as if she were far away.
âI think so,â Bobbi replied. âYou?â
âYeah. My wristâI think itâs sprained. Thatâs all.â
They pulled themselves out, smiled at each other, buoyed by the fresh air, the cool wetness, of being alive. Then standing on the overturned side that was now the roof, they leaned down into the windows to help other girls escape.
Time seemed to stand still.
Corky joined her sister, slid to the ground, stretched and yawned as if emerging from a long sleep.
The bus headlights, one on top of the other, cut through the air, casting twin spotlights on the jagged tombstones poking up through tall weeds.
Tombstones? Weeds?
Bobbi lowered herself to the ground, her sneakers sinking into the wet grass. Gripping Corkyâs ice-cold hand, she turned back toward the street.
Behind them, a tilted street sign read: FEAR ST.
âOh.â She let go of Corkyâs hand. âLook.â
The bus had careened off the road and slid over the grass of the Fear Street cemetery. A thick yellow mist, catching the light from the headlights, lingered between the old gravestones, which rose up like arms and legs from the twisting, bending weeds.
âWeâre . . . in the cemetery,â Corky said, her voice a whisper, her expression stunned. âHow?â
âWeâre only a block from home,â Bobbi said.
âIs everybody out?â Simmons called. He came toward them, taking long strides, his jeans stained at the knees, a bandanna wrapped tightly around a bleeding cut on his arm. âYou okay?â he asked the two sisters.
âYeah,â Bobbi told him.
âEveryone got out,â Simmons said. âNo oneâs hurt too bad.â
Then Bobbi and Corky cried out at the same time: âJennifer!â
Where was Jennifer?
In the horror of the crash, in the noise and tilting darkness of it, they had forgotten about her.
Jennifer. Bobbi saw her again. Saw her arms jerk up as she flew out the open bus doorâalmost as if being pulled out.
âJennifer?â Corky began calling, cupping her hands over her mouth. âHas anyone seen Jennifer?â
âJennifer. Jennifer.â
The word buzzed through the group of dazed, frightened girls as they huddled together, squinting against the bright headlights, trying to turn things right side up in their minds.
Trying to make sense of everything.
Trying to convince themselves that they were okay. That everything was going to be fine.
âJennifer. Jennifer.â
And then Corky saw her.
From behind.
Saw her body sprawled facedown, her head resting on the earth in front of an old tombstone, her arms stretched above her head as if she were hugging the stone.
âJennifer!â Bobbi shouted.
A sudden gust of wind made Jenniferâs skirt ruffle. But Jennifer didnât look up, didnât raise her head.
Corky and Bobbi reached her before the others. Bobbi grabbed her shoulders to roll her onto her back.
âDonât move her!â someone yelled.
âDonât touch her! It isnât safe!â
Bobbi looked up to see Simmons standing beside her, staring down at Jennifer sprawled so awkwardly across the old grave site.
âLetâs carefully roll her over and get her face out of the mud,â he said quietly.
They tugged her gently by the shoulders.
As they turned Jennifer over, the words etched on the old grave marker came into Bobbiâs view: SARAH FEAR. The dates beneath the name had been worn away nearly beyond recognition: 1875-1899.
They laid Jennifer gently onto her back.
âCall an ambulance!â Heather was screaming. âSomebodyâcall for help!â
Bobbi leaned over Jenniferâs unmoving form. âItâs too late,â she said, choking out the words. âSheâs dead.â
Chapter 6
âItâs Your Fault!â
âN o!â
Corkyâs anguished cry cut through the air. She dropped to the