YOU ARE A hard-working chef living and working in the city of Silica. A rising star in the kitchen of French restaurant Le Petit Poulet, you love your job and hope to make sous chef one day. At home, you are a little less sure of yourself. You struggle to get along with your younger sister, Lucy. She is precocious but unambitious, and spends her days binge-watching shows on Netflix and pining for her boyfriend. When the electricity stops working one summer afternoon, you hardly think about it. But soon you learn the terrifying truth: The power is out everywhere and it might not be returning for months, maybe even years. As fear and panic spread, and Silica spirals into chaos, your faith in yourself and others is put to the test. Will you make the right decisions and get through this deadly disaster?

Gamebooks provide fun, immersive, and interactive learning for ELLs. Gamebooks are fictional narratives told in the second person and interspersed with decision points. Decision points present readers with a choice between several options. How readers choose determines the direction of the story. TOP ESL books use the gamebook format to test readers understanding of expressions and phrases, as well as their comprehension of situational contexts in the narrative.

Publication Fall 2015 Trade Paper, $16.95 | Ebook, $5.99

Language Study/English as a Second Language Publicity/General Inquiries: editor@nightowlspress.com

Orders: admin@nightowlspress.com More info: www.nightowlspress.com/turn-of-phrase-esl/

Discounts on bulk orders are available!

Purchase a copy ofBlackout

and experience a high-stakes drama about family ties, love, and survival.

Turn of Phrase ESL (TOP ESL) is an educational series that introduces English language learners to idioms, phrasal verbs, and collocations in the form of chooseable path novels. The series is designed for intermediate to advanced level young adult and adult learners.

Praise For ~ TURN OF PHRASE ESL

!Recognizing!and!using!English!idioms!and!phrasal!verbs!is!essential!to!fluency.!My!students!love!learning!and!using!idioms,!but!we!can!only!cover!so!many!of!them!in!class.!This!series!gives!learners!a!fun,!contextual!way!to!access!and!learn!a!plethora!of!idiomatic!phrases.!Im!so!excited!to!recommend!these!books!to!my!students!!!~"Brynna"Larsen,"English"as"an"Additional"Language"Teacher,"Bonn"International"School!

!Im!pleased!with!the!userEfriendly!model!employeda!thoughtful,!wellEdesigned,!and!systematic!approach!to!teaching!second!language!learners!important!features!of!English,!including!but!not!limited!to!idiom,!figures!of!speech,!authentic!English!expression!and!collocations.!I!look!forward!to!introducing!this!series!to!my!Chinese!undergraduates!next!semester.!!~"Michael"D."Brown,"Professor,"English"as"a"Foreign"Language,"Nanjing"Agricultural"University!

!A!focus!on!vocabulary,!activation!of!prior!knowledge,!and!the!stimulation!of!higher!order!thinking!are!core!principles!identified!by!the!Center!for!Applied!Linguistics.!The!TOP!ESL!books!not!only!support!these!researchEbased!practices,!they!promote!strong!studentEtoEtext!interactions!in!a!fun!and!creative!way.!!~"Areli"Schermerhorn,"ESL,"World"Languages,"and"Bilingual"Peer"Observer,"Syracuse"City"School"District!

!TOP!ESL!is!a!great!advancement!in!the!education!of!English!language!learners.!Idioms!and!colloquial!expressions!were!always!the!most!difficult!aspects!of!language!to!teach!in!the!ESL!classroom.!With!TOP!ESL,!students!are!able!to!learn!the!meanings!behind!common!idioms!and!catchphrases!in!books!with!attentionEgrabbing!plot!lines.!This!is!the!type!of!resource!that!would!have!been!greatly!valued!when!I!was!teaching,!and!I!hope!that!future!ESL!students!take!advantage!of!what!is!now!at!their!disposal.!!~"David"Whalen,"Former"ESL"instructor"and""Addictions"Counselor,"Dave"Smith"Youth"Treatment"Centre!

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BLACKOUT A C h o o s e a b l e P a t h N o v e l f o r L e a r n i n g E n g l i s h E x p r e s s i o n s

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G.K . G i lber t !!

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TURN OF PHRASE ESL Night Owls Press! !

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Blackout"L"A"Chooseable"Path"Novel"for"Learning"English"Expressions"(Turn"of"Phrase"ESL)"Blackout!Copyright!!2015!by!Greta!K.!Gilbert.!Turn!of!Phrase!ESL!Copyright!!2015!by!Night!Owls!Press.!!All!rights!reserved!worldwide.!!Turn!of!Phrase!ESL!www.nightowlspress.com/turnEofEphraseEesl/!!Published!by!Night!Owls!Press!LLC,!Portland,!OR,!97203,!U.S.A.!www.nightowlspress.com!Designed!and!printed!in!the!United!States!of!America.!!!Editor:!Genevieve!DeGuzman!Production!Editor:!Andrew!Tang!Cover!artwork!by!Rick!Kitagawa!and!Eve!Skylar!!!Practice!good!karma.!No!part!of!this!book!may!be!reproduced,!scanned,!or!distributed!in!any!printed!or!electronic!form!without!the!written!permission!of!the!publisher,!except!by!reviewers!who!may!quote!brief!excerpts!in!connection!with!a!review.!For!inquiries!and!permissions,!contact!admin@nightowlspress.com.!!!All!characters!appearing!in!this!work!are!fictitious.!Any!resemblance!to!real!persons,!living!or!dead,!is!purely!coincidental.!Any!trademarks,!service!marks,!product!names,!or!named!features!are!assumed!to!be!the!property!of!their!respective!owners.!There!is!no!implied!endorsement!in!the!use!of!these!terms.!!!!!!!Paperback!ISBNE13:!9781937645113!EEbook!ISBNE13:!9781937645106!Library!of!Congress!Control!Number:!2015910699 !

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For my little sister, Carrie. !

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[ C O N T E N T S ]

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Introduction:! ! ! ! ! !!!!i!Chapter!One:!Day!1! ! ! ! !!!!1!Chapter!Two:!Days!2!E!14! ! ! !!77!Chapter!Three:!Days!15!E!30! ! ! 129!Authors!Note! ! ! ! ! 239!Glossary! ! ! ! ! ! 243!Acknowledgments! ! ! ! 247!!

