Free Dead Rules by Randy Russell

Michael never made her feel this way.
    When she looked into Michael’s eyes, she saw herself. Jana saw herself as someone stronger. Someone bigger. When she looked at Mars, Jana got lost in his eyes. His gaze drew her inside and held her captive. Jana wanted to know what he was thinking. She was seemingly without a thought of her own.
    â€œThe second thing,” Mars said. “I wanted to ask where you’re from. I think we’re from the same area but not the same school.”
    â€œI don’t know,” Jana confessed. “I’ve been trying to think of it all day.”
    â€œCharlotte? Knoxville?”
    â€œIs that where we are?”
    â€œIn between,” he said. “We’re at the edge of Asheville, in the mountains. Black Mountain is east. Knoxville is west. And Charlotte’s south. You should be from somewhere around here.”
    â€œI am,” Jana said, scrunching her mouth. “I just can’t think of it.” Her toes were too cold for her to think.
    â€œIt happens. You forget things here. There’s no pattern to it. Some things just disappear. Big things, little things. One thing you’ll remember forever is your own death. That never goes.”
    â€œThat’s not so wonderful,” Jana said.
    â€œTell me about it. Some kids . . . well, they don’t want to remember.”
    â€œWhat else?” Jana didn’t want to forget anything.
    â€œYou’ll remember people your own age best and people you’ve known a long time, like your family. And things you paid a lot of attention to over the years, hobbies and stuff. But other things will just disappear. Over time, a lot of it is gone if you don’t work at remembering.”
    Not Michael, she decided. Jana wouldn’t forget Michael. Not for a minute. He was a part of her. “Webster and Haynes,” Jana said out loud to keep it fresh, to keep the two of them alive in her heart.
    â€œWebster and Haynes,” Mars said. “What’s that, a law firm?”
    â€œMy boyfriend,” Jana stammered. She was too cold to talk. How could she tell him everything about Michael when she was going to freeze to death any minute now?
    â€œOh yeah, I saw his ring,” Mars said absently. “Hey, wait. His ring, it has your school on it.”
    Jana lifted her hand close to her face to see the ring better in the dim light. It was the hand she’d been using to hold the waist of her plaid school skirt closed. The ring had a cat’s face in the middle. You could see it under the blue stone. The initials CHS were molded into one side and Michael’s graduation year in the other.
    â€œApparently I am from CHS and our mascot is either a tiger or a lion, or a fat man with whiskers.”
    Mars laughed. “Central High School,” he said. “And you’re the Panthers. One of your football players is in homeroom. He’s a Stretcher. There are a couple others you’ll recognize when you run across them.”
    â€œOh.” Jana meant to smile. But when she moved her mouth, her teeth chattered instead.
    Mars moved closer. Jana felt his warmth like a blanket softly pressed against her. “Your home-town is Asheville, Arden Lake, or Grove Park,” he said.
    Jana made a face. Asheville sounded right. But so did Arden Lake. She couldn’t remember.
    â€œI’m cold,” she finally blurted out. “I can’t think. I’m too cold.”
    Mars laughed again, but it was a smaller laugh. It stayed close between them like a secret shared. Even his laughter felt warm.
    â€œIt’s you,” he said. “Here, give me your hand.” Mars held out his hand to Jana. She placed hers inside his. He covered it with his other hand.
    â€œAh, nice,” Jana said in spite of herself. Her hand warmed instantly. The warmth radiated up her arm to her shoulders and neck. She flushed with heat. If he put his arm around her, she