{"title":"haunted-place-reader","description":"","products":[{"product_id":"bss1-3v1","title":"Berkley Street Series Books 1 to 3: Action Packed Horror You Won't Be Able to Put Down (FREE U.S. SHIPPING)","description":"\u003ch2\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-italic\"\u003eListen to a sample here:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe src=\"https:\/\/drive.google.com\/file\/d\/1CtEk0xyVeEAPHO2nYdVToyZltv_lmOyO\/preview\" height=\"75\" width=\"400\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000;\"\u003e🗣 Narrated by Thom Bowers\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eA haunted home. A buried terror. Step inside…\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShane Ryan returns to Nashua, the place where his childhood nightmares began. Lurking within his family home, a sinister force waits in the shadows. Darkness threatens to consume everything he cherishes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTwo decades ago, this dark power stole Shane's family, their disappearance echoing through the haunted halls. Now, with more relatives missing, a buried memory resurfaces—a forgotten encounter with a lurking evil.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo confront this malevolent force, Shane must unearth the secrets of his past. His journey will challenge his understanding of himself and his history. But can he conquer his demons once and for all?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOr will the darkness claim him…\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis box set includes the first three books in the Berkley Street series. Three spine-chilling novels of supernatural horror that will leave you breathless.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/scarestreet.com\/products\/bss1-9v2?variant=52438495461655\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUNLOCK THE COMPLETE 9-BOOK SERIES. 70% OFF TODAY!\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eWhat people are saying:\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ \u003cem\u003e\"This haunted house story is more slasher flick than suspense—the ghosts are physical and violent.\" \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ \u003cem\u003e\"Amazing! Stephen King, move over for your successor…\" \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ \u003cem\u003e\"This series of books would make a good TV series.\" \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ \u003cem\u003e\"It’s rare to find horror that actually makes you care about the characters. These books do exactly that—and then they terrify you.\" \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ \u003cem\u003e\"Shane is one of the best characters I've ever read. He actually fights back instead of running scared.\" \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eBooks Included in the Bundle:\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e✅ Berkley Street (Book 1)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e✅ The Lighthouse (Book 2)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e✅ The Town of Griswold (Book 3)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ctable width=\"100%\" style=\"width: 100%; height: 98px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eEBOOK\/PAPERBACK\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e667 pages\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAUDIOBOOK\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%;\"\u003e21 hours and 18 minutes\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNARRATED BY\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003eThom Bowers\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePART OF SERIES\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003eFirst 3 Books in This 9-Book Series\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-block product-block--tab\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-block product-block--tab\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsibles-wrapper collapsibles-wrapper--border-bottom\"\u003e\n\u003cbutton aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\" class=\"label collapsible-trigger collapsible-trigger-btn collapsible-trigger-btn--borders collapsible--auto-height\" type=\"button\"\u003e Read a Sample \u003cspan role=\"presentation\" class=\"collapsible-trigger__icon collapsible-trigger__icon--open\"\u003e \u003csvg viewbox=\"0 0 28 16\" class=\"icon icon--wide icon-chevron-down\" role=\"presentation\" aria-hidden=\"true\"\u003e\u003cpath fill=\"none\" stroke=\"#000\" stroke-width=\"2\" d=\"m1.57 1.59 12.76 12.77L27.1 1.59\"\u003e\u003c\/path\u003e\u003c\/svg\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e \u003c\/button\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsible-content collapsible-content--all\" id=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsible-content__inner rte\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-align: center; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\n\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 17pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #434343; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003ch3 style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-align: center; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 17pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #434343; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eCHAPTER 1: SHANE, SEPTEMBER 1ST, 1982\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShane Ryan had never seen a bigger house.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eTheir new home looked like a castle, with two towers and tall, narrow windows. Shane counted six chimneys. A pair of giant, thick trees stood on either side of the wide front door. A thick stone wall, nearly as tall as Shane’s father, protected the whole property.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“What do you think, kid?” his father asked as he parked the car in the long driveway.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Is it a castle?” Shane asked.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHis mother let out a pleased laugh, and his father shook his head.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“No, kid. The Andersons, well, they were really wealthy. They wanted it to look like a castle on the outside, but on the inside, well, it’s a regular house.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Oh,” Shane said, trying not to sound disappointed. “So no secret passages or anything?