Mr. Fahrenheit by T. Michael Martin

that that is a bad thing.”
    Ellie was quiet a long time before she said, “Benji Lightman, you know what I think? I think that may be bullshit, but it’s the most beautiful bullshit in this world.”
    â€œI don’t know if that’s a compliment.”
    â€œThat makes two of us.” She grinned. “I wish I could be that sure. I’m still kinda terrified to give myself to this fully. I trust you , but I don’t trust this situation. Part of me just wants to walk away.
    â€œIf this is going to work, you and I have to do it together. We’re different from CR and Zeeko, Benji. You know that, don’t you?”
    Benji felt warmth spread in his chest. He nodded.
    â€œWe won’t joke about what is happening,” Ellie said. “Or deny it because it’s scary. And the one thing we absolutely will not do is forget. We won’t forget that that there is no instruction manual for the impossible. We have to swear to be absurdly careful and totally honest with each other, Benji Lightman, okay?”
    â€œOf course,” Benji said. “I swear.”
    She seemed to search his face. She must have liked what she found there, because she extended her hand, which he shook. “I got the school’s camera,” she said. “So I guess let’s go record history or what ever. Pics or it didn’t happen, am I right?”

7
    A s they drove through the night toward the quarry, Benji thought about the House.
    The House’s rusty front door had shrieked like a demon as it opened. He walked down the hall; creatures skittered within the walls. Spinney had said he had to spend two minutes alone in the living room. Benji stood as still as possible in that casket-dark room, counting one-Mississippi s, his LED wand quivering in his hand—
    A door across the room banged open and an actual ghost came roaring toward him.
    â€œCOME TO THE BASEMENT, LIGHTMAN!” it moaned. “COME STAY WITH ME FOREVERRRR!”
    Benji, of course, freaked. He tried to flee but tripped on his own feet, falling down on his beloved wand, snapping it in two.
    The ghost began to laugh. It raised its hand. Which held an iPhone.
    â€œYou are such a woman ,” Shaun Spinney said, pulling the sheet off his head. He kept the phone pointed at Benji.
    He’s recording me , Benji thought. He sprinted into the hall,but Spinney’s friends stood in the front doorway, trapping him, their laughter booming. CR, Zeeko, and Ellie raced in behind them, their faces matted with dirt (Spinney’s friends had pinned them to the ground). Ellie had said she would try to make it, and it turned out she had.
    â€œI’m so sorry, Benji,” Zeeko said, about to cry. “I tried to scream, I really tried.”
    â€œYou dickwads,” Ellie said furiously. “Screw you ! You hear me? Go to hell!”
    And CR, this homeschooled kid who was always so awkward and timid and kind, glared at Spinney with a look like black ice.
    â€œWhat are you doing?” CR said.
    â€œUploading your little friend, is what I’m doing,” Spinney said, grinning with half his mouth. “Lightman, you’re gonna be one viral-ass video.”
    It was over. Benji would be a loser forever. The internet does not forget.
    â€œPut the damn phone down,” growled CR.
    And Benji noticed something: CR had a stone in his hand.
    CR’s arm cocked fiercely back, like the hammer of a gun. His whole body hauled forward with frightening power and grace, launching the stone down the hallway with a song of wind. The stone hit its mark, smashing into the center of the phone’s screen. The phone flipped from Spinney’s fingers, then vanished into a black hole in one of the rotting floorboards.
    The world went silent with amazement.
    Spinney blinked at his hand. Spinney’s friends blinked at him.
    CR’s huge eyes echoed the same awe and fear Benji felt.
    How. Did you. Do that? Benji