hands were drenched with blood. The blood poured from her wrists, over her sweatshirt and jeans. Brandt grabbed a dish towel off the counter and struggled to wrap it around one of Jinny’s wrists. “Make it stop! Make it stop!” she cried. “We have to wrap both arms,” he said, his eyes searching frantically for another towel.
“Make it stop! Make it stop!” Her eyes rolled wildly in her head. Somehow she had smeared blood over her face. She’s in shock, Brandt realized. What on earth happened? He jerked some paper towels off the roll and began wrapping them around the other wrist. “Make it stop! Please—make it stop!” Her cries grew even shriller, more terrified. As Brandt wrapped the towels tightly around Jinny’s arms, his parents burst into the kitchen through the back door. With all the excitement, Brandt hadn’t heard their car pull into the driveway. “Oh, my!” Mrs. McCloy cried in alarm, raising her hands to her face. “What—” She dropped her purse on the kitchen table and hurried to help Jinny. “Brandt! What’s happened?” “How did she cut herself?” Brandt’s dad demanded. “Make it stop! Make it stop!’ Jinny shrieked. Mrs. McCloy grabbed more paper towels and wrapped them tightly around Jinny’s left arm. ‘I’ll get bandages.” Mr. McCloy turned to hurry to the medicine chest. “I—I don’t know how it happened,” Brandt stammered. Gazing down, he saw that his shirt and jeans were smeared with blood. “The glass—it flew out of my hand!” Jinny screamed, her eyes finally starting to focus again. “It shattered in midair. I—I—I—” Mrs. McCloy placed a comforting hand on Jinny’s shoulder. “I think we’re stopping the bleeding.” She pulled back the paper towel and examined the wrist. “The cut isn’t really that deep. You may not even need stitches.” “But the glass just flew!” Jinny cried, not seeming to hear Brandt’s mother. “Like somebody pulled it away. And then it shattered. For no reason!” Brandt gasped. He suddenly remembered Ezra. The spear had felt as if it were being pulled from Brandt’s hand. And then it pierced the cat’s body. And now, the glass … “Let’s get you to the emergency room,” Mrs. McCloy was saying, her arm still around Jinny’s shoulders. “The bleeding has almost stopped. But we should have a doctor take a look at those cuts.” “It just shattered,” Jinny repeated, still dazed. “It just shattered in midair.”
The doctor at Shadyside Hospital bandaged Jinny’s wrists. She didn’t need stitches. She was feeling a little better by the time Brandt and his parents dropped her off at her house. Brandt walked her up to the front door. “Great study date,” she muttered, staring down at her bandages. “Sorry,” Brandt replied quietly. “Next time, we’ll study at my house,” she said. She hurried inside. Brandt’s parents were waiting in the car. He told them he felt like walking home. “I really need to get some air.” “But you’re covered in blood,” Mrs. McCloy protested. “It’s a ten-minute walk,” Brandt insisted. “I’ll change as soon as I get home.” He watched them back down Jinny’s drive and pull away. Then, shoving his hands into his jeans pockets, he began walking slowly toward home. The late afternoon sky was low and gray. The air carried a damp chill.
He had turned the corner onto Fear Street, when out of the corner of his eye he thought he saw something move along a low hedge. He spun around. No one there. Brandt picked up his pace a little. The streetlights flickered on, casting shadows on the road. Brandt suddenly felt sure that someone was following him. He stopped and listened. Silence. He turned back again. A shadowy figure moved silently toward him. Brandt shuddered. “No!” he cried. “Leave me alone!” He began to run. The shadowy figure floated closer, moving silently, effortlessly, as if pushed forward on the wind. Fear tightened Brandt’s throat.
“Make it stop! Make it stop!” Her eyes rolled wildly in her head. Somehow she had smeared blood over her face. She’s in shock, Brandt realized. What on earth happened? He jerked some paper towels off the roll and began wrapping them around the other wrist. “Make it stop! Please—make it stop!” Her cries grew even shriller, more terrified. As Brandt wrapped the towels tightly around Jinny’s arms, his parents burst into the kitchen through the back door. With all the excitement, Brandt hadn’t heard their car pull into the driveway. “Oh, my!” Mrs. McCloy cried in alarm, raising her hands to her face. “What—” She dropped her purse on the kitchen table and hurried to help Jinny. “Brandt! What’s happened?” “How did she cut herself?” Brandt’s dad demanded. “Make it stop! Make it stop!’ Jinny shrieked. Mrs. McCloy grabbed more paper towels and wrapped them tightly around Jinny’s left arm. ‘I’ll get bandages.” Mr. McCloy turned to hurry to the medicine chest. “I—I don’t know how it happened,” Brandt stammered. Gazing down, he saw that his shirt and jeans were smeared with blood. “The glass—it flew out of my hand!” Jinny screamed, her eyes finally starting to focus again. “It shattered in midair. I—I—I—” Mrs. McCloy placed a comforting hand on Jinny’s shoulder. “I think we’re stopping the bleeding.” She pulled back the paper towel and examined the wrist. “The cut isn’t really that deep. You may not even need stitches.” “But the glass just flew!” Jinny cried, not seeming to hear Brandt’s mother. “Like somebody pulled it away. And then it shattered. For no reason!” Brandt gasped. He suddenly remembered Ezra. The spear had felt as if it were being pulled from Brandt’s hand. And then it pierced the cat’s body. And now, the glass … “Let’s get you to the emergency room,” Mrs. McCloy was saying, her arm still around Jinny’s shoulders. “The bleeding has almost stopped. But we should have a doctor take a look at those cuts.” “It just shattered,” Jinny repeated, still dazed. “It just shattered in midair.”
The doctor at Shadyside Hospital bandaged Jinny’s wrists. She didn’t need stitches. She was feeling a little better by the time Brandt and his parents dropped her off at her house. Brandt walked her up to the front door. “Great study date,” she muttered, staring down at her bandages. “Sorry,” Brandt replied quietly. “Next time, we’ll study at my house,” she said. She hurried inside. Brandt’s parents were waiting in the car. He told them he felt like walking home. “I really need to get some air.” “But you’re covered in blood,” Mrs. McCloy protested. “It’s a ten-minute walk,” Brandt insisted. “I’ll change as soon as I get home.” He watched them back down Jinny’s drive and pull away. Then, shoving his hands into his jeans pockets, he began walking slowly toward home. The late afternoon sky was low and gray. The air carried a damp chill.
He had turned the corner onto Fear Street, when out of the corner of his eye he thought he saw something move along a low hedge. He spun around. No one there. Brandt picked up his pace a little. The streetlights flickered on, casting shadows on the road. Brandt suddenly felt sure that someone was following him. He stopped and listened. Silence. He turned back again. A shadowy figure moved silently toward him. Brandt shuddered. “No!” he cried. “Leave me alone!” He began to run. The shadowy figure floated closer, moving silently, effortlessly, as if pushed forward on the wind. Fear tightened Brandt’s throat.
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