Chapter 18: The Ninth Circle Zoya appeared at the foot of the stairs carrying a bottle of wine. “Sweetie,” she said, “I need your help with this.”We followed her into the dining room. Winter darkness turned the windows into mirrors, multiplying a thousand-fold the chilly light of red and silver candles. Pelmets and chandelier festooned…

19. An Evening at Home The house was miniature Norman castle, hands down the most imposing building on the cul-de-sac. Upturned floodlights embedded in the lawn showcased a virtual stage set. You’d have to sleep blindfolded to get any rest under these conditions. Were we staying for Christmas? Details seemed fuzzy or were missing. I…

18. Treachery So that’s where we went. The twilight had thickened into darkness so Chase turned on all the auto lights. We were cosmonauts, safe inside our personal re-entry machine that could take us anywhere. Red and the yellow flickers lent Chase’s face an unearthly glow. Outside the car windows a fine drizzle was getting…

17. Flying We were as nervous as two kids contemplating an adult-sized prank. In his room he paced while I made tea and turned the lava lamp to low. I said, “Corso gave us some kind of drug. What do you think it was?” Chase said, “I’m pretty sure the drugs had nothing to do…

16. Lucid Dreaming Using a dishcloth he knocked the wall phone off the hook and dialed 911. A dispatcher’s voice squawked at the other end. Chase dropped the receiver, and raced me out beneath the useless plastic wall. “Aren’t we going to talk to them?”“Hells, no! We are officially not here. They’ll send someone out…

15. Surreality I woke in Chase’s bed, thrashing helplessly among the Spiderman sheets, trying to remember how I had gotten there. He loomed over me with a mug of steamy, cinnamon-scented coffee.“You’re psychic,” I muttered, making an ineffective grab. He sat down beside me, the better to ratchet me from horizontal to the vertical. As…

14. Heresy Suddenly I was able to run like the wind; my hair flying out pennant-like. Police cars and campus security cars blocked the entrance to my dorm. I swear it looked just like a movie set. An ambulance and fire truck parked right in a flowerbed, grinding down the autumn bulbs. That will piss…

13. Cross Face Cradle More than ready. Even though Cuppa Joe’s has none of the ”higher functions” Chase mentioned, it was just like a date for me because I had never been there. Unlike the slimy self-service cafeterias on my Starvation Level Meal Plan, Cuppa Joe’s is an outsider’s emporium. Not run by students. Did…