“You’re scared,” Matt sneered. He reached into his pocket, absently fished out a cigarette, and lighted it.

“I am not,” said Jake. “I just think it’s a stupid idea. And we’ll probably get busted for trespassing. I know you don’t give a rat’s ass, but I do. Besides, it’s just a church. There are churches all over the place where we live. When have you wanted to see the inside of one of them?”

“It’s different from a regular church, stupid. It’s haunted. Or at least, it’s supposed to be. Doesn’t that make you the least bit curious? If not, you’re hopeless, man,” sighed Matt.

“So what are we going to do once we get there?” asked Jake. “Just walk in and ask the ghosts to show themselves?”

“No,” answered Matt. “We’ll wander around the chapel and see what happens. Then we’ll take something home with us to prove to everyone back at school that we were there. Maybe a piece of stained glass. After all, the place has been abandoned for 20 years, who’s going to notice? Come on, it’ll be fun. And it’s not like there’s anything else to do exciting around here.”

“I will go,” said Jake, with a reluctant frown. “Just to keep you out of trouble.”

“Good enough for me.” Replied Matt.

Twenty minutes later Matt’s car, with both teens inside, was speeding towards Smoke Drift, the little known but affluent town that encompassed the lake, which hosted the island, which held the mysterious chapel.

When they got there, it was almost the end of their adventure. Matt had known that the town of Smoke Drift was encompassed by a fence to keep non-community members out, and that all of its entrances had guards, but had trusted his own ability to lie his way into the town. However, his skills came up short. He tried the simple, “I’m visiting someone but have forgotten their number” approach, but the guard provided him with a directory. Whereupon he had to admit that he had forgotten their last name as well, after randomly guessing a last name that wasn’t in the book. Reluctantly, he and Jake drove away.

“Well, I guess that’s that,” said Jake.

“I’m not finished yet.” Said Matt, sounding obsessed. Jake could do nothing but shake his head. When Matt was obsessed, there was no diverting him. He pulled down the road, and then took a right onto an unpaved road into the winter woods. Tree branches heavy with snow brushed the roof of his car as he drove around the perimeter of the Smoke Drift community. At least that was the plan- neither passenger nor driver actually knew exactly where they were going. But suddenly, there was the fence, to the left of them, about five yards.