the box factory.”
“My mom works nights too,” I said.
At least, I thought she did. I suddenly wanted to see her so badly. I had to hold back a sob.
Would I ever see her again?
Stan’s room was long and narrow. Rock music posters were tacked over one wall. He had a computer on his desk, surrounded by a dozen cables.
He motioned for me to sit down. “What’s up?” He stood over his desk, hooking up the monitor.
“I don’t know,” I said, sighing. “It’s been such a weird night.”
He picked up the computer mouse. “Now, where do you think you attach this?” He scratched his head.
Does Stan know about Jada’s secret identity? I wondered. Does he know any of this superhero stuff?
The other day, when we explored the secret room together, he didn’t seem to know anything about the Shadow Girl costume.
I had to find out what he knew. “You know that black costume we found in the hidden room?” I started. “I’ve been thinking about it. Did Jada wear it last Halloween?”
He scrunched up his face, thinking hard. “No. I think she was a witch last year. Yeah. With a big green wart on her nose.” He chuckled.
He doesn’t seem to know anything at all about Shadow Girl, I decided. “Do you ever read comic books?” I asked.
He shook his head. “I know Jada is into them. But I never was. Even when I was little.”
I can’t talk to him about Shadow Girl, I decided. Jada hasn’t told him anything. And it’s probably supposed to be a secret.
I came all this way because I needed someone to talk to. And I can’t talk to Stan.
I suddenly felt totally alone. Totally alone in the world.
Stan pushed the mouse cable into a connection. “Yesss! Victory!”
He stood up, smiling. “Hey, Selena, did Jada tell you about the party Saturday night?”
“Party?”
He nodded. “She probably forgot. She is having a party at her neighbors’ house across the street. The Carvers are away all weekend. And they gave Jada the key to their house to take in the mail.”
“And so Jada is throwing a party in their house?” I asked. “That’s terrible!”
Stan laughed. “The Carvers will never know. We’ll clean up everything before they come home.”
I frowned at him. “But why is Jada doing it?”
He shrugged. “Why not? Because it’s cool.”
I climbed to my feet and pulled on my coat. “I’d better get going,” I said. “If my aunt and uncle knew I was out this late, they’d have a cow!”
“Guess I’ll see you at the party Saturday,” Stan said, following me to the front door.
I rolled my eyes. “Yeah. If my dear cousin invites me!”
I said good night and stepped back into the cold, damp night. I felt icy sprinkles on my head, so I pulled up my hood.
I took a few steps along the sidewalk. A garbage can had overturned, spilling a mound of garbage over the sidewalk and street.
I jumped over it and started to walk quickly away.
I had gone less than half a block, when I heard a shrill, high scream behind me. A scream of pure terror.
26
A chill of fear ran through my body.
I spun around.
And heard another cry. From the darkened gas station across the street.
Through the misty rain, I saw four or five boys. At first I thought they had formed a huddle. Like a football huddle.
But then I realized they had another boy in the middle. A boy in a striped ski cap. The boy who was screaming.
I took a few timid steps closer.
The boys were dressed in black leather and denim.
Squinting through the mist, I saw their arms swing.
Heard the thud of fists.
The boy in the ski cap screamed again. A cry of pain.
The others kept him surrounded. Punching. Swinging their arms hard. Grunting loudly with each thrust of a fist.
I watched helplessly as the boy sank to his knees on the wet pavement.
As soon as he dropped, they swooped down on him. They grabbed him by the arms and started to pull him behind the gas station.
My heart hammered in my chest. I felt sick. I pressed my hand against my
“My mom works nights too,” I said.
At least, I thought she did. I suddenly wanted to see her so badly. I had to hold back a sob.
Would I ever see her again?
Stan’s room was long and narrow. Rock music posters were tacked over one wall. He had a computer on his desk, surrounded by a dozen cables.
He motioned for me to sit down. “What’s up?” He stood over his desk, hooking up the monitor.
“I don’t know,” I said, sighing. “It’s been such a weird night.”
He picked up the computer mouse. “Now, where do you think you attach this?” He scratched his head.
Does Stan know about Jada’s secret identity? I wondered. Does he know any of this superhero stuff?
The other day, when we explored the secret room together, he didn’t seem to know anything about the Shadow Girl costume.
I had to find out what he knew. “You know that black costume we found in the hidden room?” I started. “I’ve been thinking about it. Did Jada wear it last Halloween?”
He scrunched up his face, thinking hard. “No. I think she was a witch last year. Yeah. With a big green wart on her nose.” He chuckled.
He doesn’t seem to know anything at all about Shadow Girl, I decided. “Do you ever read comic books?” I asked.
He shook his head. “I know Jada is into them. But I never was. Even when I was little.”
I can’t talk to him about Shadow Girl, I decided. Jada hasn’t told him anything. And it’s probably supposed to be a secret.
I came all this way because I needed someone to talk to. And I can’t talk to Stan.
I suddenly felt totally alone. Totally alone in the world.
Stan pushed the mouse cable into a connection. “Yesss! Victory!”
He stood up, smiling. “Hey, Selena, did Jada tell you about the party Saturday night?”
“Party?”
He nodded. “She probably forgot. She is having a party at her neighbors’ house across the street. The Carvers are away all weekend. And they gave Jada the key to their house to take in the mail.”
“And so Jada is throwing a party in their house?” I asked. “That’s terrible!”
Stan laughed. “The Carvers will never know. We’ll clean up everything before they come home.”
I frowned at him. “But why is Jada doing it?”
He shrugged. “Why not? Because it’s cool.”
I climbed to my feet and pulled on my coat. “I’d better get going,” I said. “If my aunt and uncle knew I was out this late, they’d have a cow!”
“Guess I’ll see you at the party Saturday,” Stan said, following me to the front door.
I rolled my eyes. “Yeah. If my dear cousin invites me!”
I said good night and stepped back into the cold, damp night. I felt icy sprinkles on my head, so I pulled up my hood.
I took a few steps along the sidewalk. A garbage can had overturned, spilling a mound of garbage over the sidewalk and street.
I jumped over it and started to walk quickly away.
I had gone less than half a block, when I heard a shrill, high scream behind me. A scream of pure terror.
26
A chill of fear ran through my body.
I spun around.
And heard another cry. From the darkened gas station across the street.
Through the misty rain, I saw four or five boys. At first I thought they had formed a huddle. Like a football huddle.
But then I realized they had another boy in the middle. A boy in a striped ski cap. The boy who was screaming.
I took a few timid steps closer.
The boys were dressed in black leather and denim.
Squinting through the mist, I saw their arms swing.
Heard the thud of fists.
The boy in the ski cap screamed again. A cry of pain.
The others kept him surrounded. Punching. Swinging their arms hard. Grunting loudly with each thrust of a fist.
I watched helplessly as the boy sank to his knees on the wet pavement.
As soon as he dropped, they swooped down on him. They grabbed him by the arms and started to pull him behind the gas station.
My heart hammered in my chest. I felt sick. I pressed my hand against my
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