Hello again friends. Back for the next chapter? As I have warned you, it is much shorter than the others. Nonetheless, it is important. Please do not complain to me. I, for one, do not want to hear it.

I won't make you wait any longer. Let us begin chapter seven . . .


* * * Shutting Up * * *


In the tragic wake of Leo Dooley's death, life for others – including Adam – continued on. No one forgot the dark-skinned boy. Adam himself was mourning silently for days. Nonetheless, there was nothing anyone could do. Adam felt himself going numb to the pain. Losing two friends in a matter of weeks was a terrible thing to go through. Still, life went on.

The next Tuesday, Adam and Bree were walking home again. Adam suggested a round-about way, one was that sincerely out of the way of their route.

"But Adam, why?" Bree complained.

"I just think it might be nice to try something new and different," Adam suggested.

"Wait a second, this would take us right past Chase's house. Is that why you're doing it?"

"Well, maybe . . ."

Bree groaned. "Adam!"

"He hasn't been answering any of my texts or emails lately!" Adam insisted. "It's really starting to worry me."

Chase had been 'out sick' for nearly a week now. That was unnerving. Chase got sick just like any other normal human, but this was taking too long. He was either seriously ill or something extremely bad was going on. Either way, something was up with Chase.

"The kid is sick, Adam," Bree said.

"With everything else that has been going on, I'm scared for him," Adam whispered in a low voice. "And I think that he has the answers I want."

"And what makes you think he'll give them to you?"

"I don't know. But it's worth a shot."

Bree sighed. "Fine, fine, all right. The woods up there are pretty anyway."

So Adam and Bree took a very round-about way to get back home, one that involved hiking up Billionaire's Beaut and into the woods behind it. Tall trees stood above them, and birds filled the air with their chirping. Flowers sprung up from the base of trees. It was incredible that the world could be so happy while Adam's life was still so dark.

The cousins came near the back of the Davenport house. One window was open; the window in Chase's room. Through it they could see a boy sitting at a desk.

"Hey Chase!" Adam shouted.

Chase jumped and looked around. Then he looked out the window and saw Adam and Bree. He grinned and walked over to the sill.

"Hey guys!"

"Chase, you remember my cousin, Bree, right?" Adam said. "And Bree, that's Chase."

"Hi," Bree said, waving up at him.

"Hello," Chase said flatly. He was not very polite when it came to introductions (not surprisingly, of course).

"Are you feeling better?" Adam asked. Chase was only on the second floor, and it was pretty quiet around, so there was no need to shout. "You haven't been answering any of my messages."

"Yeah, sorry about that," Chase said sheepishly. "I'm feeling a bit better today. But my dad was also having me do stuff around the house. I'd invite you in, but the house is a mess right now, and since I was just sick it's probably not a good idea."

"Thank you," Bree said.

Chase nodded. Adam noticed that Chase actually didn't look that sick; at least, not how you would normally think of a sick person. He didn't have the air of a stuffy-nosed, red-eyed victim of the flu or a cold. Instead, Chase just looked tired, not only in body but in spirit as well. There was something inexplicably off about him.

"We can just talk out here," Adam suggested.

Chase's face brightened. "Yeah, that's a great idea, Adam," he said. The words had barely left his mouth when his face turned ghastly pale. Without warning, the younger boy slammed his window shut. Adam saw the blue curtains drawn shut as well, and Chase was no longer visible.

"Chase?" Adam shouted. "Chase!"

"Adam, it's no use," Bree said, putting a gentle hand on her cousin's arm. "Come on, we should just go."

"But why would he shut himself off so quickly?" Adam muttered. "See Bree, more questions! Maybe we should go around front and ask Mr. Davenport . . ."

"Forget it, Adam!" Bree said harshly. "Chase clearly doesn't want to be bothered. Just leave it be, would you?"

Slowly Adam nodded. He followed his cousin back onto the path through the woods. They started to head away from Billionaires' Beaut.

"Bree?" Adam said suddenly, breaking the silence.

"Yes, Adam?"

"Did you see his face? He didn't look sick . . . not the way he said he was. He looked . . ."

"Disturbed," Bree supplied.

"So you noticed."

"I did."

"Then why did you want to leave?"

Bree sighed. "Because I agree with you; it's scary. Something bad is going on here, Adam. I think you need to back off before it's too late."


And things only get even more mysterious. For those of you who have read the book, you may know what is coming next chapter (but I implore you not to say it; there are others here who do not know).

So the interaction between Bree and Chase was minimal; much too small to be considered Brase, eh? Please no comments that say "BRASE!" for I have seen them before and they are quite annoying. No, dear, they barely even talked. There is no Brase.

I hope you will all be able to join us again tomorrow night for chapter eight: Eerie Sounds. Farewell!

~ The Narrator