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Outside, thunder rumbled again, and through the open door Elena saw a flash light the night sky.
There was another, louder clap of thunder a few seconds later.
"I hope it doesn't rain," Bonnie said.
"Yes," said Caroline, who had been standing silent while Elena spoke to Matt. "It would be such a
pity if nobody came."
Elena glanced at her sharply and saw open hatred in Caroline's narrow, catlike eyes.
"Caroline," she said impulsively, "look. Can't you and I call it quits? Can't we forget what's
happened and start over?"
Under the cobra on her forehead, Caroline's eyes widened and then slitted again. Her mouth
twisted, and she stepped closer to Elena.
"I will never forget," she said, and then she turned and left.
There was a silence, Bonnie and Matt looking at the floor. Elena stepped over to the doorway to
feel cool air on her cheeks. Outside she could see the field and the tossing branches of the oak trees
beyond, and once again she was overcome with that strange feeling of foreboding. Tonight's the night,
she thought wretchedly. Tonight's the night when it all happens. But what "it" was, she had no idea.
A voice sounded through the transformed gym. "All right, they're about to let the line in from the
parking lot. Cut the lights, Ed!" Suddenly, gloom descended and the air was filled with groans and
maniacal laughter, like an orchestra tuning up. Elena sighed and turned.
"Better get ready to start herding them through," she told Bonnie quietly. Bonnie nodded and
disappeared into the darkness. Matt had donned his werewolf head, and was turning on a tape deck
that added eerie music to the cacophony.
Stefan came around the corner, his hair and clothing melting into the darkness. Only his white
shirtfront showed up clearly. "Everything worked out with Tanner," he said. "Is there anything else I
can do?"
"Well, you could work here, with Matt, bringing people in…" Elena's voice trailed off. Matt was
bent over the tape deck, minutely adjusting the volume, not looking up. Elena looked at Stefan and
saw his face was tight and blank. "Or you could go into the boys' locker room and be in charge of
coffee and things for the workers," she finished tiredly.
"I'll go to the locker room," he said. As he turned away, she noticed a slight faltering in his step.
"Stefan? Are you all right?"
"Fine," he said, recovering his balance. "A little tired, that's all." She watched him go, her chest
feeling heavier every minute.
She turned to Matt, meaning to say something to him, but at that moment the line of visitors reached
the door.
"Show's on," he said, and crouched in the shadows.
Elena moved from room to room, troubleshooting. In years before, she had enjoyed this part of the
night the most, watching the gruesome scenes being acted out and the delicious terror of the visitors,
but tonight there was a feeling of dread and tension underlying all her thoughts. Tonight's the night, she
thought again, and the ice in her chest seemed to thicken.
A Grim Reaper – or at least that was what she supposed the hooded figure in black robes was –
passed by her, and she found herself absent-mindedly trying to remember if she had seen it at any of