1974, Late Autumn

"It's so cold out." Grace Calloway said, drawing the blanket even closer around her thin shoulders. Her black curls tumbled over the plaid pattern as she stared worryingly off the vantage-point of the porch. The dried leaves were being blown every which way down Crowhaven Road, and there would be frost on the windows in the morning, if not snow. It was the coldest autumn in decades, so the parents said. It wasn't even winter yet.

"Gracie? Do you want to go in?" A concerned voice, from higher up on the porch. Elizabeth Franklin, looking down from her rocking chair at Grace huddled against this fresh onslaught of wind. Alexandra Howard, used to Grace's tendency of fascination at beauty, was not nearly so concerned. Grace did not get so infatuated that she needed taking care of; often, taking care was the job that fell to Grace, on behalf of Alex.

Grace bit her lip and shivered again, and then shook her head definitively. "It's too pretty out here to stay cooped up inside."

Carmen, who was sitting indian-style on the porch making a knot bracelet chuckled. "You're the only one who can think this is pretty, Princess. You must have a furnace inside. I'm freezing."

"Come on, Gracie." Elizabeth said diplomatically. "Let's go in. You can look out the window, and we can make some tea." Carmen scowled at this notion, but said nothing.

Gracie savored a last longing gaze, and then got up, her shivers a bit more desperate now. Alexandra followed her, a silent shadow. Elizabeth, sparing a glance at Carmen, went after them.

In the massive fireplace, logs roasted cheerily as their socks warmed, spread over the wire screen. Carmen curled her toasted digits, everyone had tea, and a communal bowl of popcorn was being passed around. Kitchens were made for things like this, Carmen thought. Just being together, a sense of community, not–

The kitchen door swung open, abruptly admitting Linda Hooker and terrifying the fire. A cold draft they all resented made them shiver. "Hidey-ho, I'm home." The fire-headed girl said sarcastically, and pulled up a chair, sitting on it backwards. Carmen narrowed her eyes at the visitor and the Linda inclined her head gracefully in agreement. Alexandra got the feeling of a pact being re-signed, a set of rules that had already been agreed on.

"So. You going to college soon, Gracie?" Carmen asked, trying to make the un-content silence into a content conversation. Grace nodded, and spoke in her voice that was all silver and bells.

"The junior college, on the mainland. Nick went there for a little while, and he said some of the teachers are really good. Plus, with mom having been sick and all...I don't really want to leave her yet."

"And you're a senior, right?" Carmen asked Alex. Alex nodded, though the question was moot. Of course she was a senior. Alexandra Howard was the baby of Crowhaven Road, the last one still in high school. Most of the others had graduated some years before, and were working or going to college or taking time off or thinking about moving. Even Grace. Alexandra hated the idea. Soon someone would leave--Grant Chamberlain already had--and then she would feel more alone and desolate than she did already.

"Of course she is." Linda said. "If she wasn't, she'd be gone. Alex is smart enough to do that, right? Not like the rest of us idiots." Linda said bitingly. Alex, of course, couldn't reply. "I hate this place. Hate it. Soon as spring comes, I'm gone."

"If you're so anxious, why don't you go right now?" Carmen asked, her pale blue eyes snapping as she rose to the bait.

"Because I'm not stupid." Linda said, getting up and stalking to the window. "Who in their right mind would leave now? Getting buried in snow is not one of my favorite pastimes."

A snort of disbelief and scorn came from Carmen's direction. "Sure, that's a fine reason. And why not last autumn? Why not last year? You graduated school the year after we did, Linda-loo. Face it. None of us are gonna leave. We're all stuck."

"Stuck? By what?" Linda asked. "That's insane. And it's not true. Grant left."

Elizabeth's eyes turned a deep blue as her face gained an odd serenity. "I expect Grant will be leaving places most of his life."

The other three girls turned to face her, hearing that odd hollowness in her voice. Linda looked annoyed, Carmen looked concerned, Grace looked scared and Alex looked at the floor.

"Maybe because of stuff like that." Linda said. "Maybe cause we're all freaks, and all we got here are parents trying to scare us out of being what are."

"They're right." Elizabeth said, weird hollowness gone. "Nobody in the town likes us. They didn't in high school."

"Speak for yourself." Linda said.

"I am." Elizabeth said. "I didn't sleep with half the boys to prove myself."

Carmen stiffened, sensing an oncoming confrontation. The fights between Liz and Linda were legendary--mostly because Linda had a tendency to fly off the handle. Linda had gone on one date with Adrian Conant last year, and it had been a sore spot between her and Elizabeth ever since. A sore spot that Linda irritated religiously.

"My goodness, you're right!" Linda said softly, in a gasp of sarcastic innocence. "You're so chaste and pure that if you weren't a witch, honey, you'd have to be a nun. Praise Jesus!" She said. A dark look came over her face as she moved in closer to Liz. She tossed her sparkling red hair over her shoulder and her dark-blue eyes burned like they held a hidden fire.

"Except," She whispered, as she drew closer to Liz, "I don't think Adrian likes such chaste females." A wicked grin. "I could be wrong, but I don't think so." Liz shot up and slapped Linda on the cheek. It left a bright red mark. Linda's hard flew up to cover her face and something glimmered in her eyes that might have been tears--maybe.

"Fuck you, Elizabeth Franklin. Take your crappy predictions and stuff them--in real life we know whose going places." Linda said. Then she turned and ran for the door, slamming it as she left. No one went after her.