 the darkness. I closed my eyes again but I could not shut out the half-agonized, half-ecstatic screams that came from her mouth.

And when I opened my eyes, she was gone. I was alone in my hotel room and my pants around my ankles and my cock wet and chilled by the hotel AC.

***

Somehow, I found myself in the church parking lot at 11PM. Paul was there. He was shivering, despite the unseasonably warm evening weather. He nodded at me and I began to walk the few blocks between us and the park. He waited a moment or two before he started to follow me.

The park was dark, but there was a lot of ambient light from the town so it wasn't difficult to dodge the police equipment, signs, and the odd toy or two left from "the incident," as the press called it.

We got to the edge of the woods and I said, "You sure you want to go through with this, Paul?"

He nodded.

I shrugged and walked into the woods. I don't know if it was some inner sense of where to go that Alicia had alluded to, or if it was just drunken chance, but I weaved my way through the trees and undergrowth like I knew what I was doing. And then I sat on a rock.

Paul sat in the dirt next to me. "I've been over these woods a dozen times and so have the local police, the state police, and the FBI. What are we doing here, Abe?" he asked.

"I don't know," I said. And the truth is, I didn't. I knew what to do; I just didn't know why.

But something different happened that neither Paul nor I expected. Maybe it was my presence there, maybe that stars were just right. Maybe Alicia whispered in something's reptilian ear. But there was a rumbling in the ground—almost like an earthquake, but it seemed very contained, like it was just happening in a specific spot. Straight ahead of us, several chunks of earth just fell inward like some insane ultra-targeted sink hole.

"What is that, Abe?!?" The fear in his voice made me a little scared, too.

"There's your answer," I said. The words just popped out of my mouth, almost like someone else was talking. It's a feeling
the darkness. I closed my eyes again but I could not shut out the half - agonize, half - ecstatic belly laugh that came from her mouth. 

 And when I opened my eye, she was gone. I was alone in my hotel room and my pants around my ankle and my cock wet and chilled by the hotel AC. 

 * * * 

 Somehow, I found myself in the church service parking fortune at 11PM. Paul was there. He was shivering, despite the unseasonably ardent evening weather. He nodded at me and I began to walk the few block between us and the park. He waited a moment or two before he started to follow me. 

 The park was black, but there was a lot of ambient light from the township so it wasn't difficult to dodge the police equipment, augury, and the leftover toy or two leave from " the incident, " as the press called it. 

 We got to the boundary of the woods and I said, " You sure you want to go through with this, Paul? " 

 He nodded. 

 I shrug and walk into the woods. I don't know if it was some inner sense of where to go that Alicia had alluded to, or if it was just drunken chance, but I weave my way through the trees and underbrush like I know what I was do. And then I sat on a rock. 

 Paul sit in the dirt next to me. " I've been over these woods a dozen times and therefore have the local police, the state police, and the FBI. What are we doing here, Abe? " he asked. 

 " I don't know, " I said. And the accuracy is, I didn't. I knew what to do; I just didn't know why. 

 But something different happened that neither Paul nor I expect. Maybe it was my presence there, maybe that stars were just good. Maybe Alicia whispered in something's reptilian ear. But there was a rumbling in the ground — almost like an earthquake, but it seemed very contain, like it was just happen in a specific spot. directly ahead of us, several ball of earth merely fell in like some insane ultra - targeted sink trap. 

 " What is that, Abe? !? " The fear in his articulation made me a fiddling scared, too. 

 " There's your answer, " I said. The words merely popped out of my mouth, about like someone else was talking. It's a feeling
 thf darkness. I closed my enes again but I eiuld nmt shuf out thd half-agonized, half-ecstatic dceeams that came from her mojth.

And whvn I openwd mb eyes, she was gone. I was alons in kb hotel room anc my pants around my ankner cnd my cock wet and chilled by the hjtel AC.

***

Xolehow, I found iyseks in nht church parking lot at 11PM. Paul wzs thert. He was shivering, despite the unseasonably aarm evening weather. Hf nodded at me wbd I began tu walk the few blocks getween us and the park. He waitdd a koment or jci bfxore he stacted tj follow me.

Tmv park fas darl, but there wax a lor of ambient light frmm the town so it rasn't difxieult to dodge the polucw equhpmett, sktns, ans vhe odd tly kr two leff from "the uncident," as the prexs bslled it.

We gkt to ehq edge of the woods and I said, "You sure yoh want to go through wirh this, Paul?"

He nodded.

L shruggeq and walked into the woods. I don't know if it was some knntr sensd ov where to go that Alicia had alluded to, or is iu wss just drunkek chance, but I weafef ki way through jhe treza znd undergrowth line I kngw whar I was djing. And then I sat on a rock.

Payl sat in thv diet next to me. "I've yeen over thzse wopds a dozen times and so havz the mocal policf, the stafd police, and the FBP. Whdt are wt doing here, Abe?" hq asked.

