Up All Night

by Laura Silverman

  The night passed. A few cars whispered by on the narrow road below the staircase, a few bats fluttered overhead, but no ghost appeared. The Ghost of Goon Creek became the excuse for us to haunt the graveyard until the early morning hours. Grace abandoned her notes and her recorders in favor of a game of speed against me, in which she beat me without breaking a sweat; Allegra found a bird skeleton behind one of the headstones and took pictures; Maybank sat around looking uncomfortable until Sami challenged him to sprints, and they took off from one end of the cemetery to the other. Maybank won; Sami tried to pants him as revenge; Maybank chased Sami up a tree, where Sami perched on a branch ten feet up and crowed at the sky.

  When we sat around the lantern again, I unloaded all the local ghost stories I knew, every urban legend, every unsolved mystery. Everything Goon Creek and the surrounding towns had to offer. Things I’d looked into myself, nothing Tony had taught me.

  “I collect them,” I finally admitted. “I want to put them all in a book.”

  Sami snapped his fingers. “We should investigate them, and you and Gracie can write a book about it.”

  “You all actually want to do this again?”

  “Yes,” Allegra blurted out immediately, and no one argued with her, not even Maybank.

  I shrugged, but I couldn’t say I wasn’t excited by the idea. I’d thought about going to seek out the other stories, but I’d never done it because Tony had never wanted to go.

  Tony had been my only friend for too damn long. He’d moved on; maybe it was time for me to do the same thing.

  Bleary-eyed and stuffed with junk food, we lay in the grass around the angel statue and watched the sky lighten over the treetops.

  “Better head back,” I said, dragging myself up. “It’ll take a while.”

  “Oh god,” Sami groaned from inside the alligator head. He’d been wearing it for the last half hour, swearing he wasn’t falling asleep but occasionally snoring. “I forgot we have to walk all the way back.”

  “It’s a shorter distance in the light.”

  One by one, we peeled ourselves off the ground and packed up our things. The cemetery was quiet; the dewy morning softened the overgrown foliage and cradled the worn headstones. We trudged back down the steps—every single one of them—to the narrow road.

  The walk back through the woods was silent in a nice sort of way. My throat was sore from talking, my face tired from smiling. I’d sleep the rest of the day when I got home. The only one who didn’t seem to feel the effects of staying up all night was Grace, who still looked fresh as a spring day.

  Sami threw his arms into the air when the soccer field and the parking lot appeared. “Salvation!”

  “Roll your window down while you’re driving so the wind keeps you awake,” Allegra said, pulling her ponytail out and wincing as she massaged her scalp. “Did you hear what I said? Drive safe.”

  “So we are doing this again, right?” Sami asked. “For Syd and Gracie’s book?”

  “Sounds good to me,” Maybank replied, sounding surprised to hear himself say it. He held my backpack while I shrugged out of his letter jacket. “It was fun.”

  “I’m definitely in.” Allegra yawned. “Mabes, you’re driving me home. I’ll see you all at school. Later.”

  “See you Gracie, see you Syd.” Sami bounded off to his own car, buoyed by his second wind.

  The three of them drove off. I had expected to feel hollow at their departure, like the night’s openness around each other had evaporated, but all I felt now was the light giddiness that comes with too little sleep. They’d all started calling me Syd. I had each of their phone numbers saved in my phone. I knew things about them not many other people knew, and they knew things about me. Too much for any of us to stay mysterious.

  “Do you have everything for your article?” I asked Grace as she stuffed her bag and supplies into her car.

  “Oh, definitely,” she said. “It’s going to be so great—I’ll send you a draft as soon as I have it typed up.”

  “That’s okay, you don’t have to. I trust you.” I picked at my backpack strap. “So . . . I figured Sami was joking about actually going around visiting all those places for the book.”

  Grace looked up at me, and for a horrible split second I thought she was going to agree that it had been a joke, that of course Sami hadn’t meant it.

  “No way,” she said. “He was very serious. And I think it’s a great idea. It would be amazing to collaborate on it, and with the others it could be so Scooby-Doo . . . oh my god, we should give ourselves a name! Okay, I’m going to go home and think of a group name, and you make a list of places we’re going to go. We could make a video series. We could make a podcast. This is going to be amazing, I can’t wait.” Grace jumped into her car and leaned out the window as she turned the ignition. “I’ll text you later with ideas!”

  Then she was gone, too, and I was left alone. But I didn’t feel alone; I felt all of them still there, with shared memories of where we went tonight, and the warmth of their numbers in my phone.