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WITH! MORE! THAN! a! million! words,! the! English! language! is!

considered!one!of! the!most!varied!and!changeable! languages! in!the!

world;!new!words!and!phrases!are!always!being!added.!Much!of!this!

diversity!comes!in!the!form!of!idiomatic!expressions:!Ring%a%bell.%Face%

the%music.%All%decked%out.%Bad%egg.%Down%to%earth.%Train%of% thought.!

You!hear!these!expressions!in!everyday!conversation!or!read!them!in!

books,! newspapers,! and! magazines.! Idioms! and! other! forms! of!

expression! introduce! you! to! words! that! have! many! different!

meanings! and! teach! natural! communication! patterns,! broadening!

your! understanding! and! use! of! English.! Learning! how! to! recognize!

and! use! these! expressions! will! make! you! a! more! confident,! fluent!

English!speaker.!

Turn! of! Phrase! ESL! (TOP! ESL)! introduces! intermediate! to!

advanced! level! English! language! learners! to! idioms,! phrasal! verbs,!

and! collocations! in! the! form! of! chooseable! path! novels.! TOP! ESL!

offers!you!what!no!other!books!on!the!education!market!can:!a!rich!

source! of! idiomatic! expressions;! meaningful! contexts! of! those!

expressions!in!action;!and!a!gamebook!reading!format!that!will!have!

you!hooked!with!cliffhangers!and!plot!twists.!

As! immersive! learning! experiences,! TOP! ESL's! gamebooks! are!

effective! learning! tools.!Researchers!have! long! shown! that! learning!a!

language! in! meaningful! contexts! can! help! students! become! more!

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fluent! and! improve! retention.! The! gamebook! format! provides! the!

contextual! literacy! that! is! so! important! in! language! education.!With!

their! chooseable! path! structure,! the! books! arent! just! an! absorbing!

storytelling! experience! but! are! also! a! fun! storymaking! one.! As! you!

immerse!yourself!in!the!stories!and!lives!of!the!characters!in!the!books,!

you!become!fully!engaged!in!your!own!learning.!

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H o w t o R e a d T h i s B o o k

Gamebooks!are!fictional!narratives!told!in!the!second!person!and!

interspersed! with! decision! points.! Decision! points! present! readers!

with!a!choice!between!several!options.!How!

readers! choose! determines! the! direction! of!

the! story.! Following! the! typical! gamebook!

format,! TOP! ESL! books! feature! decision!

points!every! few!pages.!Decision!points!are!

either! languageEbased,! testing! your! understanding! of! particular!

idioms,!phrasal!verbs,!and!collocations,!or! situational,! testing!your!

understanding! of! the! narrative! contextstory! logic,! character!

motive! or! behavior,! and! themes.! With! more! than! sixty! decision!

points! in! each!book,!TOP!ESL!offers!many!opportunities! to!master!

new! vocabulary! and! idiomatic! expressions! and! boost! reading!

comprehension!and!literary!appreciation.!!

But! be! careful.! Sometimes! the! difference! between! the! options!

you!encounter! can!be! subtle,! and! sometimes! there! isnt! an!obvious!

right! or! wrong! answer.!A% stranger% uses% a% particular% expression,% so%

how%do%you%respond?%You%are% faced%with%a%dilemma%and%must%decide%

between%two%courses%of%action,%so%which%one%do%you%take?%The!option!

that! best! fits! the! context! of! the! story! leads! to! better! outcomes.! A!

good!decision!may!present!you!with!an!opportunity!or!a!bit!of!luck;!a!

notEsoEgood!decision!may!lead!you!down!a!dangerous!path.!Whatever!

you!decide,!your!fate!rests!on!the!choices!you!make!as!a!reader.!

How the story unfolds depends on you.

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To! enhance! your! learning! experience,! relevant! idioms,! phrasal!

verbs,!and!collocations!in!the!text!are!bolded!for!easy!identification.!

Tested!expressions!and!phrases! that!appear! in! the!decision!points!

are!defined! in! the!Glossary!at! the!back!of! the!book.!As!a!bonus! for!

teachers!and!students!alike,! suggested!activities!and! lessons! for! the!

classroom!and!selfEstudy!will!be!made!available!at!

www.nightowlspress.com/learningEguideEturnEofEphraseEesl/.!

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IN!BLACKOUT,!YOU!find!yourself!in!a!realEworld!survival!situation:!

An! XEclass! solar! storm! has! destroyed! the! power! grid.! The! entire!

country! is! without! electricity.! Every! day,! Silica,! the! city!where! you!

live,!grows!more!and!more!dangerous.!You!and!your!sister!must!find!

a!way!to!get!out!of!Silica!before!it!is!too!late.!

Here!are! the! scenarios:!The!best!way!out!of!Silica! is!by!boat.! If!

you!make!all!the!correct!decisions,!your!path!will!end!as!you!sail!out!

into!the!ocean.!The!next!best!way!out!of!Silica! is!by!car.!If!you!find!

yourself! zooming! down! the! road! away! from! Silica,! you! have!made!

mostly!correct!decisions.!The!third!way!out!is!by!bicycle.!Finally,!the!

fourth!way!is!on!foota!slow!and!dangerous!way!to!escape.! If!your!

story!ends!in!any!of!these!ways,!you!made!it.!You!survived.!The!worst!

possible!outcome!is,!of!course,!that!you!dont!get!out!of!Silica!at!all.!

And!dont!worry:!If!you!make!a!wrong!decision,!there!is!usually!a!

way! to!get!back!on! the!best!path.!Use!your!English! language! skills,!

try!your!best,!and!you!will!survive!the!blackout.!

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BLACKOUT A C h o o s e a b l e P a t h N o v e l f o r L e a r n i n g E n g l i s h E x p r e s s i o n s

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[ C H A P T E R O N E ]

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YOU!LOOK"UP! at! the!sky!where! the!sun!should!be.!As!usual,! it! is!

hiding.! Around! you,! the! fog!wraps! the! city! in! a! cold,! ghostly!mist.%

Just%another%summer%day%in%Silica,!you!think.!You!look!at!your!watch.!

Your!younger! sister,!Lucy,! is! expecting!you!back!at! your!apartment!

soon.!She! just!broke" up!with!her!boyfriend!and!needs! someone! to!

talk!to!and!a!shoulder"to"cry"onyours.!

