs. atleby lve me than he hilen was Ameian his-ty an the spetaula weapny it ha pue.

an we get n with this? M. atleby sai. Te gamestats in twenty minutes.

Yu an that inenal team, hnestly she state, but

then lse he muth ae eeiving a hash glae m he hus-ban, wh en assete that anyne azy enugh t name heaughtes ae the st battles the Ameian Revlutin


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6 gin ad amico

waive all ights t ause anyne else being t bsesse withanything.

M. atleby tk a eep beath an gaze ass the table athis small but lving amily. tm lus wee beginning tgathe in the muky sky utsie, atully aing the ight amunt glm t the situatin.

Okay, Lex, he began, hees the eal. Yue u aughte,an we lve yu vey muh. He biey glane at his tie wie,

as i t eeive veiatin this at. ut enugh is enugh. nt knw whats gtten int yu ve the past uple yeas,but nt like what ve seen, an enitely nt like whee itsheaing. He sathe at his gatee, tying t think hw tsay what he ha t say next. His shiny bal hea, shave smthevey mning, gleame in the ull glw the ining mlight.

He lke helplessly at his aughte with kin, sa eyes. Wethink yu mthe an think that it wul be best yut g away a little while.

Lexs eyes wiene. y ppe he ta.G whee? Lex sai, ubling he unkntting ets.

Yue kiking me ut the huse?

He mthe shk he hea. , hney, use nt. Weneve put yu ut n the steet.

Ten what?M. atleby lke at his wie, then at his nn-tethee

aughte, then up, at nthing. Anything t avi the squimy,hut visage his tuble baby gil. Yue ging t g stay up

nth with Unle Mt the summe, he tl the eiling.Lex, wh a sen ag ha been ully pepae t exple


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int a viius age an ha even state planning sme st amati ive thugh the plate glass winw, hai an all, was

ne shke int speehlessness.Ms. atleby put he han n Lexs shule. knw its aathe eisin, but we think that a ew mnths esh aiul yu sme g. Yu an get in tuh with natue, lena han n Unle Mts am, maybe even lean smething! Yuul milk a w!

y let ut a snt. he pbably punh the w.Weve been thinking this ve a while nw, an we eallybelieve it is the best thing eveyne at the mment, sai M.atleby. tll nly be the summe, sweetie.

Lex ulnt believe what she was heaing. Tey wee eallying it. Tey wee kiking he ut.

ut they wee heparents!utting up with all he ap wasthei fial jb they ulnt just wiggle ut it! he tiet swallw the lump ming in he that. Hw ul they this t he? Hw ul they nt see past all the eklessness anbeatings an emembe the eal aughte they ha aise? hewas still in thee smewhee, eep wn. Wasnt she?

Almst as an answe t that vey questin, the inesapable

ange ase ne again. With ne last tug at the knts, Lex stup, slamme the untangle jump pe nt the table, an, wellawae hw batty it sune, spat ut the nly thing he eel-ing tempe ul think .

hate yu!He athe sighe as she thunee upstais. knw.


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8 gin ad amico

Lex ppe nt he be an stae at the eiling. he wishe, asalmst all kis wish at ne pint anthe, that she ul tun

int a pteatyl an y away an neve me bak.y autiusly mae he way int the m that she anhe siste ha shae the entiety thei sixteen yeas t-gethe. t shul be nte, hweve, that the mee w mul in n way nvey the shee imensins it all; it seeme,in at, t ben the vey abi spae. A nmal bem ul

nt pssibly ntain this muhstuf.

lthing littee evey available suae. hlwk n-vege in a pile in the mile the . Walls wee n lngevisible behin a pletha pstes, tapesties, an atwk.y, wh m the age ve ha eame nly esigninglle astes a living, kept a tunk ull engineeing pj-ets une the winw; while Lex, wh espite yeas awlessept as ha yet t be stuk by a single aee aspiatin,ste a gaveya abanne hbbies une he be. wingwen shelves hel ses bks, anles, Mnals HappyMeal tys, mvies, snw glbes, awas, an stale, gttenpiees any. t was a veitable museum useless ap.

