It was as if time had come to an abrupt stop inside the small post office. The laughter of kids passing outside disappeared, replaced by the rushing sound of blood in Lester’s ears. His body suddenly felt weightless, and he had the surreal feeling it might float away, leaving him behind. Lester gasped for air and released the walking stick, letting it clatter to the floor. This couldn’t be happening. Was everything in his life a mirage? The Council, his parents, Jennie Poole, and now Ben? If nothing was what it seemed, what was left to be real?

“Why, Ben?” Lester asked, his eyes welling up.

“I’m sorry, Lester,” Ben said. “I truly am. It can’t be easy to find out this way, especially after all you’ve been through. I had planned on telling you in time, but your father’s actions have left me with no choice.”

“So you believe I’m evil,” said Lester.

“What?” said Ben, shocked. “No. Of course not, Lester. Why would you think that?”

“I’m the child of two members of The Dark. My father said no matter what I did, The Light would always see me as the enemy.”

Ben picked up his walking stick and slowly ran his finger over the beetle.

“What your father and his friends are doing is wrong,” he said, meeting Lester’s tearful gaze. “I think you know that. But it doesn’t mean you have to be wrong too.”

Their conversation was interrupted by the jingle of the bell hanging above the front door of the post office. Both Lester and Ben stiffened at the sound of footsteps as someone came inside.

“Hello?” a voice called out.

Lester leaned forward, straining to hear. Was it his father? Had he come to find him?

“Please,” the voice continued. “Is anyone there?”

Ben gripped his walking stick, inched forward, and peered around the corner. He signaled for Lester to stay where he was, then stepped out. “My apologies, but the post office is closed,” he said as he disappeared through the half-door.

Lester slid from his chair and onto the floor. Staying low, he crawled beneath the customer window to listen.

“I’m sorry,” whoever it was said. “I didn’t know where else to go.”

It wasn’t Lester’s father, and though the person was obviously frightened, there was a familiar lilt to their voice.

“It’s alright,” said Ben. “Just slow down and tell me what’s wrong.”

Lester recognized Ben’s calm and reassuring tone. He used the same one whenever Lester sought him out for advice over some worry or anxiety. Had it all been an act?

“These men. They’re chasing me.”

“What men?” asked Ben. “Where?”

“I didn’t get a good look, but one was tall with red hair, and there was a boy about my age. They said I needed to come with them or something terrible would happen. I didn’t know what to do, so I ran.”

Lester’s blood went cold. He popped up from his hiding spot to see Ben standing beside Thomas, who jumped at his sudden appearance.

“What’s he doing here?” Thomas asked, pointing a trembling finger at Lester.

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“It’s okay,” said Ben. “He’s a friend of mine.”

“No. No, he’s not,” Thomas said, taking a stumbling step backward. “He’s one of them!”

Before Lester could protest, Thomas ripped open the door and sprinted back outside.

“Son! Wait!” Ben called after him. “Don’t go!”

Lester stared at Ben, sure he too recognized the description of his father and brother. “What do we do?” he asked.

“You stay here,” Ben said, tossing a fat ring of keys to Lester. “Lock the door behind me, and don’t open it for anyone.”

Then Ben was gone too.

Lester stood alone in the dark post office, unsure what to do. He was in no hurry to have another run-in with his father, but could he leave someone else to suffer Truck Boy’s fate, even if that someone was Thomas?

“Oh, hell,” Lester said aloud to no one. The bell above the door jingled once again as he shut it behind him.

It was getting late, and Main Street was empty. The nearby houses had all turned out their lights, signaling to any straggling trick-or-treaters that the candy was gone and it was time to go home.

In the distance, Lester spotted Ben passing beneath a streetlamp and, though he couldn’t see him, knew Thomas must be somewhere farther ahead. The postmaster was moving fast, displaying surprising speed for an old guy.

Lester followed, thankful he was no longer wearing his heavy rock costume, but even so, he was finding it hard to catch up. As he ran, his labored breath puffed out in front of him, forming small clouds in the cold air. Reaching the streetlamp, he heard someone call his name and skidded to a stop.

Two figures came walking out of the dark. One was dressed as a pair of scissors, the other a gigantic ball of paper.

“Where the heck have you been?” Amanda asked, the tips of her cardboard shears bouncing above her head like rabbit ears. “We’ve been searching for you all night. Do you know how stupid we look?”

Lester’s chest heaved as he tried to catch his breath, unable to answer immediately.

“People keep thinking we’re going as office supplies,” said Mae, motioning to her paper costume.

“Yeah. These outfits don’t make any sense without rock,” added Amanda. She looked Lester up and down. “Wait. Where’s your costume, and why are you so out of breath?”

Finally rested enough to respond, Lester quickly told them all that had happened since he’d left his house that evening.

“And now, if I don’t do something,” he said, “Thomas will be next.”

“You mean if we don’t do something,” corrected Amanda.

“Listen,” said Lester. “My father knows I’m on to him. After tonight there’s no going back for me, whether I try to help Thomas or not. If you two get any further involved, it will mean crossing a line you can’t return from. I can’t ask that of either of you.”

Amanda made a show of looking at her watch. “Are you done?”

“What?” asked Lester.

“With your speech, are you done? Because we’re wasting time.” Lester opened his mouth to argue, but she quickly waved him off. “I’m only going to say this once. We started this together. If you remember, I had to convince you to investigate The Council. Nobody’s turning back now. So what’s the plan?”

Lester looked at Mae.

“Amanda’s right,” Mae said, taking off her costume. “Rock’s no good without Paper and Scissors. It was a pretty good speech, though.”

Lester smiled, remembering what Mathis had said on his trip to Salem. How if he’d only had friends like Lester’s, things might have been different.

“Okay,” Lester said, braver now that he knew he wouldn’t be facing whatever was coming next alone. “We need to find Thomas before our parents do. There are only so many places he could be headed. I’ll go down Thorndike Street, and you two loop around the school and through the playground. We should be able to spot him somewhere in between with any luck.”

“And when we do?” asked Mae.

“Hopefully, Amanda can calm him down and make him understand we don’t want to hurt him.”

“Why me?” asked Amanda.

“Seriously?” Mae and Lester said at the same time.

Amanda didn’t respond as her cheeks went pink.

“If I spot him first,” Lester continued, “I’ll hang back until you get there. Got it?”

“Got it,” said Amanda, regaining her composure. “Let’s go, Velma.”

The two girls began making their way toward the school.

“Why am I Velma?” Lester heard Mae ask as they faded into the night. “I think I’m more of a Daphne.”

“What?” said Amanda. “Don’t even start. If anyone’s Daphne, it’s me.”

Checking that he still had his ring, Lester set off at a run in the opposite direction. He was in too much of a hurry to notice the large fluffy snowflakes drifting down through the star-filled sky.