You! throw!two!bags!of!garbage! into! the!dumpster!outside!your!

apartment!building.!You!are!about!to!head!inside!when!you!stop.!Is!

someone! there?! You! turn" around! quickly,! hoping! to! catch! your!

invisible! stalker.! You! have! had! this! funny" feeling! all! day,! like!

someone!is!watching!you.!In!fact,!over!the!last!few!months!you!have!

sensed! someone! always! observing! you! from! a! distance.! You! dont!

know!who!it!could!be,!but!you!know!that!this!person!is!always!there,!

keeping"an"eye!on"you.!

A!tall,!thin!man!disappears!behind!your!buildingbut!you!cant!

be!sure.!You!remain!still!for!a!few!more!seconds,!not!moving,!staring!

at!the!corner!of!the!building.!A!cold!shiver!tingles!at!the!back!of!your!

neck.!You!try!to!shake"it"off.!Maybe!you!are!seeing!things!that!arent!

there.!Maybe!the!fog!has!finally!gone"to"your"head.!!

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Dont%be%silly,%Selena,!you!tell!yourself.!

You!hurry!into!the!lobby!of!your!apartment!building!where!there!

are!several!residents!waiting!for!the!elevators.!You!pass!them!quickly!

and!head" straight! for! the! stairwell.! Inside! the! interior! space,! it! is!

deadly! quiet.! This! is! no! surprise;! you! are! the! only! person! in! your!

building! who! regularly! takes" the" stairs.! Still,! you! wonder! if! a!

crowded! elevator! would! have! been! better! today.! At! least! you!

wouldnt!be!alone.!

You!run!up!the!stairs.!As!you!turn"the"corner!to!the!third!floor!

landing,!you!hit!something!hard!with!your!foot.!You!stumble,!nearly!

falling! down! the! stairs.! You! catch" your" breath! and! then! turn"

around!to!see!what!blocked!your!path.!!

There,!before"your"eyes,!is!a!bag!of!groceries.!!

Hello?!Is!anybody!there?!you!call!out.!Did!someone!leave!their!

groceries!here?!Your!voice!echoes!in!the!empty!stairwell.!!

You!stare!down!into!the!bag.!You!decide!to"check"it"out.!

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If you decide to look inside the grocery bag, go to

page 3.

If you decide to take the bag outside the apartment

building, go to page 5.

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You! look! inside! the! grocery! bag! and! decide! to! check" it" out.!

What!you! find!are!basic! food! items:! rice,!noodles,!beans,!and!dried!

fruit.!These!are!the!kinds!of! food!you!might!need!if!you!were!going!

camping!or!if!your!refrigerator!didnt!work.!Strangely,!you!also!find!a!

bag!of!your!favorite!candies."

At! the! bottom!of! the! grocery! bag,! you! discover! a! small,! folded!

notecard.!You!turn!it!over!in!your!hands.!The!front!of!it!is!blankit!

doesnt!seem!to!be!addressed!to!anyoneand!it!is!sealed!with!tape.!

You! put! the! notecard! in! your! pocket! to! read! later.! You! have! other!

things!on" your"mind" right!nowlike!your!sister.!You!pick" up!the!

grocery!bag!and!quickly!head"to!your!apartment.!

In!the!living!room,!your!sister!is!crying!again.!Tears!make!messy!

trails!down!her!cheeks.!I!just!dont!know!what!Im!going!to!do,!she!

sobs.! She! falls! onto! the! couch.! He!was! the! only! good! thing! in!my!

life.!!

Stop!! you! say.! If! you! hear! another" word! about! your! sisters!!

exEboyfriend,!Max,!you!think!that!your!head!might!explode.!!

You! rip! open! the! bag! of! candies! you! found! in! the! grocery! bag!

and!place! two!of! them! in! your!hand:! one! red! and!one!blue.! Here,!

Lucy,!take!one!of!these.!!

Your!sister!rolls"her"eyes.!Come"on,!Selena.!Candy?!You!think!

that!a!piece!of!candy!is!going!to!make!me!feel!better?!

These! arent! ordinary! candies,! Lucy,! you! explain,! patting! her!

leg.!These!are!magic!pills.!You!flash!your!sister!a!playful!smile.!!

Selena,!Im!twentyEone!years!old.!Dont!you!think!Im!a!little!too!

old!for!makeLbelieve?!!

Lets!just!see,!you!say.!You!sit"down"on!the!couch!next!to!her.!

If! you! take! the! red! pill,! youll! keep! being! sad.! But! if! you! take! the!

blue!pill,! youll! forget! about!him.!And! your!problems?!Well,! theyll!

just!disappear.!!

Dramatic!music!booms!from!the!TV,!surprising!both!of!you.!It!is!

another!episode!of!your!sisters!favorite!TV!series,!Zombie%Apocalypse.!

An!empty,!endEofEtheEworld!landscape!flashes!across!the!screen.!!

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Its! your! choice,! you! say,! holding! out! the! candies.! Take! the!

blue!pill!.!.!.!or!stay!in!zombieland.!!

Without!a!word,!your!sister!takes!the!blue!candy!and!pops!it!into!

her!mouth.!!

Good!choice,!you!say.!

Tastes!sweet,!she!says.!!

Thats!the!taste!of!your!life!getting!better.!

Without! thinking,! you!eat! the!other! small! candythe! red!one.!

Your!sister!is!still!staring!at!you.!Selena,!your!hair!.!.!.!Its!starting!to!

frizz"out.!

What!do!you!mean?!You!touch!your!short!hair!and!frown.!The!

strands!feel!as!if!they!are!rising!off!your!head.!Wow,!my!hair!really!is!

frizzing" out,! you! say.! It!must!be!all! the!moisture! in! the!air! from!

the!fog.!My!hair!always!acts"up!in!this!weather.!

Or!maybe!its!the!red!pill,!your!sister!says,!laughing.!Ha!!Now,!

thats!funny.!

Yeah,! really! funny,! you! say! as! you! glance! at! your! watch.! I!

should!leave!now.!I!cant!be!late!for!work.!

Your!sister!frowns.!Just!bow"out,!Selena,!she!says.!

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If you think that your sister wants you to stay

home and not go to work, go to page 6.

If you think that your sister wants you to leave the

apartment, go to page 9.

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You!take!the!bag!outside!the!apartment!building!to!check"it"out."

Whoever!forgot!the!bag!will!surely!come!back!for!it!soon.!And!if!that!

person! doesnt! return,! the! bag! will! be! out" in" public.! Perhaps! a!

homeless!person!will!find!it!and!be!grateful!for!the!food."