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Who knows?” his mother said, gently slapping his father on the arm. “Who knows?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Yeah,” Shane’s father said, winking at him in the rearview mirror, “Who knows?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Come on,” Shane’s mother said. “Let’s go inside.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHis father turned the engine off, and Shane dutifully waited for his mother to open the back door of the Cadillac before he got out. The September air was warm and still smelled like summer. Shane saw the grass in the yard was freshly mowed and all of the windows shined. Each gray stone seemed to glow in the sun.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“How big is the yard?” Shane asked, looking around.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Well,” his father said, following his son’s gaze, “you could fit eight of our old yards into the front yard.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Wow,” Shane said, turning and looking at the expanse of grass.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“In the side yard there’s a garden,” his mother said, “there’s also a pond in the backyard.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShane felt his eyes widen. “A pond?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Yup,” his father said happily. “And you know what else, kid?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“What?” Shane asked.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“It’s full of fish. We can go fishing whenever we want.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Wow,” Shane whispered. “Wow.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShane’s parents laughed happily, and he followed them up the front walk. His father took out the house key, unlocked the large door and opened it. Shane stepped into the biggest room he had ever seen.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eA huge set of stairs stretched up into darkness, and dim pieces of furniture filled what he realized was a hallway. Close to where Shane stood, a tall grandfather clock ticked away the time.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eAnd behind the tick of the second hand, Shane heard whispers.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eSomeone whispered in the walls.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch1 style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-align: center; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/h1\u003e\n\u003ch3 style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-align: center; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 17pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #434343; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eCHAPTER 2: SHANE, MARCH 20TH, 2016\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe fan hummed steadily.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShane sat up in his narrow bed as the cool air dried the sweat on his body. He took long, deep breaths and looked at the clock.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eSix in the morning.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHe closed his eyes and forced away the last remnants of his nightmares. He reached over to his bed table, took the bottle of whiskey and glass off of it and poured himself a small shot.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShane drank it quickly and returned them both to their place.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eMy security blanket\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e, he thought bitterly. He got out of the bed, took the three steps to his bathroom and climbed into the shower. Shane turned on the water and forced himself to stand under it until it warmed up. Finally, with the water tolerable, he scrubbed himself rigorously and then rinsed off.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe bare minimum to get clean and rid himself of the stench of fear and sweat.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eOnce out of the shower, he dried off and looked at himself in the mirror.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThin face. Haggard eyes. No hair.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eAlopecia areata\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e, he thought, running a hand over his smooth scalp. His pale skin looked sickly in the light of the fluorescent lamp above the mirror. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eUnexplained hair loss.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003ePretty sure I can explain it\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e, Shane thought angrily.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eWith a shake of his head, he forced himself to focus on his morning routine. He brushed his teeth, went back into his bedroom and got dressed. A pair of jeans and a black tee shirt. Running shoes and a pullover sweatshirt of dark gray. Absently he rolled the wedding band on his ring finger as he walked to his kitchenette.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eOatmeal for breakfast. Strong coffee. Vitamins. A banana and two pieces of rye bread toasted.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eNo matter how much he ate, though, he wouldn’t get up over one hundred and forty-five pounds.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eTall and thin\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e, he thought. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eJust like dad.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShane put his wallet in his pocket, took his phone and his keys, and left his apartment. The noises of the world fell in around him, and he did his best to ignore them. He took his walk alone in the early morning light. The streets were clear of snow, although salt and sand crunched beneath his feet.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eWinter had slipped by New Hampshire and snow had been a rare sight. Ice, however, had visited more than once, and the streets were always treated for it.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShane fought the urge to stop at the Paki’s corner store for a pack of cigarettes, but he walked by. He reached the top of Library Hill, walked around the Soldiers and Sailors Monument, and made his way back to his apartment on Locust Street.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eOnce inside, he poured himself a fresh cup of coffee and went to his laptop. He powered it up, logged into his work account, and looked to see what needed to be translated.