Gravity - By Abigail Boyd Page 0,60

checked on the rows of windows in the back. The place had seen its fair share of hard partying, the evidence all over. Many of the panes had been broken in, and black garbage bags and grocery sacks had been taped to the frames inside.

"I've never done anything like this before," Theo whispered, sounding giddy. "Peering in windows, yes, but never actually going in the houses. This is really exciting."

"All that means is that we both need to get out more," I said, but I was smiling.

Graffiti in the shape of a devil's face stood out on the wall. Hell is closer than you think read the scrawl beneath. There was a big broken window at the back of the building, near the center, which had also been given the garbage bag treatment. The boys came back around, faces hidden in shadow.

"Everything's locked up tight," Henry reported.

"I think we can sneak in through here," I said, gesturing towards the window. With careful fingers, I pulled off the bag and the tape, exposing the hole into the house.

"Not exactly trying hard to keep out intruders, are they?" Henry asked.

"Well, maybe that means we're invited," I said. "Who wants to go first?"

"Me!" Theo chirped, all of her earlier fear replaced by eagerness. She scrambled up to the window, where Alex gave her a boost up. When she was inside, she stuck her upturned thumb out for confirmation. "Just be careful of the glass, you guys."

Alex proceeded in next, his rotund behind filling the window frame before he landed inside. He towered over the rest of us short people at over six feet, and he was built like a linebacker. We watched as the two of them walked further into the house.

Henry gestured for me to go next. "Ladies first, to be clich茅."

"I appreciate your clich茅. It makes you sound like a gentleman." I looked into the bleak hole. It's just a house. It can't hurt me, I thought.

I grasped the sides of the window, carefully avoiding the broken glass still stuck inside the frame. I pulled myself up, but lost my grip and fell, tumbling inside on my arm and the side of my head. I saw stars as my skull thwacked the hard floor. It happened so fast I was in shock.

So much for the not getting hurt theory.

Henry scrambled in beside me. My head was throbbing, but I was vaguely aware as he leaned over me, assessing the damage.

"I'm so sorry," he said, although it had been my fault. He gently grabbed my arm, inspecting it. "You ripped this up pretty good."

I sat up slowly and looked myself over, more aware of him touching me than I was of any pain. Bits of broken glass were lodged inside my flesh. Blood bloomed from the cuts.

"You're bleeding," he said softly, his brow knit.

"It doesn't hurt," I said in an equally soft tone. With his face so close, I had the sudden, desperate urge to kiss him.

"Blood doesn't bother you?" he asked skeptically, raising one full eyebrow.

I looked down at my arm, and picked out the shards of glass quickly with my fingers, wincing only a little. "Not really. I used to be the neighborhood tomboy. My tree climbing was unparalleled."

My arm didn't hurt much, but my head was killing me.

"You should go into medicine," he said humorously.

"Because of my tree climbing?" I asked, confused.

"Well that would be a useful skill, but I meant for your strong disposition," he explained.

"Don't I need to not suck at math to go into medicine?" I asked. Henry scoffed, shaking his head at me.

"We should just leave," he insisted. "You need to get that arm looked at. With all the dirt that's around this place, you could get a nasty infection."

"I'm all right," I insisted. "We're doing this."

I felt like I was finally going to get some answers, and I would be damned before someone stopped me. I pulled my purse strap up on my shoulder and stood, while he offered his arm for support.

"I'm fine," I insisted.

"All right, but don't say I didn't warn you when they have to chop your arm off," he grumbled, shoving his hands in his sweatshirt pockets.

I stood and walked away from him, wanting to put distance between us so the unrelenting urge to kiss him would go away. It ached that I couldn't touch him. In my eagerness to get away, I was glad he couldn't see the fat drop of blood roll down my forehead and fall to