Just!to!satisfy!your!curiosity,!you!take!a!quick!walk!around!your!

apartment!building.!You!dont!find!any!tall,!thin!manor!anybody!at!

all! for" that" matter.! You!watch! the! steady! stream!of! cars! stopping!

and! going! at! the! traffic! light.! The! drivers! dont! see! you;! they! keep!

their!eyes!fixed"on!the!road.!The!hum!of!the!cars!echoes!against!the!

maze!of! tall!buildings.!You!wonder!what! life!would!be! like!without!

all!these!cars!and!buildings.!!

Simpler,%for$sure.%Probably%a%lot%nicer,%too.!

You! return! to!where!you! started.!You!need! to!get!back! to!your!

apartment.! Your! sister! is! in! a! crisis! and! needs! your! support.! You!

open!the!door!to!the!stairwelland!then!stop"dead"in"your"tracks.!

There,! right" before" your" eyes,! is! the! grocery! bagthe! very! same!

bag! you! moved! outside! the! building! just! minutes! ago.! You! look!

closer.!It!is!definitely!the!same!grocery!bag.!It!has!a!torn!corner!from!

where!you!tripped"on"it.!!

You! look! around! the! stairwell,! noting! each! landing! up! to! the!

third!floor.!Nobody!is!there.!

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Your! sister!wants! you! to! stay!home!and!not! go! to!work.! She! is!

always!asking!you!to!skip"out!on!work,!though!you!never!do!it.!You!

know! that! I! cant! just!bow" out! of!work,! Lucy,! you! explain,! but! I!

suppose!I!can!stay!a!while!longer."

Really?!she!says!in!disbelief.!Thats!unexpected.!Thanks.!!

Hearing!Lucys!heavy!sighs,!you! realize!you!need! to! talk" some"

sense!into!her.!

Im! nothing! without! Max,! Lucy! begins! again.! She! blows! her!

nose!loudly!as!if!to!remind!you!of!her!misery.!!

Ugh!!You!are!everything%without!him!!You!rub!your!forehead!in!

frustration.! How! many! times! do! you! have! to! remind! her?! Hes! a!

criminal,!Lucy.!He!robbed!a!bank!!

Ease"up!on!the!guy.!That!was!years!before!I!met!him.!He!has!an!

honest!job!now.!In!shipping!and!transport.!!

You!have!no!idea!why!your!sister!is!defending!the!man!who!just!

broke"up!with!her.!You!try!to!reason!with!her.!What!I!mean!is!you!

deserve!better.!You!are!young!and!beautiful!and!smart.!Why!are!you!

wasting!your!life?!

Wasting!my!life?!You!should!listen!to!yourself,!she!scoffs.!She!

points!at! the!zombies!on!the!TV.!Youve!been! like!one!of! them!for!

the!past!four!years.!Ever!since!.!.!.!!Your!sisters!voice!fades!and!she!

stops!talking.!

Ever! since!what?! You!want! to! hear! your! sister! say! the!words!

out!loud.!

Sinceyou!know!.!.!.!!!

No,!I!dont.!Since!when?!

Since!the!end!of!the!world,!your!sister!says,!staring!blankly!at!

the!TV!screen.!!

She! still! cant! say! it.! And! neither! can! you! for! that!matter.!You%

mean%since%Mom%died%.%.%.!

You! sense! tears! forming! in!your!own!eyes.!You!blink!and! force!

them!away.! This! isnt!about!me,!Lucy,!you!say.! This! is!about!you!

and! the! fact! that! a! boyfriend! isnt! going! to! make! you! feel! better!

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about!yourself.!You!are!the!only!person!who!can!do!that.!Dont!you!

see!that!your!life!is!just!beginning?!

Your!sister!shakes!her!head!in!frustration.!Then,!why!does!it!feel!

like!its!the!end!of!the!world?!

Suddenly,!the!kitchen!lights!flicker,!and!you!hear!the!TV!click!off.!

The!zombies!are!gone,!and!the!TV!screen!is!black.!!

Whats!happening?!your!sister!asks.!

I!think!the!power!just!went"out,!you!say.!

See?! It! is! the! end! of! the! world.! Lucy! grabs! her! phone! and!

begins!typing.!Her!fingers!move!quickly!and!expertly!across!the!tiny!

screen!in!a!blur.!

What!are!you!doing?!

Im!on!Twitter,!but!my!tweet!wont!send.!Huh.!She!looks!at!you,!

confused.!That!doesnt!make!sense.!

Well,!I!guess!thats!what!happens!when!the!power!goes"out.!!

You! look!out! the!window!at! the! street!below.!The! thick,!heavy!

fog!makes! it! difficult! to! see! far.! You! notice! that! the! traffic! light! is!

now! off,! and! a! traffic" jam! has! formed! at! the! intersection! next! to!

your!apartment!building.!Drivers!honk!their!horns.!!

When!has!the!power!ever!gone!out?!your!sister!asks.!

In! the! city!of! Silica?! I! dont! remember,! you! say.! Dont!worry!

though.!It!will!probably!come!back!on!in!an!hour!or!so.!!

You! realize! you!must! leave! soon.! If! the!power! is! out!here,! it! is!

probably! also! out! at! the! restaurant! where! you! work.! You! see! your!

running! shoes!perched!by! the!couch.!You!grab! them!and!put! them!

on.!I!think!I!need!to!get!to!work!now.!!

Cant! you! stay! a! little! while! longer?! your! sister! begs.! Please,!

Selena,!Im!in!a!crisis.!

You! hate! it! when! your! sister! does! thisasks! you! to! choose!

between!her!and!work,!between!family!and!survival.!!

Lucy,!Im!the!only!one!earning!money!right!now,!you!explain.!

I! cant! just! go! to! work! whenever! I! want.! You! know! that.! Im!

supporting!the!two!of!us.!!

B L A C K O U T

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8

In! reality,! your! sister! probably! doesnt! know! that.! She!was! the!

smartest!student!in!her!high!school,!and!yet!she!has!never!had!a!real!

job!in!her!life.!For!the!past!four!years!since!graduation,!she!has!done!

nothing!but!watch!TV,!play!with!her!computer,!and!spend!time!with!

her!boyfriendexEboyfriendMax.!!

What! am! I! supposed! to! do! here! at! home!without! electricity?!

