His Dark Ways Read Online Free PDF Page B

he’s haunting me in a way, I kind of get what she’s saying. “We could try a séance this weekend. I’m sure His Dark Ways has a spell for helping lost souls find their place of longing, rest.”
    Her posture straightens. “If I weren’t into getting high off our crazy adventures, I would tell you to get lost after the other night. But I would actually like that, a lot.”
    I laugh and bite onto my lip. “Crazy adventures, indeed.”
    We pull into one of the many free parking spaces in the school parking lot. Ever since the mines died down with work, people have been leaving town. It’s weird to see so many empty spaces.
    I bump her shoulder with mine as I grab my backpack. “Come on.”
    “Joy,” she says with a less than thrilled face. 
    Before we part ways into a sea of a hundred and fifty kids I give her a wink. “I’ll pick you up at two?”
    She shoots me back a half-wink from her opened locker that’s just as messy as her room. “Thanks, sexy.”
    My senior year schedule is sweet, with only two AP classes—astronomy and physics. Both classes include the only handful of nerds we have in this school and as I step in through the door they take their voices down. It’s like they can’t handle the fact that I’m not the typical nerd. In fact, I know they hate me even though they barely know me. Krystal, the greasy haired red head of the group walks past and glares at my boots. It’s annoying how much she wants me to notice her. I’ve stopped giving her the time of day after she thought it would be funny to ask if I was into S&M shit because of my wardrobe. It was rude, lame, and she’s the exact opposite of what I would ever want to be.
    Mr. Stevens greets me as I walk in. “Hey, just the girl I wanted to see.”
    My essay is in his hands. He removes the glasses that sit on the edge of his nose. “This is one of the best essays I’ve ever read, Savanna. I’m serious, it’s genius.”
    I’ve never really liked his beard, but now it’s growing on me which seems vain. His words just lit me up like a glowworm. It’s always been difficult for me to accept compliments—I try. “Thanks.”
    “I’m not being nice, Savanna. I’m serious.” He tosses a folder across his desk with my name on it, “I put this together for you. You meet all the requirements and I think you have a good shot at winning.”
    I peek open the folder and take a quick scan. My eyes catch a couple words before Mr. Stevens starts up class.
    NASA
    Grant for two years paid at the University of Florida.
    In the pit of my stomach, I sense a golden ticket to leave this town.
     

Chapter 6
    Black Lace
    There’s a craving for Daniel growing within me, causing me to grind my teeth, and it’s cutting my focus short.
    All I can hear is the tap-tap of my pencil eraser on top of a piece of college ruled paper as I attempt to collect my thoughts by reading over the words I’ve written.
    Time Dilation: Looking into the Past
     “Come on, Savanna, all you’ve written is the title.”
    It’s dusk. I lift an arm toward the sun and watch as my flesh changes to shades of yellow from rays of light bursting over peeks of snow-dusted mountains. As I bring my arm down, I tilt my chair back and gaze out into the field. This is stupid. Now I understand why there are so many people stuck in this town. They end up falling in love. Dad says family and love are the two most important things below God, but I’ve overheard his counseling sessions one too many times. They always come down to a cycle. Person is frustrated because their boss takes advantage of them for not being educated—> can’t make ends meet to put shoes on their kids—> spouse gets resentful—> person ends up becoming a lifelong alcoholic. It’s sad and I feel like a weirdo for thinking of Daniel as a real person, like we’re going to fall in love and play out a family life scenario, but in a better way—a way that beats all statistics even if we stay. I scoff at myself