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eAmong the work emails, he found one from O’Connor Law Associates.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eOh, Jesus, what now\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e? He thought, opening the email.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHis heart leaped at what it said.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eDear Mr. Ryan\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e, the email began.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin: 0pt 36pt 0pt 36pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eWe are pleased to inform you the proceedings regarding your family’s home at 125 Berkley Street have finally finished.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin: 0pt 36pt 0pt 36pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin: 0pt 36pt 0pt 36pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe house is yours, per your parents’ wishes, and your uncle and aunt have exhausted their financial and legal options.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin: 0pt 36pt 0pt 36pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin: 0pt 36pt 0pt 36pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003ePlease call my office at your earliest convenience so we might sign the appropriate paperwork and give you the keys to your home.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin: 0pt 36pt 0pt 36pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin: 0pt 36pt 0pt 36pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eSincerely,\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin: 0pt 36pt 0pt 36pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eJeremy O’Connor\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShane sat back and stared at the email.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe keys to my home.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eMy home.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShane leaned forward and jotted the number for the firm down on his notepad.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eNow I’ll find them\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e, he told himself, joy and rage twining together in his heart. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eNow I will find them.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-align: center; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003ch3 style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-align: center; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 17pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #434343; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eCHAPTER 3: SHANE, SEPTEMBER 15TH, 1982\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Are you awake?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShane sat up and turned on his light. His heart beat quickly, and he looked around his large room. The curtains were drawn on the tall windows. His books were lined neatly on his shelves. Legos were scattered across the floor by the old fireplace.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Are you awake?” the voice asked again.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShane twisted around in his bed. Neither his mother nor his father was in his room.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHe was alone.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHe couldn’t tell where the voice came from. His mouth was dry, so he swallowed, wet his lips with his tongue, and said in a low voice, “I’m awake.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Good,” the voice said.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eIt came from behind his dresser.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Why? Why is it good?” Shane asked.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Because they don’t want you here,” the voice said. “They don’t want you. Here.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHis heart thumped heavily, and he managed to ask, “Who?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Don’t ask,” the voice said. “I want you here. I’m lonely.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShane tried to speak but couldn’t. The sound of his blood as it rushed through him nearly drowned out his own thoughts. “Why are you lonely?” Shane whispered.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“I’ve been here a long time. Such a very long time.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe bureau started to move, inch by inch, into the room. It swung out slowly from the wall, and a dark shadow appeared.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eIt took Shane a moment to realize there was a passage in the wall.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eA soft scrape slipped out of the darkness, and it was quickly followed by a sigh.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe speaker stepped into the room.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eA girl. Perhaps eight or nine.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eAnd dead.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eDead, dead, dead.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShe smelled like death, and her skin was shrunken, pulled tight across her bones. Her lips were stretched in a gruesome smile, and long teeth protruded from her yellow jawbone.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“I’m lonely,” she said, stepping into the room. Bits of fabric fell from her ragged, gray dress. Her brown hair was tied back with a faded red bow, and the bones of her feet cracked as she walked. “I’m lonely. I want to play.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Scare Street","offers":[{"title":"PAPERBACK + FREE EBOOK \u0026 AUDIO","offer_id":52438423339287,"sku":"BERKLEY STREET 1-3","price":44.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"EBOOK \u0026 AUDIO","offer_id":52438423437591,"sku":"berkley1-3ebab","price":29.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0798\/7209\/8583\/files\/WEB_Berkley1-3_3Books_LIMITEDTIME_v3.7.jpg?v=1773743251"},{"product_id":"bss1-9v2","title":"The Complete Berkley Street Collection: 9 Books of Action Packed Horror You Won't Be Able to Put Down (FREE U.S. SHIPPING)","description":"\u003ch2\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-italic\"\u003eListen to a sample here:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe width=\"400\" height=\"75\" src=\"https:\/\/drive.google.com\/file\/d\/13vtVTu9S9E8Z9q51E-WL7lDwQlWeRpll\/preview\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000;\"\u003e🗣 Professionally Narrated by Thom Bowers\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eLimited Time Offer: Get the Berkley Street Series paperback with free shipping. We'll throw in the ebook and audiobook for free.