Your!sister!looks!up!from!her!phone.!She!appears!to!be!in!great!pain.!

Here,! you! say.! You! toss! her! the! adventure! novel! you! just!

finished.!Read!a!book.!

What?!

You!knowtwo!covers,!paper,!ink.!You!get!your!backpack!and!

walk! to! the!door.! Back" in" the" dayback! in! the!ninetiespeople!

read!books!all!the!time.!!

Ha,! your! sister! says,! smirking.! You! think! I!dont! read!books?!

Im!currently!reading!three!different!books!on!my!phone.!

But! without! electricity,! you! cant! charge! your! phone.! Your!

battery!is!going!to!die.!Then,!what!will!you!do?!!

Before!you!shut!the!door!behind!you,!you!see!your!sister!holding!

the! book! in! her! hands.! She! is! examining! it! like! a! scientist! might!

examine!a!strange,!new!life!form.!

!

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Your!sister!wants!you!to!leave!the!apartment!and!bow"out.!Still,!

she!appears! confused!as! you!wave!your!hand!and! say!goodbye.! Ill!

see!you!later!!You!leave!the!apartment!before!she!can!say!anything!

more!to!you.!

Outside,!you!hear!the!ringing!of!sirens.!You!get!on!the!bus!and!

take"a"seat.!The!electric!bus!moves!quietly!up!and!down!the!steep!

hills! of! Silica,! calming! you.! For! a!moment! you!wonder! if! you! are!

inside! a! dream.! Most! people! find! commutes! unpleasant,! but! you!

enjoy! the! opportunity! to! gather" your" thoughts.! In! fact,! you!

always!get!your!best! ideas!for!recipes!on!the!bus.!You!imagine!the!

special!dish!that!you!are!planning!to!cook!tonight!at!the!restaurant:!

baked!tofu!lorange!with!garlic!green!beans.!You!hope!Chef!will!like!

it.! Ill% add% a% little% spice,! you! think! to! yourself.% That% will% make% it%

unique.!Rumor"has" it!that!Chef!has!been!planning!to!promote!one!

of! the! cooks! to! Sous! Chef! soon.! For! years,! you! have! dedicated!

yourself!to!your!job!and!you!want!that!person!to!be!you.!

But!even!if!you!arent!promotedwell,!you!should!still!feel!lucky.!

You!have!a!job,!an!apartment,!and!plenty!of!food!in!your!cupboards.!

You!are!able!to!take"care!of!yourself!and!your!younger!sister.!Behind!

you,!someone!jokes!and!laughs!about!the!power!outage,!interrupting!

your!thoughts.!You!smile!to!yourself.!As!long!as!you!and!Lucy!watch"

out!for!each!other,!it!can!never!be!the!end!of!the!world.!!

You!move! in! your! seat! and! feel! the! notecard! from! the! grocery!

bag! dig! into! your! skin.! You! are! about! to! reach! inside! your! pocket!

when! the! bus! stops! suddenly.! You! fall! forward! and! hear! the! loud!

squeal! of! breaks! and!honking!horns.! Four! cars!have! crashed! in! the!

intersection!ahead,!blocking! traffic.!The! laughter!around!you!stops.!

You!and!your!fellow!commuters!look!around!in!confusion.!

Stay! calm,! announces! the! bus! driver.! The! traffic! light! isnt!

working,"and!theres!been!an!accident.!We!might!be!here!a!while.!

You!groan.!This!can!mean!several!minutes!or!several!hours.!You!

immediately! think! of! Lucy.! Maybe% I% should% have% stayed% with% her%

instead.! You! sigh.! If! you! stayed! behind! like! she! asked,! you! would!

B L A C K O U T

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10

have!just!sat!on!the!couch!together,!not!talking!as!usual.!You!would!

have!both!struggled!to!fill"the"silence!in!the!apartment.!Sadly,!it!has!

been!this!wayfour!years!of!ignoring!each!othersince!your!mother!

died.!!

But!even!before!your!mother!died,!you!and!Lucy!never!really!had!

anything!in" common.!The!two!of!you!are!as" different" as" the" sun"

and" moon.! You! grew" up! in! a! place! far! away! from! the! United!

Statesa!wild,!lonely!place!where!it!was!sometimes!difficult!to!find!

enough! to! eat.! Your! sister! grew" up! right! here! in! busy,! exciting!

Silicaraised"on!shopping!malls!and!lattes!and!the!Internet.!

You! look! at! your! watch.! It! is! already! fifteen! minutes! to! two!

oclock.! You! cant! afford! to!wait! until! the! accident! is! cleared! away.!

You!tighten!your!backpack!and!step!off!the!bus.!

Can! you! believe! all! this?! complains! a! middleEaged! man!

standing! near! the! bus.!He! points! to! his! damaged! car! sitting! in! the!

middle! of! the! intersection! and!blocking! traffic.!He!doesnt! seem! to!

care!much!about!the!car,!however.!Instead,!he!is!glaring!at!his!phone.!

First,! Im! late! for! the!most! important!meeting!of!my! life,!and!then!

my!phone!stops!working.!

You! try! to! call! Lucy.! Well,!mine! isnt!working! either.! It! wont!

send!the!call.!

Yeah,! thats! what! happened! to!mine.! I! just! hope! the! people! I!

was!meeting!dont!think!I!bowed"out.!!

You! realize! now!why! your! sister! looked! so! confused!when! you!

left!the!apartment.!She!wanted!you!to!not!go!into!workto!bow"out!

of!work.!

Where!was!your!meeting?!you!ask.!

At!Baker!and!Cook.!Its!a!law!firm!downtown.!

I! know! of! it,! you! say,! nodding! your! head.! Your!mother! once!

worked!in!that!building.!Im!sure!theyll!understand!why!youre!late.!

It!looks!like!the!power!is!out!all!over!the!city.!

I!think!they!were!going!to!make!me!partner!at!the!firm.!Too!bad.!

I! just! hope! they! dont! change" their" minds.! The! position! could!

D a y 1

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11

make" my" career.! Id! be! set" for" life.! The!man! runs" his" fingers!

through!his!hair!and!looks!at!you.!Where!are!you!going?!

Im!on!my!way!to!work.!I!cook!at!Le!Petit!Poulet.!Its!a!French!

place!downtown.!

