A Beautiful Dark

well.
    I caught my breath, and feeling slowly returned to my limbs.
    “Get off of me !” I shoved as hard as I could, catching Asher off guard. He tumbled to the side, and I scrambled up. “Jerk.”
    I noticed the other guy, Devin, staring at me, too.
    Then a loud popping noise startled me, and something began hissing loudly. I fought to push my way through the crowd toward where Cassie’s voice had last emerged. Suddenly, the ground rumbled; I lost my balance and fell to my knees. Shouts grew louder, panicked screams echoed around me, and someone’s hands gripped my arms from behind.
    “Skye!”
    I turned around to face Cassie and clutched her arm in relief. “What’s going on?”
    Cassie shook her head, her eyes huge. “I don’t have an effing clue.”
    “Earthquake!” someone yelled.
    Chaos erupted as though a switch had been thrown. I heard glass shattering, mugs and plates falling off shelves.
    Cassie tightened her grip on my arm. “Let’s get out of here!” She pulled me toward the door. “Hurry!”
    The ground was quaking beneath us. As I turned toward the door, I noticed Dan and Ian running up alongside us. Dan took hold of Cassie’s free arm. As Ian grabbed my other arm, he gave me a strange look.
    Then he and Dan were propelling us through the door.
    “Get to your cars!” Dan yelled. “Ian’s on duty. I’ll stay with him while he calls the police.”
    The two of them raced back toward the building.
    Outside, people were scurrying down the street in both directions. I could feel the tremors diminishing as Cassie and I sprinted through the freezing air to where our cars were parked on the other end of the street. We stopped at her old hunter green Volvo wagon. I couldn’t draw in air. It was like my lungs had locked up.
    “Well, for better or for worse, everyone will be talking about your birthday on Monday,” Cassie muttered as she fumbled for her keys.
    I tried to stay upright, but my knees were shaking too hard. They buckled under me, and I slid to the ground. I gasped for breath again and again.
    “Skye?” Cassie crouched next to me, snow seeping into her tights. “Are you okay?”
    She pushed back my hair as I leaned my head against the passenger door and closed my eyes, battling to keep breathing.
    “I don’t know what’s wrong with me,” I said, my chest tightening. The street was spinning, even though the rumbling had stopped. “I feel weird. I probably had too much to drink.”
    “You can’t drive home like this. You’re shaking.” She took my mittened hands in hers and squeezed.
    “Just . . .” I didn’t know how to explain what was wrong with me. I didn’t understand what was going on. It wasn’t panic. It wasn’t even fear. It was like total and complete exhaustion. Like I’d pushed myself to the limit and was crashing.
    “Come on, get in.” She helped me up and into the passenger seat. Leaning over, she buckled me in. “I’ll drive you home. We’ll get your car in the morning.”
    As she climbed in and revved the engine, her radio played the single that had been popular all winter. Cassie began to sing along softly, automatically. She turned the wheel and glided out from the curb, down the street.
    I took a deep breath, trying to steady my hands. As the music and Cassie’s voice washed over me, I happened to glance in the side-view mirror. On the street, a lone figure stood in the shadows, getting smaller and smaller as the car pulled away.

Chapter 3

    T he next morning was gray and heavy with the promise of more snow. When I opened my eyes, the weak light filtered into my room through the bay window. As it washed over my pale blue walls, I felt almost like I was outside, just floating in the sky. I buried myself deeper under my cream-colored jersey comforter, letting the soft cotton surround me. I pulled it tight to me like a cocoon, blocking out the world. I had a slamming headache.
    I didn’t feel any older on the day after my birthday than I had on the day before it.
    I wanted to stay under the covers all morning, but my cell phone rang, forcing me to get out of bed and walk all the way across my room to where it was charging on my dresser.
    “Hey, Ian,” I said after I saw who was calling. Shivering in my boxers and T-shirt, I ran to get into bed with the phone. I closed the window on my way back. I didn’t remember leaving it open, and now the room was freezing. I glanced outside before pulling the curtain closed. The sky looked