Zoe knew exactly where to go: her best friend Robert's house. His lived with his mom, and she was away on business for the whole week. It was only ten minutes away, and it was secluded, so she wouldn't have to worry about cops on the roads looking for truant teenagers.

Zoe pedaled her bike carefully down the street. It was almost pitch-black. The main roads had white lines that shimmered faintly with moonlight. Eventually these gave way to narrow, black roads curving through woodland. Somehow, Zoe remembered the path to her friends house, the dips and bends and twists of the roads.

Robert's house was a huge two-story wooden affair situated in a clearing in the woods. Most of the house was dark. The few lights on glowed amber through the windows, casting shadows from the thin trees that surrounded the house. The clearing was close to the dunes that bordered the lake, and the wind from the water streamed through the gaps in the trees.

Zoe parked her bike against Robert's front deck and rang the doorbell.

One of the thick double-doors swung open. Robert stood there in his pajamas.

Robert

Zoe?

Zoe

Hi Robert. Can I come in?