ut all these teasues pale in mpaisn t the

phtgaphs.itues Lex an y blankete the m like vesize

netti, nt an inh blank spae le expse. An insepaablehilh, all summe up in an enless seies u-by-six-inhpints: seveal taken in the hspital nusey shtly ae theibith, a ew thei st steps, tw eatuing thei mathing pink

bakpaks n the st ay shl, ne taken n Hallweenwhen they wee eight an ha esse as salt an peppe shakes,an anthe taken ve sens late, as the umbesme hea-


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piee ha tpple Lex t the . ithay paties, bakyaantis, shl plays, se games n event esape iligent

umentatin.An althugh the me eent phts implie the evlutin tw sepaate, istint speies, the atleby gils wee uneni-ably twins, thugh an thugh. Te shae m was meely anextensin thei shae lives, an Lex un he hans tem-bling as y sat wn n he be. he ulnt emembe the

last time they ha been sepaate, beause it ha nevehappene.Hey, y sai sly, ae yu kay?Lex sat up an lke at the pesn with whm she ha

shae a wmb, stuying the ntus the ae that was s veysimila t he wn. Tugh the gils wee nt iential twins,many eatues wee still mie in peet bilgial hamny:the small nse, the light live mplexin, an, use, thelage, almst blak eyes that bth sistes nsiee t be theibest eatue.

Unanimusly agee upn as thei wst eatue, n the thehan, was the ak, patheti exuse hai atp thei heas:Lexs a lng, thik, wavy mp, an ys an iepaable mess

izz an uls. eithe tk any inteest in this hpeless situa-tin, whih le t me ghts with thei mthe than anynewul ae t unt.

What yu think abut all this? Lex aske.y pike up a neaby ubbe ban an absent-minely

tangle it thugh he nges. nt knw. t suks.

Yeah, sai Lex. y wasnt lking at he. ts just ntai, she went n. mean, knw ve been a ttal sh he uthesel , wneing i he mthe ul pssibly be listening


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10 gin ad amico

ight utsie the m, eay with the swea ja. ve been a bat.ut

ut why have yu been a bat? Why ae yu ating like this?y nawe he eyes. Yu use t be a hall mnit.Yeah, thse wee tuly magial ays. thing like the tyan-

nial pwe t give etentins t eshmen.ut nw yu give them nussins! y jumpe t he

eet, he ae ushing e with ange. just nt unestan

why yu have t be this way! yu ealize hw many times veeene yu, tl peple that this isnt the eal yu, nly t haveit shve ight bak in my ae wheneve yu get suspene beaking smenes nse? ant yu just stp? she sai, espea-tin staining he vie.

ve tie! Lex lke wn. Yu knw ve tie.y slumpe. Ten g, she sai, he vie aking.

nt want yu t, but i Unle Mt is the nly thing thatll keepyu m eimating the shl ppulatin, i thats what it takest bing bak the l yu, g.

he sse the m an sat wn n he wn be. Lexwathe, ln, unable t ague with he sistes lgi untilsmething ue t he. he gave y a unny lk. Huh.

What? y aske iitably.ts kin wei, isnt it?Whats wei?Tat they pike UnleMort.? Whats wng with Unle Mt?y, me n. We havent seen him in yeas. an yu even

emembe the last time he visite?y sunhe up he ae. t . We wee six, ight? He


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bught thse things, whateve they ae. he pinte t a pai spheial glass tinkets n a neaby shel. Tey eatue a whil

small lights insie, an smelle aintly alhl.Exatly. Othe than the anm ap he sens bithays,we baely knw the guy. Hal the time its like a gets heeven has a little bthe. why him? he ept t the ege the be. Why nt Aunt Venia, in Oegn? O Unle Mike?O Mms usin m hes a etins fe! he lwee

he vie. F all we knw, Unle Mt ul be sme umbasshillbilly wh lives akill an inks his wn uine. Hw isspening tw mnths in sme isgusting shak in upstate ualhell ging t tun me int an beient yung wman?

y uwe he bw. Mm an a must have theieasns. Tey wulnt just ship yu t a mass muee.Maybe they want yu t get t knw him bette. Maybe hes al guy?