\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eOnly 100 copies available.\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eGrab yours before they're gone.\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAn abandoned house. A forgotten evil. Home sweet home...\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShane Ryan returns to his hometown of Nashua, and the childhood memories that have haunted him throughout his life. Something sinister prowls the shadows of his family home. And darkness threatens to destroy all he holds dear.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTwenty years ago, the dark force took Shane's family. They vanished within the halls of their shadowy old house. Now, more relatives have gone missing. But a childhood memory stirs in his mind - a long-forgotten encounter with a sinister presence that has always lurked just out of sight.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo confront this malevolent evil, Shane must peel back the secrets of his former home. His investigation will take him on a journey that challenges everything he thought he knew about himself and his past. But can he banish his demons once and for all?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOr will the darkness consume him…\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis digital box set contains the complete Berkley Street series. Nine terrifying novels of supernatural horror guaranteed to chill you to the bone.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eWhat people are saying:\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ \u003cem\u003e\"Fast-paced, well-written, and genuinely creepy.\"\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ \"Shane is one of the best characters I've ever read. He actually fights back instead of running scared.\" \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ \u003cem\u003e\"Amazing! Stephen King, move over for your successor…\" \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ \u003cem\u003e\"This series of books would make a good TV series.\" \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ \u003cem\u003e\"It’s rare to find horror that actually makes you care about the characters. These books do exactly that, and then they terrify you.\" \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eBooks Included in the Bundle:\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e✅ Berkley Street (Book 1)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e✅ The Lighthouse (Book 2)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e✅ The Town of Griswold (Book 3)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e✅ Sanford Hospital (Book 4)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e✅ Kurkow Prison (Book 5)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e✅ Lake Nutaq (Book 6)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e✅ Slater Mill (Book 7)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e✅ Borgin Keep (Book 8)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e✅ Amherst Burial Ground (Book 9)\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-bold a-text-italic\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ctable width=\"100%\" style=\"width: 100%; height: 156.8px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eEBOOK\/PAPERBACK\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e807 pages\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAUDIOBOOK\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e66 hours and 14 minutes\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 67.1944%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNARRATED BY\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"width: 32.5847%; height: 19.6px;\"\u003eThom Bowers\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-block product-block--tab\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsibles-wrapper collapsibles-wrapper--border-bottom\"\u003e\n\u003cbutton type=\"button\" class=\"label collapsible-trigger collapsible-trigger-btn collapsible-trigger-btn--borders collapsible--auto-height\" aria-controls=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\" aria-expanded=\"false\"\u003e Read a Sample \u003cspan class=\"collapsible-trigger__icon collapsible-trigger__icon--open\" role=\"presentation\"\u003e \u003csvg aria-hidden=\"true\" role=\"presentation\" class=\"icon icon--wide icon-chevron-down\" viewbox=\"0 0 28 16\"\u003e\u003cpath d=\"m1.57 1.59 12.76 12.77L27.1 1.59\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke=\"#000\" fill=\"none\"\u003e\u003c\/path\u003e\u003c\/svg\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e \u003c\/button\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"Product-content-tab_f3QTgL8782181630231\" class=\"collapsible-content collapsible-content--all\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"collapsible-content__inner rte\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-align: center; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 17pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #434343; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eCHAPTER 1: SHANE, SEPTEMBER 1ST, 1982\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShane Ryan had never seen a bigger house.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eTheir new home looked like a castle, with two towers and tall, narrow windows. Shane counted six chimneys. A pair of giant, thick trees stood on either side of the wide front door. A thick stone wall, nearly as tall as Shane’s father, protected the whole property.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“What do you think, kid?” his father asked as he parked the car in the long driveway.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Is it a castle?” Shane asked.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHis mother let out a pleased laugh, and his father shook his head.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“No, kid. The Andersons, well, they were really wealthy. They wanted it to look like a castle on the outside, but on the inside, well, it’s a regular house.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Oh,” Shane said, trying not to sound disappointed. “So no secret passages or anything?