Really?! the!man!says!with! friendly! interest.! I!go! there!all! the!

time.!They!have!great!vegetarian!specials.!

Those!are!mine,!you!say.!Vegetarian!dishes!are!my!specialty.!

Well,! Ill" be" dammed,! says! the! man,! slapping! his! blue!

briefcase.!So!youre!the!Wizard!of!Oz?!

You!pause!and!shrug.!

You!knowthe!magician!behind!the!curtain?!

You!have!never!seen!The%Wizard%of%Oz!but!like!the!idea!of!being!

a!secret!magician.!Yep,!thats!me.!

Well,!its!very!nice!to!meet!you.!Whats!your!name?!

Selena.!And!you!are?!You!hold!out!your!hand.!

Butcher.!Joe!Butcher.!The!man!takes!your!hand!and!shakes!it.!!

Mr.! Butcher,! it! was! really! great! talking! to! you.! I! hope! you!

become! a! partner! at! Baker! and! Cook.! Actually,! it! sounds" like! it!

might!be!your!destiny.!!

Before! he! can! even! respond,! you! start! jogging! toward! the!

restaurant.!!

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B L A C K O U T

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On! your! way! to! the! restaurant,! you! think! you! hear! footsteps!

behind! you.!But!whenever! you! turn" around,! nobody! is! there.!You!

remember!the!mysterious!notecard!in!your!pocket.!You!want!to!stop!

and!read! it! finally,!but!there! isnt!any!time.!You!are!already! late! for!

work.!!

The!lights!seem!to!be!out!all!across!town,!but!when!you!arrive!at!

the!restaurant!you!see!its!sign!glowing!bright.!

!

~Le Pet i t Poule t~ !%

You!walk!through!two!French!doors!into!the!dining!room,!where!

the!waiters!are!preparing!the!tables!with!clean,!white!tablecloths.!DJ,!

the! tall,!handsome!headwaiter,! turns! to!greet! you.! Its! good! to! see!

you,! Selena,! he! says.! He! moves! the! tablecloth! in! the! air! like! a!

Spanish!bullfighter.!Like!the!cape?!!

Cute,!you!say,!but!you!dont!have!time!to!talk.!You!smile!and!

hurry!to!the!kitchen.!!

Inside,! the! other! cooks! prepare! their! stations! under! bright,!

glowing!lights.!Why!do!we!have!power,!but!nobody!else!does?!you!

ask.!You!hear!the!low!hum!of!a!motor!coming!from!the!alley!behind!

the!restaurant.!

We!have!a!generator,!says!the!rotisseur,!Chops.!He!cuts!a!steak!

from!a!large!roast!sitting"on!the!counter!in!front!of!him.!

A!generator?!!

Wiley,!a!saucier% like!you,!appears!in!the!doorway!of!the!walkEin!

refrigerator.! You!dont! know!what! a! generator! is,! do! you,! Selena?!

Wiley!asks,!taunting!you.!His!curly!red!hair!and!toothy!smile!remind!

you!of!an!evil!clown.!He!holds!open!the!walkEin!door!for!Chef,!who!

squeezes!his!large!body!through!the!doorway.!Hey,!Chef,!maybe!you!

need!to!explain!to!Selena!what!a!generator!is,!Wiley!says.!!

You! feel! your! face! turn" red.! I! know!what! a! generator! is,! you!

say.!You!unwrap!your!knives!and!try!to!act!casually.!You!guess!that!a!

generator! is! some! kind! of! machine! that! makes! electrical! power.!

D a y 1

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Whatever!it!is,!you!cant!risk!appearing!uncertain!around!Chef.!How!

will! you! ever! get! a! promotion! if! you! dont! know! about! things! like!

power!generators?!

Well,! then!what!does! it!need?!Wiley!asks,! smiling!his! terrible!

smile.!He!is!always!testing!you!like!this.!He!is!always!trying!to!make!

you!appear!stupid!around!Chef.!

Um,!it!needs!to!be!fixed,!you!say.!Then!you!add,!Often.!!

Chef!laughs.!Zhou!are!correct,!Selena!!he!exclaims!in!his!heavy!

French!accent.!Zhenerators!do%need!to!be!feexedoften!!!

You! smile!and!regain" your" composure.!Chef!has!always!been!

kind!to!you,!although!he!sometimes!seems!blind!to!Wileys!bullying!

around!the!kitchen.!!

Now,! let! us! plan! our! cuisine,!mon% ami,! may! we?! Chef! asks,!

rubbing!his!giant!stomach.!The!cooks!swiftly!gather!around!him!for!

the!daily!meeting.!!

As!Chef!describes!the!days!deliveries,!you!notice!that!Wiley!is!no!

longer! smiling.! This! gives! you! some! satisfaction.! Like! you,! Wiley!

started!at!this!restaurant!as!a!dishwasher.!And!like!you,!he!worked"

his"way"up!to!the!position!of!saucier.!He!is!fast!with!a!knife!and!very!

talented,!but! instead!of!working!with! the!other! cooks,!he! is! always!

trying! to!make! them! look!bad.!Since!Chef! announced!a!month!ago!

he! would! be! promoting! someone! to! Sous! Chef,!Wiley! has! become!

even!more!competitive.!!

We!must!decide!on!zee! specials,!Chef!announces.! Any! ideas,!

people?!!

Wiley! speaks! first.! Chef,! I! dont! think! we! should! prepare! any!

specials! tonight,!he! says.! People!dont! leave! their!homes!during!a!

blackout.!Well!waste!food.!!

Everyone! becomes! quiet,! even! Chef.! Wileys! words! sound!

persuasive,! but! you! know! that! they! are! wrong.! When! you! were! a!

child,!you! lived! in!a!place!where!electricity!came!and!went! like! the!

wind.!People!always!left!their!homes!at!those!times.!They!went!into!

the!streets!in!search!of!the!light,!in!search!of!each!other.!!

B L A C K O U T

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I!disagree!with!Wiley,!you!say!quietly.!!

Chops!looks!at!you!with!surprise.!You!are!normally!very!shy!and!

dont! often! speak! at! the! daily! meetings.! Stand" up" for" yourself,!

Chops!whispers.!

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If you decide to rise and stand at the table to show

your seriousness, go to page 15.

If you decide to defend your ideas, go to page 16.

D a y 1

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You! rise! and! stand! at! the! table! to! show! your! seriousness.! I!

disagree!with!Wiley,!you!repeat!in!a!louder!voice.!"

