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“This is different,” Evie said. “These ghosts are joined to the King of Crows. It’s his Army of the Dead.”
“Well, what’s he training his army to do?”
“That’s just it—we don’t exactly know. We’re hoping Sarah Beth will be the ticket. She seems to have the answers we need.”
Zarilda whistled. “Well, I will do ever’thang in my power to git you where you need to be.”
“Hey! Would ya look at that?” Sam grinned, tapping the list of towns they’d be visiting. “Looks like we’ll be heading straight for your hometown after all, Evie.”
Evie’s eyes widened in horror. “What?” She ripped the list from Sam’s hands and read through. There it was, right after Morgantown, West Virginia: Zenith, Ohio.
“It isn’t funny,” Evie fumed as Sam chuckled.
“Oh, come on—can I help it if I’m dying to see the town that spawned you, Baby Vamp?”
“Spawned is about right. It’s an oozy swamp of a place, all vipers and crocodiles. It’s so inbred, it’s a miracle people have their own teeth. Besides, what if people recognize me?”
“In your clown getup? Sister, if they do, you’ve got a whole secret life you never told me about.”
“Zenith,” Evie groused. “I’d almost rather have the Shadow Men take me.”
Sam got quiet. “Don’t say that.”
“Sam…” Evie said. He left the table and walked down the hill toward the pond.
“Sam!” Evie called out, following him. “Oh, Sam. I didn’t mean it. I’m sorry.”
She threw her arms around his neck and covered his face with kisses.
“Say,” Sam said, coming up for air, “I like the way you apologize.”
“Don’t get used to it,” Evie said with a laugh. “I’m very rarely wrong, don’t you know. Oh, Sam. Won’t you tell me what’s eating you?”
They walked down near the elephants.
“I saw things when I was hooked up to the Eye. Things I couldn’t understand. It was like time was all around me, and the past and present and future were all mixed up, with different outcomes each time.”
There had been a future without her. And that had frightened him the most. But how could he tell her that?
“I don’t understand.”
“Ling and Jericho are the Einsteins, not me, Baby Doll. All I know is, I saw lotsa different futures playing out. But then I saw the King of Crows. He had this hourglass. He said all those stories would just become one. The one he’s in charge of—death and horror, everywhere.”
Evie rubbed her arms against the sudden goose bumps. “Well, we simply can’t allow that to happen. We’ll have to stop it. That’s all there is to it.”
“It’s got something to do with the changes Marlowe’s making to the Eye. The King of Crows is whispering in Marlowe’s ear. And those bums have still got my mother.”
“We’re going to get her back. I promise. And we’re going to kick those Shadow Men in the shins.”
“Sounds like you’re drunk when you say that.”
“I wish I were,” Evie grumbled. “I suppose I could always get sizzled on Doc’s homemade hooch.”
“Only if you want to grow hair on your chest. Say, Evie?”
“Yes, Sam?”
“Would you mind apologizing to me again?”