"I von't lnow," I raid. And tre truth id, I dlgn't. I knew what to do; I jgst didn't nnow why.

But something different happened that naitver Paul nor L expected. Maybq it was my prgsence thzre, mahbe that snars were just right. Maybe Alicia ahispered in somethigg's eeptulian exf. But there wax a rumblpny in the tround—almost like en exdthquake, but it setmwd very contaimed, lihe iv was bust happenitg iv a xpeciwic spou. Sbrakght ahead of us, several chuhks of earth just gejl inware like sjme insane ulyra-targeted sink hlle.

"Whet is vhat, Ane?!?" Jhe fear in his voice made me a little sfarcd, too.

"There's rour answer," I sand. The words just popped out of my mouth, almost like someobe else was talking. Lt's a feelinj
the darkness. I closed my eyes again could shut out half-agonized, half-ecstatic screams And I opened my she was gone. was alone in my hotel room my pants around my ankles and my cock wet and chilled by the AC. *** Somehow, I found myself in the church parking lot at 11PM. was He shivering, the unseasonably warm evening weather. He nodded at me and I began to walk the few between us and the park. He waited a or two before he to follow me. The park dark, there was lot ambient from the town it wasn't difficult to dodge the police equipment, signs, and the odd toy or two left from incident," as called it. got the of the woods said, "You sure you want to this, Paul?" He nodded. I shrugged and walked the woods. don't know if it was some sense of where to go that Alicia had to, or if it was just drunken chance, but I weaved my way through the undergrowth like I knew I was doing. then sat a Paul sat the dirt next to me. "I've been over these woods a times and so have the local police, the state police, FBI. are we doing Abe?" he asked. "I know," said. And the truth didn't. knew I didn't why. But something different that neither Paul nor I Maybe it was my were just right. Maybe Alicia whispered in something's ear. But there was a rumbling in ground—almost like an earthquake, but it seemed very contained, like it was happening in spot. Straight ahead of us, several chunks of just fell inward like insane ultra-targeted sink hole. "What is that, Abe?!?" The in voice made a little scared, "There's your answer," said. The words out of mouth, like talking. It's a feeling
 the darkness. I closed my eyes aGain but I coUld noT shUt oUt The hAlf-aGonized, half-ecsTAtic Screams that came from her Mouth.

anD When i OpEned mY eyes, shE WaS GOne. i wAs AloNe IN mY hoteL roOm and my Pants arounD my AnKles and my cocK WeT and chilleD by The hotel AC.

***

SoMehOw, I fouNd MysELf in tHe cHurch ParkinG Lot at 11Pm. Paul was tHeRE. He was SHiverinG, DEsPite The unseasonably waRM eVEning weather. He Nodded At ME aND i beGan To walk the fEw BlockS Between US aND THe pARk. He waited a moMent or two beFOre He starTeD to FOllow mE.

The pArK Was Dark, but therE was A lot of ambIent liGHt from tHE town so It wasn'T diFfiCult TO dOdGe tHe POliCE eQuiPMenT, signs, anD tHe Odd toY or tWO LEFt frOm "tHe inCidenT," as the press caLleD it.

WE Got To the Edge oF the WoOds anD I said, "you suRe You want to go throUgh wIth this, PaUl?"

HE nOddEd.

i shruGGed and WalKed Into the Woods. I dON't kNoW IF It Was some inner sense oF wHERe To go that alicia HAd AlLUded to, or If It wAs juST DrunkEn chANcE, but I weaVed my wAY tHrOugh the TrEes and UnDerGroWth liKE I knEw what i was doinG. And tHEn I sat on a rock.

PAUl sat in the dirT NeXT To ME. "I've BeeN over these wOods A DozeN timES aNd sO Have tHe locAl POlICe, the state police, and ThE FBI. WhAt are We doing here, AbE?" he asked.

"I dON'T Know," I saiD. And THe TRuth is, I didn't. I kNew whAt to do; I jusT Didn't knoW why.

BUt somethIng differENT happeneD thAt nEitHer pAUl Nor I expected. MAYBe it WaS my presEncE there, mAybE thAt sTarS wEre just riGht. Maybe alIcIa WhIspEred iN SomethinG's RepTiLiaN ear. BUT there Was a rUmblInG iN The Ground—aLMoST Like An EaRthqUakE, bUt it sEemeD VerY contaiNed, like it Was JUst hApPeNing in a Specific spot. STrAight ahead Of Us, sEveral CHUnks of eaRth just fell inward like soME insane UltRa-tarGeteD sink hole.

"whaT is thaT, AbE?!?" the feaR in his Voice MaDe mE A LittlE SCaRed, ToO.

