Chapter 64

Outside, the summer heat pressed down around them like a damp washcloth, hot and wet with humidity. Matt felt beads of sweat rise immediately beneath the collar of his shirt, and his breath escaped him like steam from a tea kettle. Suddenly the khakis weren’t lightweight enough. What was wrong about ordering in, again?

At one end of the street, kids played a makeshift game of basketball. Vic glanced down at them and stopped on in mid-step; Matt bumped into him from behind. “Vic, what—”

“I can’t do this,” Vic admitted. He closed his eyes tight and covered them with his hand. “God, Matty. This has to be the worst, out of them all. I swear.”

“What?” Matt touched his face, concerned. “Tell me what’s going on, Vic. What’s the worst?”

Vic dug his fingers against his closed eyes. “This damn power.”

“I thought you said—”

“It just started coming on.” Vic opened one eye and looked around wildly. When he saw Matt, his eye widened, then clamped shut. “Shit. It’s freaky as hell.”