Tat esnt make any sense.Well, yu nt make any sense eithe.Lex lke weaily at he twin, whm she ha neve ne

punhe, smake, bitten, even ngie. m sy, y,she sai. mean, m sy that yue a pat this. an hanle

leaving the ity, but leaving yu . . .y lay wn an hugge he tattee plush tpus, ap-

tain Wiggles. Lex lke at he sistes wateing eyes an sighe.Hw upset ul they eally get ve this? Tey pbably justbe sepaate next yea anyway, i they went t ieent lleges(i Lex manage t sunge up the teahe emmenatins t

even get into llege). Tey ulnt stay kis eve.Aai that muh me intspetin wul lea t a us-


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12 gin ad amico

tate ying jag, Lex snie bak he wn teas an ell int hepillw. just ant believe m eally ging, she sai nally, in

what she hpe was a matue-suning vie.y ne. ts ging t be s wei.Lex glane at the bkshel. Tee, nestle snugly between

a sball tphy an a pht the tw gils ginning with ngepaint smeae all ve thei aes, thei ams wappe tightlyaun eah thes shules, sat Unle Mts stange glass n-

taptins, wbbling eve s slightly.he aise a single eyebw. kiing.


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2

Lex stae ut the winw the Geyhun bus at the aging,apalypti stm. Feius wins whippe thugh the blak-

ene sky, massive ps ain pelte the glass, an evey s -ten a lightning blt wul illuminate the entiety the ah,epeately teiying the man sitting behin he whse ainehabit ha beme bvius t anyne within a ve-seat aius.

lealy, the weathe was nt the nly ul element this tip.Lex was quite unhappily sitting next t a hmebun llege

stuent. he was able t isen this by the sweatshit he wasweaing, whih baste a ti Geek lettes, an by his shitlla uneneath, whih was unabashely pppe an stikingstaight up. He esemble a peppy unt hula. An, as withmst peppy unt hulas, he ha n iea hw iiulus helke.

euing that any inteatin with he ellw bus taveles

wul likely lea t sme m manslaughte, Lex ha neeveything in he pwe t avi getting stuk with a seatmate.he ha pue all the ntents he bag nt the empty seatbesie he. he spea ut he by an petene t be asleep.An when the ive ee he t give up the seat, she thew ashe at his ae.

All in vain, she thught bittely as she glae at the ki, whha put n his best m a uhebag ae an tie t stike upa nvesatin the sen he sat wn.


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14 gin ad amico

Hey thee, utie, he sai. Whats yu name?Lex lle he eyes an tune twa the winw. Kill me.

Kimmy? m teve, he went n, unetee. , ae yu inshl? g t YU. Whee yu g?Lex gave him the same lk a heetah makes just bee e-

vuing a gazelle. Listen, eally appeiate yu ets t makemy tip innitely me ttuus than it aleay is, but yuthink that yu ul maybe just shut the hell up the est

the ie, lest ip thse hieus sunglasses an stat beatingyu ve the hea with them?teve lke as thugh he ha just swallwe a sket wenh.

-ry, he sai. Just tying t be ienly.am it, teve.Lexs m was ule than usual. t nly she was getting

shippe t Unle ementias Lan syhsis, but she haals eeive the mthe all glmy aewells when he amilyepsite he at the bus statin. Mm ha ie. as hin quiv-ee. An y wappe he in a sullen embae, igging henails int Lexs bak as she whispee, Get it all ut yu sys-tem. ing bak the l Lex, s help me G, ll tell eveyneyu went t musial theate amp.

