Rae threw up her hand and disappeared down the hall. Tori shot a scowl over her shoulder, as if this was my fault. As she turned, something flashed between us, and I stumbled back, grabbing the railing.

Her scowl twisted. "Geez, I'm not going to hit you."

Over her shoulder, a hand appeared, pale fingers wriggling like worms.

"Chloe?" Liz said.

"I-I-I--" I peeled my gaze from the disembodied hand. "I t-tripped."

Liz came down and laid her fingers on my arm. "Are you okay? You're all white."

"I j-j-just thought I h-h-heard something."

"Why is she talking like that?" Tori asked Liz.

"It's called a stutter." Liz squeezed my arm. "It's okay. My brother stutters, too."

"Your brother's five, Liz. Lots of little kids do it. Not teenagers." Tori peered at me. "Are you slow?"

"What?"

"You know, do you ride the looong bus—" She pulled her hands apart, then brought them together again. "—or the short one."