"There's youR ANswEr," I saId. the wOrds jusT popped out of my moutH, AlmOst like someonE elSe waS TAlKinG. it'S A feElINg
 the darkness. I closed my  eyes agai n but  Icou ld  not  shu t out the half - agon ized, half-ecstatic sc reams  t h at c a me  from  her mo u th . 
An dwh enIo pe ned m y e yes, sh e was gone . I  w as alone inm yhotel room  an d my pants a rou nd myan kle s  andmycockwet an d  chill ed by the  h o tel AC . 

***
S o me how,  I found myself i n  t h e church parki ng lot  a t  1 1 P M.Pau l was ther e.  He w a s shive r in g , des p ite the unsea sonably war m  ev eningwe ath e r. Henodde da t m e and I beg an t o walk th e fewb locks b e tween u s andthe  pa rk.H ewa ite da  mo m en t o r  tw o before  h estart ed t o f o llow  me .

T he pa rk was dark,but  the r e w as alot o f am bi ent l ight f rom t he  town so it was n'tdifficult  to  d odg ethe p o lice e qui pme nt, sig ns, and the  o d d to y or two left from  " t h eincident ," ast he  p r ess call ed  it .

W e got t o th e  e dge of t he woo d san d I sai d,  "Yousu reyou  want to g o thro ugh with  this ,  Paul?"

He no d ded.

I shrug g ed a nd walk edinto the wo ods. I do n'tk no w i f  it w as so me in n er sense of where t ogo tha t Ali cia had allud ed to, ori f it was j ustd ru n ken chance, bu t I w eaved my w a y throug h the  trees a nd underg r o wth like  Ikne w w hat I  w as doing. And t henIsat ona r ock.

P aul  sa t i n t he  dirt nex t to me.  " I' ve  b een  over these wo od s a  d oze n tim e s andso ha ve t he  l o cal  police ,  t h e  sta te  p olic e,an d the  FBI .  Wh at arewe doingher e , Ab e? "he aske d.

"I don'tkn ow," I sai d.  An d thet r uth is,I didn't. I knew what t o  do; Ijus t did n'tknow why. 

B ut som eth i ng dif ferent  happ en edt h at ne i t he r P au l nor I ex p e cte d. Ma yb e it  was my  presence there, m a ybe  that stars w ere  jus t ri ght .  M a ybe  A l ici a whispered in so mething'sre p ti lian ear.B utth ere was  a rumb lingi n the g round—alm ost likean  ear t h qua ke, but it  seemedvery cont a ined, li ke it  wa s just  h app ening  in as pec ificspot.St raight  ahea dof us, s everal chunks of earthjust f ell i nwa rd like s ome ins ane ultra -tar geted sink  ho le. 

"Wh ati s tha t, A b e? !?" The f eari n his voi c emad e me  a little s c a r ed,  too. 

" T here's  you r answer," I said .  The words jus t po p p edout of m ymouth, almostlik es o meone el se  was talkin g. It'saf eelin g
 the_darkness. I_closed my eyes again_but I_could_not shut_out_the half-agonized, half-ecstatic_screams that came_from her mouth.

And when_I opened my_eyes,_she was gone. I was alone in my hotel room and my pants around_my_ankles and_my_cock_wet and chilled by the_hotel AC.

***

Somehow, I found myself_in the_church parking lot at 11PM. Paul was there._He_was shivering, despite_the unseasonably warm evening weather. He nodded at me_and I began to walk the_few blocks between_us_and_the park. He waited_a moment or two before he_started to follow me.

The park was_dark, but there was a lot of_ambient light from the town so_it wasn't difficult to dodge_the police_equipment, signs, and the odd_toy or two_left from_"the incident," as_the press called it.

We got to_the edge of_the woods and I said, "You_sure_you want to_go_through_with this,_Paul?"

He nodded.

I shrugged_and_walked into_the_woods. I don't know if it_was_some inner sense of where to go_that Alicia had alluded_to,_or if it was_just drunken chance, but I_weaved my way through the trees_and undergrowth_like I_knew what I was doing. And then I sat on a_rock.

Paul sat in the dirt next_to me. "I've been_over these_woods_a dozen times_and_so have_the local police, the state police, and_the FBI._What are we doing here, Abe?"_he asked.

"I don't know,"_I_said. And the truth is, I_didn't. I knew what to do;_I just didn't know why.

But_something_different_happened that neither Paul nor_I expected. Maybe it was my_presence there, maybe_that stars were just right. Maybe Alicia_whispered_in something's reptilian ear. But there_was_a rumbling in the ground—almost like_an_earthquake,_but it seemed very contained,_like it was just happening in_a specific spot. Straight ahead of us, several chunks_of earth just_fell inward like some insane_ultra-targeted_sink_hole.

"What is that, Abe?!?" The fear in his voice made_me a_little scared, too.

"There's_your answer," I said. The words just popped out of_my mouth, almost like someone else was_talking. It's a feeling