Te tw sistes ha lke eyes ne me as Lex tk he seatby the winw an the bus state t pull away. Lex bke thestae st, glaing suly at the seat in nt he. yulnt see that this sepaatin was equally exuiating n bthens, well, then, she eseve t be miseable.

Lex tie t etun t he bk, but even g l Ega Al-

lan ulnt impve the eaul situatin int whih she wasbeing agge at sixty-ve miles an hu. wling at the ttalinjustie he lie, she slamme the bk shut an ha just


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cro ak 15

state sanning the viinity smething t punh when aash e an blue lights aught he eye.

he squinte thugh the ain as the bus slwe t a awl. Atat-taile ha jakknie ass the highway, taking theeas with it. Eveything was jumble tgethe n the gassy me-ian in a ttue, twiste mass metal. t was ha t tell wheene vehile ene an anthe began.

th sies the highway ame t a stanstill. Ambulane si-

ens seame thugh the ull thuing the ain as meemegeny vehiles te nt the sene. Lex suveye the wekwith nthing me than a eeting inteest an a gim expes-sin until smething bizae appeae.

A white, blining ash light.tatle, Lex peee thugh the ain. t was s bie like

the ash a amea that she ulnt even be sue she haseen it at all. O i she ha, it must have been lightning exepthant the light me m inside ne the as? ut that maen sense. Te vehile was umple beyn egnitin, theewee n signs lie.

Anthe ash, this time enitely emanating m within alle-ve UV. Lex lke at the paameis, sme whm

wee shining ashlights int the as but nne thei lightsmathe the billiane, the bevity, the pweul blazes sheha just seen.

Mmentaily getting he pliy islatinism m theeae us eple, Lex whippe he gaze aun the ah, ex-peting the passenges t be gawking at the lights as well, but it

seeme as i n ne ha even ntie. me sanne the wek-age; a ew gumble abut taf. Lex hue impatiently. Weethese peple blin?


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16 gin ad amico

he jabbe teve, wh was listening t musi an attemptingt sleep. Ow! What?

Wath.He emve his heaphnes. Oh, now yu want t talk?Gw up, teve. Tis is puely ut neessity. he leane

bak in he seat s he ul see ut the winw. Lk theesanthe ne! she yelle as the peulia eletiity spake neme. What is that?

teve squinte. Um, a a aient, think?Lex esiste the uge t gab his pppe lla an sen hishea n a whimsial vyage thugh the glass. No, mean that.he pinte at the UV. Te wei ash that just ame mthat a!

Yu mean lightning?NO, the that! she ie at anthe bust light. Right

thee! he pune he nge n the winwpane empha-sis, but teves ae emaine quizzial.

A hill an thugh Lexs by. ant yu see them? nt see anything but a massive a wek an pbably a

lt asualties. teve wne in isappval. Yu shulntubbenek like that, its kin an awul thing t .

Lex was abut t ispense a salty ett, but she lst hehane as the bus spang t lie an they wee jeke bak in theiseats. n n, she whispee, twisting aun as the buspike up spee. m nt ne yet. ut the bus ive pessen, pumping the aeleat until the gisly sene was nthingme than a blu lights aing int the istane.

teve, isguste, put his heaphnes bak n. Lex swallwean lke at he wath. An hu me until they eahe Al-bany, then anthe tw t Unle Mts stp.


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cro ak 17

he eline the seat an lse he eyes. uely it ha beensme st metelgial phenmenn. O maybe a bit the

lingeing aine in the ai ha un its way int he system.Eithe way, halluinatins wee nt smething she neee t at he list pblems ight nw. Tee was t muh the apt eal with.

nluing a sning teve, wh was ming lse an lset gettingTe Complete Works o Edgar Allan Poe shve ight

wn his that.


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3

Tee hus late Lex nally steppe the bus.An int a giganti pule wate.

