Dr.

Wow, look at this stuff, I said, crouching in the dusty building to look at the odd knickknacks arranged in a crude approximation of a shrine.

Beams of sunlight shone through holes in the roof. Shrine. kitty structure as Largo stepped beside me.

Looks like some sort of shrine, I said, looking up at my tall friend.

Dude, Largo said, reaching one thick and clumsy hand out toward a human-like figurine that looked to be made of twisted plant roots.

Don't touch it, I said, but it was too late.

Largo yanked the thing from its perch and brought it up to his earnestly handsome face,

his thick lips parting as his green eyes widened.

I looked over at Kyler, whose face was obscured by the camera he held in both hands.

Looking directly into the camera, I made a frightened face that I hoped said,

this guy is going to be the death of us.

Man, this shit is boring, Largo said, chucking the figurine back at the shrine,

knocking a couple of onyx-colored rocks off.

I winced, stepping back from the shrine.

Seriously, man, stop!

You don't know what you're messing with.

Largo gave me an insolent look, and then used one thick hand to swipe a shelf of knickknacks to the floor. Candles, shriveled chicken feet, and rocks

with strange symbols carved into them clattered to the dusty wood-planked floor.

Don't tell me you believe in that shit, Largo said. I kept my mouth and a shocked

oh. My eyes fixed on the floor at my feet as though the knickknacks had been a priceless

vase that now lay shattered there. In my peripheral vision, I saw

Kyler getting closer with the camera. When I didn't answer, Largo laughed and knocked the

...