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“Dana,” I started to scold her, then returned to Jamie instead. “Jamie, what’s going on out there?”

“Nothing, why?” But behind him, I heard commotion. Not violent commotion; it wasn’t loud commotion, even. Just…commotion. And a popping noise that made my stomach tur

n.

Maybe he dropped the phone, or maybe he was holding it against his chest for a second. “I’ve got to go,” he said abruptly. “I’ve got to go. Did you say you were coming out here?”

I stopped in my tracks. “We’re on our way. Jamie? Jamie?”

I stepped into open air, with no trees above me. It was invigorating—like a blanket had been lifted off my head.

“What’s he doing?” Benny asked, curious and a touch concerned.

“God knows. He hung up on me. ”

“On purpose? Or did your phone just drop the call?”

“I don’t know. ”

We stood together, there beside the road, aiming flashlights at each other’s chests.

“We’ve got to get out of here, don’t we? We’ve got to get to the battlefield. ”

I nodded. “I think so, yeah. Something’s going on there. Something’s…”

“Something’s gone to shit,” Dana finished it. “Jesus, they never learn, do they?”

We started running.

The woods began to sing around us, croaking and chirping and thrashing with all the small things that had held silent while we were in the forest. Once free of the trees we sprinted, and it felt like they were cheering us on.

The car was farther away than I’d remembered. It was farther than I could easily dash in one headlong charge; but Dana and Benny either kept up or outpaced me, so I didn’t slow down.

No one passed us. No cars came from either direction.

For some reason, this added a sense of urgency to it all—like we were the only people in the world, and in the dark, and the ridges and the river were conspiring against us. The rocky shape of Lookout Mountain loomed above us, stretching itself to cloak us in its shadow. It’s a place covered with rock gardens, and tourist traps, and gift shops. Never before had I felt that it was ominous, or that it had something to say to me, personally.

Now I felt like it was pushing us on. I looked up at its overwhelming profile, silhouetted against the purple-black clouds. I heard the river, and all its residents swimming or flowing.

Faster.

We were all starting to pant, but we weren’t spent yet, and we held ourselves and our clattering equipment together until we reached the Death Nugget. Benny flattened himself across its hood with exhaustion and happiness. He sat the satchel he carried on the dented fender and waved at me to open the door.

“Sure,” I answered his unspoken plea. “Just a second. ” I jammed my fingers into my pocket and pulled out my keys, plugging the right one into the lock and flinging the door open.

Everyone piled inside.

I threw the Nugget into gear and almost peeled out swinging it around. Grass and mud sprayed behind us as we slid onto the road. I pulled a U-turn on the spot, and within seconds we were headed back to the interstate.

“Benny, what do you think the fastest way to the battlefield is from here? Freeway? Back roads? Rossville? It’s night, and there won’t be much traffic. Should we stay on the main road?”

“Rossville, probably. We’ll have to keep our eyes peeled for cops. ”

I took his suggestion and exited at 27 South, zipping down the exit to the right and towards Georgia. I knew Benny was right about the cops, but I forgot and was speeding through the lights anyway when I saw blue lights behind me.

“Eden. ” Dana said it casually, with a hint of “you ought to know better. ”

“Shit. Shit. I see him. ” My stomach and all its contents sank, and I felt myself flush with anger that seethed in every direction. I slowed down and pulled over to the right lane, preparing to take the shoulder or the nearest parking lot.