The Night Shift(25)

“Would that have been worse?”

Clare’s answer is a gut punch, revealing that sweet, perfect Clare might not be so sweet and so perfect after all.

“I’m not sure.”




YOUTUBE EXCERPT



Mr. Nirvana, the Anonymous Travel Vlogger

(2M views)

“The Radioactive Wolf”

EXT. CHERNOBYL—WOODS

MR. NIRVANA’s hand points to a sign posted to a tree in a desolate woodland. The metal sign is faded, rusted, and written in Russian.

MR. NIRVANA (O.S.)

The sign says “Radioactive Danger, Entry Forbidden.” But when’s a sign ever stopped us, right?



The video cuts off, then turns back on. He’s in an abandoned house. The paint is peeling from the walls. Pictures still hang on them. A doll sits on the rotted timber floor.

MR. NIRVANA (O.S.)

It looks like they quickly packed up their belongings and never looked back. I hope there’s no dead bodies in here.



Nirvana hears a noise and freezes. He pulls a hunting knife from a sheath, walking slowly with it held in front of him, on-camera.

MR. NIRVANA (O.S.)

(WHISPERING)

The most dangerous places in the zone are the houses. Why? Because although the land is contaminated, berries and nuts and roots still grow, attracting animals. Bears and other creatures take shelter in the abandoned—Oh shit!



The camera jostles and the sound of the wind rasps the microphone as Nirvana runs. There’s growling, a vicious animal giving chase. The camera turns off briefly. When it comes back on, Nirvana is inside a small room. The camera focuses on the door. Something is scratching on the other side, nails digging into the wood.

MR. NIRVANA (O.S.)

You hear that? It’s a big, mangy, Chernobyl wolf, right outside. He didn’t much care for me intruding on his home. I do not want that radioactive fellow to have me for dinner, so it appears I’ll be here for a while until he gives up. If you don’t see me post again, you know what happened. Until then, campers, when you view this, I’ll be back home in America. If I survive.



FADE TO BLACK





CHAPTER 21


ELLA





Jesse doesn’t jump.

When Ella reaches her, she’s standing with her toes over the ledge, the freight train barreling by less than two feet away, the air roaring like a tornado. Jesse extends an arm to make sure Ella doesn’t get too close to the edge. And they both stand there, the train blurring past, the two of them lost in a world where nothing matters but being in the moment—a dreamlike quality born of noise, danger, and the allure of death.

Jesse yells into the night, a joyous howl barely discernible amid the thunder of the train. And to her own shock, Ella joins in.

When the train is gone, they both fall on their asses, sapped by the adrenaline rush, laughing hysterically.

They sit on the dirty concrete slab for a long time, saying nothing.

Jesse dumps the contents of her backpack, snatches up a pack of Skittles, and tosses it to Ella.

In that moment, Ella realizes that shoplifting the snacks is part of the ritual.

“First time you ever catch a train?” Jesse asks, chewing on the candy. She grasps her phone, like she’s battling with herself about whether to check it. It has a large plastic case in the shape of Hello Kitty. She’s clearly not one of those teens who is glued to her phone, which is a good thing, Ella has learned from her practice. Jesse shoves the phone back into her bag.

“Yes, I’m a catching-a-train virgin,” Ella says. She’s never heard of the reckless activity before. But one thing she’s learned in her practice is that in small towns with no organized teen activities, kids improvise.

“I love it here,” Jesse says, still smacking on the candy, her lips bright red from the dye.

Ella assesses the area. The grungy platform. The train tracks strewn with trash. Even the woods look ratty and bleak.

“What do you love about it?”

Jesse looks up at the starless sky. She doesn’t answer. Ella isn’t sure if it’s because she doesn’t want to share or just has no idea why she loves it here.

They sit awhile longer.

Ella’s coming down. From the adrenaline crash. Or maybe it’s a sugar crash from the candy. She stands, dusts off her jeans, signaling it’s time to go.

Jesse glances up at her. She’s cultivated a tough persona. But right now, she looks like a vulnerable little girl.

Ella is surprised when she sees a tear roll down Jesse’s cheek.

“Are you okay?”

Jesse brushes the tear away. “Last night…” She shudders.

Ella doesn’t say anything. She wants her to finish.

“Last night,” she says again. “About what happened.” She swallows hard. “I lied.”





DAY 2





CHAPTER 22


ELLA





“You lied about what?” Ella asks.

It’s just after midnight and Ella hears another train in the distance, the only other sound insects in the dense forestland surrounding the rail yard.

They’re interrupted by the rotating cherries of a police car on the dirt road at the far side of the tracks. Jesse jumps to her feet. There’s a crackle of a police radio, flashlight beams.