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Who knows?” his mother said, gently slapping his father on the arm. “Who knows?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Yeah,” Shane’s father said, winking at him in the rearview mirror, “Who knows?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Come on,” Shane’s mother said. “Let’s go inside.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHis father turned the engine off, and Shane dutifully waited for his mother to open the back door of the Cadillac before he got out. The September air was warm and still smelled like summer. Shane saw the grass in the yard was freshly mowed and all of the windows shined. Each gray stone seemed to glow in the sun.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“How big is the yard?” Shane asked, looking around.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Well,” his father said, following his son’s gaze, “you could fit eight of our old yards into the front yard.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Wow,” Shane said, turning and looking at the expanse of grass.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“In the side yard there’s a garden,” his mother said, “there’s also a pond in the backyard.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShane felt his eyes widen. “A pond?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Yup,” his father said happily. “And you know what else, kid?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“What?” Shane asked.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“It’s full of fish. We can go fishing whenever we want.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Wow,” Shane whispered. “Wow.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShane’s parents laughed happily, and he followed them up the front walk. His father took out the house key, unlocked the large door and opened it. Shane stepped into the biggest room he had ever seen.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eA huge set of stairs stretched up into darkness, and dim pieces of furniture filled what he realized was a hallway. Close to where Shane stood, a tall grandfather clock ticked away the time.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eAnd behind the tick of the second hand, Shane heard whispers.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eSomeone whispered in the walls.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch1 dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-align: center; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/h1\u003e\n\u003ch3 dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-align: center; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 17pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #434343; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eCHAPTER 2: SHANE, MARCH 20TH, 2016\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe fan hummed steadily.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShane sat up in his narrow bed as the cool air dried the sweat on his body. He took long, deep breaths and looked at the clock.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eSix in the morning.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHe closed his eyes and forced away the last remnants of his nightmares. He reached over to his bed table, took the bottle of whiskey and glass off of it and poured himself a small shot.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShane drank it quickly and returned them both to their place.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eMy security blanket\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e, he thought bitterly. He got out of the bed, took the three steps to his bathroom and climbed into the shower. Shane turned on the water and forced himself to stand under it until it warmed up. Finally, with the water tolerable, he scrubbed himself rigorously and then rinsed off.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe bare minimum to get clean and rid himself of the stench of fear and sweat.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eOnce out of the shower, he dried off and looked at himself in the mirror.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThin face. Haggard eyes. No hair.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eAlopecia areata\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e, he thought, running a hand over his smooth scalp. His pale skin looked sickly in the light of the fluorescent lamp above the mirror. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eUnexplained hair loss.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003ePretty sure I can explain it\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e, Shane thought angrily.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eWith a shake of his head, he forced himself to focus on his morning routine. He brushed his teeth, went back into his bedroom and got dressed. A pair of jeans and a black tee shirt. Running shoes and a pullover sweatshirt of dark gray. Absently he rolled the wedding band on his ring finger as he walked to his kitchenette.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eOatmeal for breakfast. Strong coffee. Vitamins. A banana and two pieces of rye bread toasted.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eNo matter how much he ate, though, he wouldn’t get up over one hundred and forty-five pounds.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eTall and thin\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e, he thought. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eJust like dad.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShane put his wallet in his pocket, took his phone and his keys, and left his apartment. The noises of the world fell in around him, and he did his best to ignore them. He took his walk alone in the early morning light. The streets were clear of snow, although salt and sand crunched beneath his feet.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eWinter had slipped by New Hampshire and snow had been a rare sight. Ice, however, had visited more than once, and the streets were always treated for it.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShane fought the urge to stop at the Paki’s corner store for a pack of cigarettes, but he walked by. He reached the top of Library Hill, walked around the Soldiers and Sailors Monument, and made his way back to his apartment on Locust Street.