Thank! you,! Selena.! Your! disagreement! has! been! noted,! says!

Chef,!nodding!at!you.!

You!stay!standing!until!Chef!motions!with!his!hand!for!you!to!sit"

down.!You!want!to!explain!yourself,!but!you!are!struck"dumb!with!

embarrassment.! You! sit" down! and! notice! a! satisfied! smile! has!

returned!to!Wileys!lips.!!

Wiley! stands! again,! his! large! chest! filling! with! air.! Just! ask!

yourselves:!Would!you!like!to!be!out!in!Silica!tonight,!with!no!street!

lights!or! traffic! signals?!Or!would!you! rather!be!at!home!with!your!

family! and! friends,! with! your! candles! lit! and! some! warm! soup!

cooking!on!the!stove?!Wiley!looks!each!cook!in!the!eye.!We!should!

save!our!resources.!!

You! feel! your!blood" run" cold.! You! understand!what!Wiley! is!

doing.!He!doesnt!care!about!the!restaurant!at!all.!All!he!wants!to!do!

is! save! resourcesall! the! fresh! food! and! supplies! that! have! been!

delivered! today.!Maybe!he!doesnt! think! that! the!power! is! going! to!

return!for!a!very!long!time.!

As! the! group! discusses! the! two! options,! Wiley! smiles! at! you!

mockingly.!You!do!your!best!to!ignore!him.!

All! right,! then.! No! specials,! Chef! announces.! He! seems!

disappointed.! We! will! prepare! for! a! slow! night.! Lets! store! the!

deliveries.!Chops,!unlock!the!freezer.!!

You! realize! now! that! standing" up" for! your! ideas! means!

supporting!them.!Wait!!you!say,!before!anyone!moves.%

!

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Go to page 16.

B L A C K O U T

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You!defend!your! ideas!and!stand" up! for!yourself." I! think!well!

have!many!people!tonighttriple!the!usual!number!of!customers.!If!

we!stay!open,!people!will!find!us."

Chef!looks!at!you,!and!then!he!looks!at!Wiley.!It!is!as!if!you!have!

just!asked!him!to!choose!between!you!and!Wiley!for!the!promotion!

to!Sous!Chef.!He!seems!uncertain.!

DJ!appears!at!the!entrance!to!the!kitchen.!I!think!Selena!is!right"

on" the" money" on! this! one,! he! says.!He! is! holding! a! large! tray! of!

glasses! above! his! head.! Well! have! many! customers! tonight.!

Hundreds,!I!think.!!

The! headwaiters! words! seem! to! have! an! effect! on! Chef.! He!

stands!quietly!for!several!moments,!and!then!finally!declares,!Let!us!

prepare!for!an!army,!then.!

You! and! Chef! dream" up! a! simple! menu! of! four! dishes:!!

panEseared! bay! scallops,! grassEfed! filet! mignon,! freeErange! chicken!

Marsala,! and! baked! tofu! lorange.! You! teach! the! other! cooks! the!

recipes!and!get!to!work!preparing!them.!By!five!oclock,!the!kitchen!

is!ready!to!feed!hundreds.!!

You! should! pray! that! youre! right! about! tonight,! Selena,! says!

Wiley.! Because! if! youre! wrong,! well,! we! both! know! what! that!

means.! He! places! an! imaginary! sous! chefs! hat! on! his! own! head,!

mocking!you.!

The! people! arrive! slowly! at! first,! like! a! trickle! of! water.!Wiley!

walks! by! your! station,! snickering.! As! day! becomes! night,! the! flood!

begins.!A! group!of! six! arrives,! and! then! four! couples,! one! after! the!

other.! Soon,! people! are! arriving! in! greater! and! greater! numbers.!

They!are!amazed!to!discover!an! island!of! light! in!dark,! foggy!Silica.!

Wiley!stops!smiling!as!he!becomes!overwhelmed!with!orders.!

In!the!kitchen,!you!are!prepared!and!ready.!You!stir!hundreds!of!

wild!mushrooms!in!deep,!butterEfilled!pans.!You!toss!colorful!salads!

in! the! air!with! pure! joy.! You! pour! bright! orange! glaze! over! golden!

tofuplateful! after! plateful.! You! are! in" your" element,! enjoying!

yourself.!

D a y 1

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The!waiters!run!around!the!kitchen!collecting!plates.!Justine,!the!

youngest!waitress,!walks!out! the!kitchen!door!as!DJ!walks! in.!They!

almost! crash! into! each! other.! Oh,! Im! so! sorry,! DJ!! she! says,! her!

cheeks!red.!!

DJ! looks! at! you,! his! eyebrows! raised.! You! turn" around,!

pretending!not!to!notice.!Thats!fine,!Justine,!you!hear!DJ!say.!Its!

busy!tonight.!You!look"up!again,!and!DJ!is!holding!out!a!candle!to!

you.! The!generator! is! going! to!run" out" of! fuel! at! some!point,!DJ!

explains,!and!we!need!to!be!prepared.!!

Thanks,!you!say,!placing!the!candle!beside!your!cutting!board.!

Do!you!have"a"minute?!Can!I!tell!you!a!secret?!he!asks.!!

Sure,!you!say,!wiping!your!hands!on!your!apron.!

DJ! walks! behind! the! cook! line.! It! feels! strange! for! him! to! be!

standing! so! close.! One! of! my! customers! just! ordered! the! most!

expensive!bottle!of!wine!in!the!restaurant.!

You!stare!at!DJ!in!disbelief.!The!1859!St.!Carrington?!!

DJ!nods.!Thats!not!even!the!most!amazing!thing.!He!gave!me!a!

five!hundredEdollar!tip.!!

What?!You! try! to!keep!your!voice! to!a!whisper.! Thats!crazy!!

Time!to!celebrate!then.!!

DJ!isnt!smiling.!I!dont!know!if!it!is.!The!man!told!me!I!should!

spend!the!money!as!soon!as!possible.!He!said!that!hes!a!scientist!at!

NASA.!An!astronomer.!

Your! mind! explodes! with! questions.! Why! would! a! NASA!

scientist! be! spending! money! so! carelessly?! You! know! that! NASA!

scientists! study! things! that!happen! in! space.! DJ,! you!whisper,! do!

you!think!he!knows!something!about!the!blackout?!!