Lukily, by that pint, haly any passenges emaine t wit-ness he mistune. teve ha gtten in Albany, alng withthe aine guy an anyne else with enugh sense nt t n-tinue athe upstate. he mumble a thanks t the ive, wh,bviusly still bitte ve the whle she-thwing inient,quikly lse the behin he an muthe, G luk.

As Lex assesse he suunings, she began t see why lukha suenly beme s essential. he was staning in a muytenh n the sie the a, a a that stethe abuty eet in bth ietins bee being swallwe up by tees.An the tees Lex ha neve imagine that a est ul be sthik. t seeme as i they wee atually ghting ne anthe spae, an inextiable web ba tunks an tangle,

spawling limbs.he tk ut he phne. eeptin. Awesme.At least the ain ha stppe. Lex shulee he bag, pulle

he h up t blk ut the ismal gay sky, an sanne thea any hints human ivilizatin. As he eet squelhe inhe sggy sneakes, she espeately hpe that the luggage he

mthe ha pake an shippe ahea t he unles huse wulntain at least ne pai exta shes.


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O use it wul. Knwing he mm, she ha pbablypake ve, alng with seveal hanwitten ntes plaiming

he unnitinal lve. A pang guilt pke at Lexs hest. Whatever, she thught, putting it ut he min.It was theiroolish idea or me to come here, not mine.

Yet as she ajuste he bulging bakpak an thught y pbably at wk by nw, sping ie eam wn atthe lal askin-Rbbins, enjying an enless supply ee

hlate hip kie ugh Lex ame t the nlusin thatthis whle insiius, age-lle zmbie thing, whateve it was,ha been lssally unai. Why he? An why smak-ab in themile high shl, when its ha enugh as it is t at like anmal, well-ajuste eathling?

he sighe an lke at he wath. Unle Mt wassuppse t have pike he up ve minutes ag. Restless, shebegan walking wn the muy a, nt even sue i she wasging in the ight ietin. A bea wul aive t eat he sn,n ubt. he etainly hpe M. uitt wul be happy upnleaning that he blie pse ha been un in a muk-lle ith.

A lu umbling in the istane pause he steps. Lex spun

aun. mething was ming.he esume walking. thing ul sae he nw. he

welme a hint ange, in at. A ealy gizzly attak wuletainly be peeable t a summe w wangling.

Te nise gew lue, ehing the amp tunks theest. t was nly a ew yas behin he nw. Lex amme he

hans ve he eas an nally bke int a un, but it was n use.Te a ew lse an lse


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20 gin ad amico

An stppe.Lex lwee he hans, tune aun, an nealy shat he

pants.itting atp a blak an puplesteake mtyle was, in astatling numbe etails, the exat type villain epite inthe Never alk to Strangers!pitue bk that ha been illeint Lex as a hil: a man six eet tall, in his late thities, lean butstng, guishly attative, an spting the athe nnesipt

ensemble a smuge white -shit, a pai jeans, an heavyblak mbat bts. eeking ut m uneneath his sleeveswee samplings what was unubtely an impessive aay tatts, an a e, aggy sa an m his ight ealbe t thene whateve st eye hi behin his sunglasses. lealy,this was a man wh wul waste n time in snapping the nek anyne wh happene t piss him .

Yet this was nly the beginning what ha unneve Lex.A istint hange in the ai ha settle ve he skin the m-

ment the engine stppe. Te atmsphee itsel state t aklewith a bizae, nameless eletiity. As she seahe the mans g-ue an explanatin, me an me peuliaities began t pput. Te pale, slene nges wappe aun the hanlebas

lke like thse a skeletn, yet his ae was tanne an ea-tue at least tw ays wth stubble. iling his wist was aak gay in ban abut an inh wie, the suae whihseeme t tun t stati evey ew sens s, as i it wee atelevisin seen with ba eeptin. An tpping it all wasthe hati mess hai n his hea. lake even than Lexs, an

steake with puple just like the bike, it stuk ut in winblwn,tusle spikes, as i he ha stuk his nge int a hage sketnly sens bee.