  I took my phone out. The signal was strong here.

  Went to see the ghost tonight, I typed. Then I paused, thought for a moment, deleted that text, and retyped.

  My friends are doing a podcast of local ghost stories. Let me know if you want to be a guest.

  I sent it. Tony didn’t respond; he wouldn’t wake up for hours.

  Acknowledgments

  Mom and Dad, thank you for putting up with your insomniac child for years and for ignoring the flashlight under my covers as I stayed up (way) past my bedtime to read. I love you both more than anything in the world and am so grateful to have you as my parents.

  Contributors, thank you for putting your hearts into these stories. I’m absolutely honored to be the editor of this anthology and am in love with every piece in this collection. You have my endless gratitude for making Up All Night even better than I’d imagined. It’s magical and perfect.

  Jim McCarthy, thank you for your continued guidance and support. We just passed our six-year anniversary as agent and client. I’m so grateful to have you at my side.

  Algonquin, you have my endless thanks not only for publishing this anthology but also for packaging it so beautifully. Thank you to my lovely and insightful editor, Krestyna Lypen. Thank you to the brilliant Connie Gabbert for designing this absolutely gorgeous cover. And thank you to the entire Algonquin team, including but certainly not limited to Kelly Doyle, Megan Harley, and Ashley Mason.

  My friends and family, thank you for your support. This past year has been difficult for all of us, but like the aim of this anthology, you’ve all brought a little magic to my life. Thank you to: Bubbie, Papa Bobby, Kayla Burson, Kiki Chatzopoulou, Alison Doherty, Brittany Kane, Deborah Kim, Katie King, Alex Kuntz, Elise LaPlante, Katherine Menezes, Anna Meriano, Christy Michell, Lauren Sandler Rose, Ariel Russ, Melissa Sandler, Amanda Saulsberry, Lauren Vassallo, and Kayla Whaley.

  And lastly, thank you to readers, teachers, librarians, and booksellers. Without you, none of this would be possible. Thank you for taking a chance on this collection.

  The middle of the night has always been a magical time for me. I hope these stories allow you to access all the wonderful, unique feelings that can be stumbled upon only in those odd hours.

  Thank you for reading.

  All my best,

  Laura Silverman

  About the Authors

  BRANDY COLBERT is the author of several books for children and teens, including The Voting Booth, The Only Black Girls in Town, and Stonewall Book Award winner Little & Lion. She is co-writer of Misty Copeland’s Life in Motion young readers edition, and her short fiction and essays have been published in a variety of anthologies. Her books have been chosen as Junior Library Guild Selections and have appeared on many best-of lists, including the American Library Association’s Best Fict
ion for Young Adults and Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers. She is on the faculty at Hamline University’s MFA program in Writing for Children, and lives in Los Angeles.

  KATHLEEN GLASGOW is the New York Times bestselling author of the young adult novels Girl in Pieces and How to Make Friends with the Dark. She lives in Arizona. You can find her online at kathleenglasgowbooks.com, on Twitter: @kathglasgow, and on Instagram: @misskathleenglasgow.

  MAURENE GOO is the author of several critically acclaimed books for young adults, including I Believe in a Thing Called Love, The Way You Make Me Feel, and Somewhere Only We Know. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and cat, Maeby.

  TIFFANY D. JACKSON is the author of the Coretta Scott King–John Steptoe New Talent Award–winning Monday’s Not Coming; the NAACP Image Award–nominated Allegedly; Let Me Hear a Rhyme; and Grown. She received her bachelor of arts in film from Howard University and her master of arts in media studies from the New School, and has over a decade of TV and film experience. The Brooklyn native is a lover of naps, cookie dough, and beaches, and is currently residing in the borough she loves, most likely multitasking.

  AMANDA JOY is the author of A River of Royal Blood. She earned her MFA in Writing for Children at the New School. She lives in Chicago with her dog, Luna. You can find her online at amandajoywrites.com, and on Instagram and Twitter: @amandajoywrites.

  NINA LaCOUR is the nationally bestselling and Michael L. Printz Award–winning author of We Are Okay, Watch Over Me, and several other novels for teenagers. She hosts a podcast called Keeping a Notebook and is the founder of the Slow Novel Lab. Nina also writes for young children and adults. You can find her online at ninalacour.com, and on Instagram and Twitter: @nina_lacour.