Before! DJ! can! answer,!Wiley! yells! at! you,! Selena,! wheres! my!

food?!Im!waiting.!!

Almost!ready!!you!say,!hurrying!to!finish!your!orders.!Im"on"it!!

Whoops,! I!made! you! late,!DJ! says,!waving! you! away!with! his!

hand.! Well! talk! later,! okay?! He! then! disappears! into! the! dining!

room.!

B L A C K O U T

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18

By!the!end!of! the!night,!you!are! tired!and!worn" out.!You!have!

never!worked!so!hard!in!your!life.!The!employees!gather!around!Chef!

in!the!dining!room.!This!has!been!the!busiest!night!in!zee!history!of!

Le!Petit!Poulet!!he!announces.!

Everybody! cheers! as! Chef! opens! six! of! the! restaurants! finest!

bottles!of!champagne!and!fills!everyones!glass.!A!toast,!he!says.!!

The!cooks!and! servers!hold" up! their!glasses,!but!before!any!of!

you! can! feel! the! delicious! champagne! bubbles,! the! lights! begin! to!

flicker.!Then!they!go"out!completely.!!

What!just!happened?!someone!asks!in!the!darkness.!

Why! dont! you! tell! them!what! it! is,! Selena?! says! a! voice! you!

recognize!as!Wileys.!Since!you!know!so!much!about!generators.!

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If you decide to say, The generator is out of gas,

go to page 19.

If you decide to say, The generator is stressed

out, go to page 24.

D a y 1

!

19

The! generator! is! out! of! gas,! you! say.! You! can! tell! by!Wileys!

silence!that!you!are!right.!!

The!waiters! relight! the! candles,! and! the! dining! room! fills!with!

soft! light.! DJ! lights! the! candle! at! the! table! where! you! are! sitting.!

Look!at!that,!he!says.!We!needed!the!candles!after"all.!

We!did!indeed,!you!agree.!Without!thinking,!you!add,!Theyre!

quite!romantic.!!

DJ!smiles.!Thats!a!change"of"heart.!!

You!arent!entirely!sure!what!DJ!means!by!change!of!heart,!but!

you!decide!not!to!ask.!!

DJ! sits" down! beside! you.! You! know,! I! dont! think! we! really!

need!electricity!at!all,!he!says.!I!mean,!its!important,!of!course.!But!

sometimes!I!think!it!just!complicates!life.!

Is!that!really!what!you!think?!!

Of! course.! Think! about! all! the! TVs! and! computers! and! cell!

phones! we! have.! These! things! are! supposed! to! bring! us! closer!

together,! but,! really,! they! keep" us! apart.! They! distract! us! from!

whats!real.!

You! think! about! Lucy! and! all! the! time! she! spends! on! her!

computer!and!cell!phone.!She!seems!to!be!making!connections!with!

people!all!the!timejust!never!with!you.!!

And!whats!real!anyway?!you!ask.!!

Well,!this!is!real.!DJ!shows!you!his!lighter.!It!is!surrounded!by!a!

shiny,!silver!case.!In!the!warm!candlelight,!you!can!see!words!on!the!

metal!surface.!

!

D a l e J a m e s A s t i n !

So!thats!what!DJ!stands"for.!

Itll! be! our! secret,! yeah?! DJ! says.! Then! he! leans! over! and!

whispers!in!your!ear.!If!this!blackout!is!as!bad!as!I!think!it! is,!then!

my! dad! and! I! will! be! leaving! the! area! soon.! You! and! your! sister!

should!come!with!us.!

B L A C K O U T

!

20

Where!will!you!go?!

Grande!South.!Its!a!wilderness!area!south!of!here.!Wild,!ragged!

coastline.! Juniper!and!sagebrush!everywhere.!Pine!and!oak,! too.! Its!

like! paradise.! He! places! the! lighter! on! the! table! and! speaks! in! a!

normal!voice!again.!Please!take!this.!You!might!need!it.!

WaitI!cant!take!your!lighter.!!

Oh,!I!have!millions!of!them.!He!produces!another!lighter!from!

inside! his! vest.! See?! His! smile! disappears.! And! take! this.! He!

hands! you! a! small! flashlight.! Who! knows! how! long! this! power!

outage!will!last?!

You!sense!DJ! is! trying! to! tell! you!something.!Hidden!under!his!

smiling!eyes!is!worryand!something!else!you!cant!identify.!

Lets!try!this!one!more!time,!Chef!says,!raising!his!glass.!This!

toast! is! for!Selena.!We!wouldnt!be!celebrating!now!if! it!werent! for!

her!good!instincts.!!

To!Selena,!says!everyone.!!

You! feel! your! chest! fill!with!pride.!As! you! raise! your!glass,! you!

stare!into!the!candlelight.%Candlelight!!You!realize!that!you!forgot!to!

leave!candles!with!Lucy!before!you!came!to!work!!While!you!are!here!

celebrating,!she!might!be!sitting!in!the!dark!at!home.!

I! hope! everyone! can! stick" around,! says!Chef.!He!uncovers! a!

tray!full!of!creamEfilled!cups.!Its!our!famous!crme!brule!!!

DJ!sips!his!glass!of!champagne!and!squeezes!your!shoulder.!First!

champagne,!and!then!dessert,!he!says.!Chef!is!really!pulling"out"all"

the"stops.!

!

!

!

If you think that DJ is trying to stop you from

leaving, go to page 21.

If you think that DJ means that Chef is making an

effort to celebrate the evening, go to page 22.

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[ A B O U T T H E A U T H O R ]

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!

!

G.K.!GILBERT!lives!in!

South!Baja,!Mexico,!

where!she!works!as!a!

freelance!writer!and!

editor.!A!former!

editor!at!National!

Geographic!Learning,!

she!has!written!for!

National%Geographic%

Explorer!and!Extreme%

Explorer!classroom!magazines!and!for!numerous!textbooks!targeting!

English!Language!Learners.!She!was!a!high!school!exchange!student!

in!Argentina,!a!college!exchange!student!in!Russia,!and!recently!

received!her!TESOL!certificate!with!the!hopes!of!teaching!English!

abroad!some!day.!When!she!isnt!writing,!she!loves!to!spend!time!

with!family,!especially!her!wonderful!sister,!Carrie.!

!

In Little Sur River Canyon, Big Sur, California

!

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[ A B O U T T H E P U B L I S H E R ]

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