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He ake his knukles. Hp n.Lex emaine vey still. Um, my ie shul be hee sn.

Aw, Lex.he blinke.Yue killing me, ki! nt tell me yu nt even eg-

nize yu Unle Mt!What then esape Lexs lips was me than a gasp. Te shee

e was suh that she hal expete the neaby tees t upt

an lge themselves in he that.Yu ea? Unle Mt mve the sunglasses t the tp his hea, evealing a pai pieing geen eyes. sai get n.

Lex int mve. m atually nt eeling the eviseate-by-a-eepy-stange thing tay, she sai, unable t hie the ne-vus tinge in he vie. My vital gans ae just ne whee theyae.

He let ut a sht laugh. Tats unny. Yue unny. Hethumpe the seat the bike. w get n.

.He unles eye twithe. Yu ha ve hus t hange yu

min. Get n the amne bike.Lexs hans gew ht, the way they smetimes i when she

gt ma. Hw knw yue telling the tuth? wulnt lie t yu. Wee amily.Yu nt lk like amily. Yu lk like a eak.Okay, Lex, he sai, evving the engine ne me. int

want it t me t this, but yu leave me n His eyes wi-ene at sme unknwn h behin he. s that a bear?

What? seehe Lex, twisting aun t we at nthing.

ut that millisen alsely plae te was all Unle


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Mt neee. ely gabbing he aun the waist, he hukehe nt the seat behin him, kike the bike int gea, an te

wn the a as i blaste m a annn. ant believe yu ell that! he yelle ve the a theengine.

What the hell is wng with yu? Lex antially thew heams aun his hest an seame s luly that a neaby k bis tk t the ai t esape the lam. Let me OFF!

He spe up. Yue welme t jump at any time.Mmentaily getting hw win wks, Lex tie spitting athim. Tis aile. he wipe the g m he heek, eiingthat the time iplmay ha ene. Keeping ne han aunhis hest an balling the the int a st, she exple int ahysteial uy, pummeling his hea, bak, an, he vey avitetaget, kineys.

Withut even lking, Unle Mt pmptly eahe bakan gabbe he ailing am, squeezing he wist with a stengthan etainty Lex ha neve bee sense m an ault. hestae at him with wie eyes as he stppe the bike an spunaun t ae he.

Yu may have gtten away with this hilish, petulant

bullshit bak hme, but assue yu, its nt ging t y hee, hesai, letting g he am. ll ut yu a eal: yu behave likethe matue iniviual that eep wn knw yu ae, an intun, yu will be teate as suh. un ai?

Lex sat, stupee. Ove the past tw yeas the vaius auth-ity gues in he lie ha sle, pleae, letue, ajle, ep-

imane, an theatene bily ham, but nne them haspken t he with anything esembling espet.


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Unle Mt tk this bie pptunity tanquility t tsshe a helmet. Almst gt. aety st.

Lex tk ne lk at the sa gashe int the ne heunles eye an quikly snappe the helmet nt he hea.Whees yus?

have a vey thik skull, he sai, his eyes glinting with thest lk pssesse nly by the iminally insane.

Lex stae. Yue azy.

Little bit.Te mtyle spang t lie yet again an sht wn thea. Lex squinte against the win as they e, the tees a abgeen blu, the a a izzying ibbn beneath he eet.

Yu eay, ki? Unle Mt eventually shute.Reay what?A little exitement. Hl n!He spe up. Just as they appahe a patiulaly gy pu-

le, he jeke the hanlebas t the le. Lex hugge he unlests even tighte, he hea llling abut in a mial ashin asthe bike leane int the tun, the mu splatteing the ties annt he ae. Lex biey thught he lve nes an pepae eath, pausing nly t use he unles name staight t hell

bbing he all the pieings she wul neve have thehane t get.

ut the bike sn ighte itsel. Ae yu ut yu M?she yelle, heabutting him with he helmet as they staighteneut nt a naw, akene it a. he lke up at the im-pssibly ense tees, whse hstile gay banhes nw stethe

ve the a t m a lw-eilinge anpy. t was as i theywee enteing a bleak, siniste tunnel.