  KAREN M. McMANUS is the #1 New York Times, USA Today, and internationally bestselling author of One of Us Is Lying and its sequel, One of Us Is Next; Two Can Keep a Secret; and The Cousins. Her work has been translated into more than forty languages worldwide. Karen lives in Massachusetts and holds a master’s degree in journalism from Northeastern University, which she mostly uses to draft fake news stories for her novels. You can find her online at karenmcmanus.com, and on Instagram and Twitter: @writerkmc.

  ANNA MERIANO is the author of the Love Sugar Magic series and This Is How We Fly. She graduated from Rice University and earned her MFA in Writing for Children from the New School. Anna works as a tutor and part-time teacher in her hometown of Houston. In her free time, she likes to knit and play full-contact quidditch. She stayed awake for thirty-six hours at her senior prom.

  MARIEKE NIJKAMP is a #1 New York Times bestselling author of young adult novels, graphic novels, and comics. Her work includes This Is Where It Ends, Even If We Break, and The Oracle Code. She also edited the anthology Unbroken: 13 Stories Starring Disabled Teens. Marieke is a nonbinary, disabled storyteller, dreamer, and geek.

  LAURA SILVERMAN is an author and freelance editor who currently lives in Brooklyn, NY. She earned her MFA in Writing for Children at the New School. Her books include Girl Out of Water, You Asked for Perfect, It’s a Whole Spiel, Recommended for You, and the upcoming Those Summer Nights. Girl Out of Water was a Junior Library Guild Selection, and You Asked for Perfect was named to best teen fiction lists by YALSA, Chicago Public Library, and the Georgia Center for the Book. You can find her online at LauraSilvermanWrites.com, and on Twitter: @LJSilverman1.

  KAYLA WHALEY lives outside of Atlanta, where she buys too many books and drinks too many lattes. Her work has appeared in the anthologies Here We Are, Unbroken, and Vampires Never Get Old, as well as in publications like Bustle, Catapult, and Michigan Quarterly Review. She holds an MFA from the University of Tampa and was formerly senior editor at Disability in Kidlit.

  JULIAN WINTERS is the author of the IBPA Benjamin Franklin Gold Award–winning Running with Lions; the Junior Library Guild Selections How to Be Remy Cameron and The Summer of Everything; and the upcoming Right Where I Left You. A former management trainer, Julian currently lives outside of Atlanta, where he can be found reading, being a self-proclaimed comic book geek, or watching the only two sports he can follow— volleyball and soccer.

  FRANCESCA ZAPPIA lives in Indiana and graduated from the University of Indianapolis with a degree in computer science and mathematics. When she’s not writing, she’s reading, cooking, or playing video games. She was chosen as the 2017 Emerging Author at the Indiana Authors Awards. Her second novel, Eliza and Her Monsters, was chosen as a Kirkus Best Teen Book of 2017 and a Junior Library Guild Selection, and was among the Top 10 of the YALSA 2018 Best Fiction for Young Adults list. You can find her online at francescazappia.com, and on Instagram and Twitter: @ChessieZappia.

  Also by Laura Silverman

  Girl Out of Water

  You Asked for Perfect

  It’s a Whole Spiel

  Recommended for You

  Published by Algonquin Young Readers

  an imprint of Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill

  Post Office Box 2225

  Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27515-2225

  a division of Workman Publishing

  225 Varick Street

  New York, New York 10014

  Collection copyright © 2021 by Laura Silverman.

  “What about Your Friends” copyright © 2021 by Brandy Colbert. “Missing” copyright © 2021 by Kathleen Glasgow. “Like Before” copyright © 2021 by Maurene Goo. “Shark Bait” copyright © 2021 by Tiffany D. Jackson. “Kiss the Boy” copyright © 2021 by Amanda Joy. “A Place to Start” copyright © 2021 by Nina LaCour. “Never Have I Ever” copyright © 2021 by Karen M. McManus. “When You Bring a Dog to Prom” copyright © 2021 by Anna Meriano. “Con Nights, Parallel Hearts” copyright © 2021 by Marieke Nijkamp. “Creature Capture” copyright © 2021 by Laura Silverman. “Old Rifts and Snowdrifts” copyright © 2021 by Kayla Whaley. “Under Our Masks” copyright © 2021 by Julian Winters. “The Ghost of Goon Creek” copyright © 2021 by Francesca Zappia.

  All Rights Reserved.

  Published simultaneously in Canada by Thomas Allen & Son Limited.

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available.

  eISBN: 9781643751641