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eOnce inside, he poured himself a fresh cup of coffee and went to his laptop. He powered it up, logged into his work account, and looked to see what needed to be translated.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eAmong the work emails, he found one from O’Connor Law Associates.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eOh, Jesus, what now\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e? He thought, opening the email.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHis heart leaped at what it said.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eDear Mr. Ryan\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e, the email began.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin: 0pt 36pt 0pt 36pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eWe are pleased to inform you the proceedings regarding your family’s home at 125 Berkley Street have finally finished.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin: 0pt 36pt 0pt 36pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin: 0pt 36pt 0pt 36pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe house is yours, per your parents’ wishes, and your uncle and aunt have exhausted their financial and legal options.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin: 0pt 36pt 0pt 36pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin: 0pt 36pt 0pt 36pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003ePlease call my office at your earliest convenience so we might sign the appropriate paperwork and give you the keys to your home.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin: 0pt 36pt 0pt 36pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin: 0pt 36pt 0pt 36pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eSincerely,\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin: 0pt 36pt 0pt 36pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eJeremy O’Connor\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShane sat back and stared at the email.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe keys to my home.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eMy home.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShane leaned forward and jotted the number for the firm down on his notepad.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eNow I’ll find them\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e, he told himself, joy and rage twining together in his heart. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eNow I will find them.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-align: center; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003ch3 dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-align: center; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 17pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; color: #434343; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eCHAPTER 3: SHANE, SEPTEMBER 15TH, 1982\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Are you awake?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShane sat up and turned on his light. His heart beat quickly, and he looked around his large room. The curtains were drawn on the tall windows. His books were lined neatly on his shelves. Legos were scattered across the floor by the old fireplace.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Are you awake?” the voice asked again.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShane twisted around in his bed. Neither his mother nor his father was in his room.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHe was alone.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHe couldn’t tell where the voice came from. His mouth was dry, so he swallowed, wet his lips with his tongue, and said in a low voice, “I’m awake.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Good,” the voice said.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eIt came from behind his dresser.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Why? Why is it good?” Shane asked.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Because they don’t want you here,” the voice said. “They don’t want you. Here.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eHis heart thumped heavily, and he managed to ask, “Who?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“Don’t ask,” the voice said. “I want you here. I’m lonely.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShane tried to speak but couldn’t. The sound of his blood as it rushed through him nearly drowned out his own thoughts. “Why are you lonely?” Shane whispered.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“I’ve been here a long time. Such a very long time.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe bureau started to move, inch by inch, into the room. It swung out slowly from the wall, and a dark shadow appeared.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eIt took Shane a moment to realize there was a passage in the wall.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eA soft scrape slipped out of the darkness, and it was quickly followed by a sigh.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThe speaker stepped into the room.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eA girl. Perhaps eight or nine.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eAnd dead.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eDead, dead, dead.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eShe smelled like death, and her skin was shrunken, pulled tight across her bones. Her lips were stretched in a gruesome smile, and long teeth protruded from her yellow jawbone.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 22pt; text-align: justify; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: 'Twentieth Century',sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003e“I’m lonely,” she said, stepping into the room. Bits of fabric fell from her ragged, gray dress. Her brown hair was tied back with a faded red bow, and the bones of her feet cracked as she walked. “I’m lonely. I want to play.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Scare Street","offers":[{"title":"PAPERBACK + FREE EBOOK \u0026 AUDIO","offer_id":52438495461655,"sku":"BERKLEY STREET SERIES","price":109.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"EBOOK \u0026 AUDIO","offer_id":52438495494423,"sku":"berkley1-9ebab","price":59.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0798\/7209\/8583\/files\/WEB_BSS_Image1_Hero_v2.3.jpg?v=1773743210"}],"url":"https:\/\/scarestreet.com\/collections\/haunted-place-reader.oembed","provider":"Scare Street","version":"1.0","type":"link"}