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24 gin ad amico

Unle Mt stppe the bike an tune aun in his seat tamie his haniwk. Yuve gt a little mu n yu ae.

shit, jekwa, she sai with a gimae, wiping it .Whats next? Will yu be setting me n e?nt be iiulus, Lex. Te amethwe shts

wa.Lex ulnt take it anyme. Te maness ha t be stppe.

Okay, wait a minute. You ae my Unle Mt? My athes

bthe? A etie bilgial membe the mst bing am-ily n eath?Guilty as hage. An m estati t see yu, ki. When

yu a tl me that yu wee beming quite the hanul, well. . . He glane sieways, his muth twithing wyly at sme in-sie jke. simplyhadt invite yu.

sue thugh yu little ie eath? We ul havebeen kille!

Couldhave been kille. Yull nte that we weent.aely! What is ging n?Relax, Lex. knw it seems stange, but all will be explaine

in g time.Explain it nw! he punhe his am, a healthy se age

wing.Yuare a spunky ne, aent yu? he sai, igning the blw.

ig b sai yu wee ull piss an vinega, but eally ha niea. He sathe his hin, thinking t himsel. Tisll wkut bette than ha hpe.

Lex lke at he st in shk, bae that she still hant in-

ite the usual amunt pain. Fine, be all ypti, she sai ina misguie attempt t use evese psyhlgy. nt ae.

Wneul.


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cro ak 25

Tis inuiate Lex all ve again. he jumpe the seat,nly t be gabbe aun the waist an wangle bak int it.

Let me g! he te a mi an banishe it in his ae. mean it! nt want t g t yu gsaken hellban, yuetae psyh ame!

He let ut an amuse snike. m nt a ame.Lex stppe ailing a mment an blinke in nusin.

Ten what ae yu?

Lets just say m in the business impting an expt-ing.he lle he eyes. all it whateve yu want. t still invlves

etilize. suppse it es, in a manne speaking.Lex gitte he teeth. Amng he many the shtmings,

she was nt a patient gil. he int knw hw muh lnge sheul stan t be in the ak, ike an beule by a blatantlyunhinge man wh spke nly in iles.

nt wy, Lexingtn, he sai in a wam, avunula vie.Yuve gt a tukla ptential, an tell. Yue ging texel hee.

Exel at what? Asking pintless questins that neve get

answee?Oh, abslutely. ut in aitin t that He pie the mi-

m he hans an smile enigmatially. Tis is ging t bethe best summe yu lie. ust me.

As all kis knw, its ifult enugh t tust any ault, muhless a eange, lie-enangeing impte-expte. As he unle

kike the bike int gea, the pssibility that maybe he eally wasa mass muee ept bak int he min. Ocourse he was. Ocourse he ha a mahete stashe smewhee in the ws. He


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26 gin ad amico

small intestine wul sn be stewn messily ass the a, hehea buning int the tees like a kikball.

Te ties slgge thugh me mu as they ve eepeint the vey heat the Ainaks. Te sky ha all but isap-peae m view. he peee ve his shule, but ul seenthing me than the ise a small hill.

Wee hee, Unle Mt sai as they ame t a halt at thetp.

Whee?He pinte ahea. Te gsaken hellban.Lex stae. An stae.Gne was the thik, ugly bush est. n its plae lay a val-

ley belw, with lling hills geen stething as a as Lexsstunne eyes ul see. azzling blue pns glittee uiuslyas the sun nally bke thugh the lus. A gentle beezewae thugh the leay tees an up the hill, binging with itthe lusius smell lavene, vanilla, an eshly ut gass.

Unle Mt tune t he an smile.Welme t ak.

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Croak by Gina Damico Excerpt