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Eric took the driver’s seat, and we drove back into the heart of the darkness that was my home city. The streetlights burned brightly as we drove into the urban outskirts where the blocks varied as much in style as care. Some neighborhoods were well furnished with love and attention, while others looked like they had been neglected for most of their existence. You can guess which one of those descriptions fit where Mr. Skafos lived.
My ancient vehicle puttered through one of the run-down neighborhoods where single-floor homes sat on large, weed-choked lawns, if they even had that. Some were junkyards in the making, and others had only patches of dirt. A few scraggly trees grew up out of the ground, more by miracle than care of the owner. One of those gnarled trees, a twisted spe
