lights,andtheyflewaway.Inthenewdarkness,Isearchedforamovingshadow,listenedforfootstepsamorees,butnothingstirred.Icreptupstairstocheysisters.

    Whenthegirlswereyoungchildren,IoftenfearedthatMaryandElizabethwouldbesnatchedawaybythehobgoblinsandtwogelingswouldbeleftintheirplace.Ikheirways,theirtriddeceptions,andalsokheycouldstrikethesamefamilytwice,or,ihreetimes.Notfarfromhere,thestoes,bathe1770s,theChurchfamilyhadsevenchildrenstolenandreplacedbygelings,onebyone,eachatageseven,untiltherewerenoChurchesatall,onlysimulacra,andpitythosepoorparentswithanalienbrood.Mysisterswereassusceptible,andIwatchedforthetelltalegesinbehaviororappearance—asuddenwinsomeness,acertaiatfromlife—thatwouldrevealapossibleswitch.

    Iwarhetwinstostayoutofthewoodsoranyshadowyplaces."Dangeroussnakesandbearsandwildcatswaitnearourpatchofland.Donottalkters.Whygoouttoplay,"Idask,"whenthereissomethingperfectlygoodandiingontelevision?"

    "ButIlikeexpl,"Elizabethsaid.

    "Hoeeverfindourwaybaeifweneverleavehome?"Maryadded.

    "Didyoueverseeatimberrattler?Well,Ihave,andcopperheadsandwatermocs.Oeandyoureparalyzed,yourlimbsgoblack,thenyouredead.Doyouthinkyououtrunoroutclimbabear?Theyclimbtreesbetterthancats,andtheywouldgrabyandgobbleyouup.Haveyoueverseenarafoamingatthemouth?"

    "Itoseeanything,"Elizabethcried.

    "Howweeveravoiddangerifwedontknowwhatdangeris?"Maryasked.

    "Itsoutthere.Youcouldtripandfallovera