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.Soon he no longer smelled the bay atall.The wind died and the air became stale.It smelled of the earth, of oldthings.The mist grew perceptually colder and brighter, as though glowing fromits own radiance.And Nick finally admitted to himself that maybe things weregetting weird, that maybe following a golden-eyed boy with pointed ears to amagical island might not have been the brightest idea. Stay close, Peter whispered. And keep as quiet as you can.We don t wantthem to know we re here. Nick couldn t imagine who else would be around here this time of night, butkept quiet just the same.They d been in the fog for maybe ten minutes when Nick s foot caught onsomething and he stumbled to the ground.He dropped his skateboard and hishands slid into wet, chalky earth gray, the same color as the fog.Nickcouldn t recall exactly when the pavement had given way to earth.But hewasn t particularly surprised; he d figured Peter s fort would most likely behidden in a dump, or an abandoned lot around the shipping yards.But he wassurprised when the dirt began to evaporate off his hands, drift away insmoking tendrils, as though it, too, were somehow part of the mist.Then henoted what he d tripped over: a white shape with two large dark holes.Nicksquinted, leaned forward, and realized he was staring into the eye sockets ofa human skull.The skull lay half-buried in the dirt, wrapped in the last remnants ofworm-riddled flesh, dried and ashen.There was a knot of blond, braided scalpstill attached to the top of its head.He also saw what had to be an arm bone,and a few smaller bones scattered about. Holy crap! Nick said, scrambling to his feet. Peter, he whispered, fighting to control his fear.Peter had disappeared. Peter, he hissed again.Where d he go? He glanced around.No Peter, nothingbut the same dull, shifting grayness everywhere.Nick had no clue whichdirection he d come from, or was heading to.His breath quickened.He felt themist was caving in on him, like he would suffocate, like he was beingPage 21 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlswallowed. Peter, he called, a little louder this time, then louder. Peter. He knewhe was losing control, knew he might start screaming at any second.Peter materialized out of the fog. I told you to stay close, Peter said harshly. Peter, there re bones.Human bones! What is going Peter snapped a finger to his lips. Shhhh.They will hear us. Peter s eyeswere deadly serious and his look sobered Nick up. Who are they? Nick mouthed, suddenly very alarmed.But Peter didn t answer.He only beckoned with quick, sharp gestures for Nickto follow.Nick had no intention of going another step into this ghostly wasteland.But,as the mist closed in around him, seemed to actually touch him, caressing andslithering along his skin, the touch cold and clammy, as Peter s back began tofade and Nick realized he would be alone again, his resolve evaporated and hesprinted forward to catch up.Nick stuck as close to Peter as he could and kept a careful watch where hestepped in case there were more bones.And, of course, there were more bones,many more bones, and not just bones; he saw helmets, swords, and shields, mostlooking as though they d dropped in straight from the Crusades.He almoststepped on a flintlock pistol and noticed the moldering remnants of athree-cornered hat, what Nick thought of as a pirate hat.A bit farther on hesaw a skeleton with thin, leathery flesh clinging to its frame; it clutched acanteen in one hand and wore the tattered trappings of a British Redcoat.Afew hundred feet away lay the remains of a man in a dusty Civil War uniform.The soldier s rotten hands still dug at his eyes.Then Nick saw the Nike high-top and his blood went cold.It was just sittingby itself.Nick couldn t take his eyes off it, so was taken by surprise whenhis foot stumbled on something soft.He halted and found he was standing on aboy s arm, his shoe sinking into the soft, pliable flesh.Nick staggered back.Oh, Christ! Oh, good Lord! Nick put a fist to his mouthand bit hard.The dead boy looked to be about his age, but it was hard to tell, because hisskin was parched and peeling away.The kid s eyes were wide-open, his mouth abig, hollow O.Nick had no problem reading the terrified expression frozenforever on that face.It mirrored his own.Maybe if I scream, Nick thought,maybe then I ll wake up back in my bed, and maybe I ll hear Marko and hisasshole friends screwing around downstairs and I won t care, because anythingwill be better than wandering around out here stepping on dead kids.But Nick didn t scream, because he didn t really believe this was a dream thiswas real, every bit of it.He knew if he screamed, they whatever theywere would hear. Peter, he whispered.Peter kept walking. Peter, he called. I want to goback. To Nick s alarm, his voice carried, not just echoing but actuallyrolling across the mist as though the mist itself was carrying it along.Peter turned, his face horrified.And that was when Nick heard the voices soft and far away at first, butquickly moving closer: the light calls of children, sweet chorus of women, anddeep baritone of men.Laughing and gay, as though they were all on their wayto a summer picnic.But behind these, or maybe within, he heard wailing, asad, terrible keening.The hair on the back of his neck stood up. They ve found us, Peter said, his voice dead as stone. Found us? Who s found us? Nick, Peter said, his words quick and urgent. No matter what you hear, nomatter what you see, ignore them.Avoid their eyes.And whatever you do, don tdare speak to them. Peter glanced into the fog. If you lose the path, Nick,your bones will never leave the Mist. Nick s mind was one big WHAT THE FUCK! Then he caught movement.The mist hadbegun to stir.Shadows, mere shades of gray on gray, began to swim around them, some hulkingPage 22 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmland sluggish, almost lumbering, others small and fleet as sparrows, most justfurtive wisps of indefinable vapor.Their whispers and calls echoed aroundthem, crawled right into Nick s head.Nick glanced at Peter.Peter kept his eyes directly forward and marched onwardat a quick, steady clip.Nick gritted his teeth, balled his hands into fists, and clamped them tightlyto his chest.He tried to slow his breathing.Don t fall behind.Whatever youdo, don t fall behind
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