Shadowshaper

On the bus to Manny’s, Bennie notices that her brother Vincent’s mural has begun to fade: “You can barely even see it anymore” (167). The group goes to the old church where Manny runs his printing press. Around back, they discover the trapdoor leading down into the cellar is wide open. Inside, Sierra can’t find the light switch, so they use their cell phones for light; Sierra worries that there might be throng haints hiding in the shadows. Sierra hears a “horrible rattling breath” that sounds like the haint that attacked her (170). Sierra trips over something, then realizes that it’s someone’s boot. Jerome turns the lights on in time to reveal Manny’s dead body, tied up in his chair. Sierra tries to close his eyes; as she does, Manny gasps and calls out her name, though it isn’t Manny’s voice: “it was the hideous cacophony of voices from the throng haint” (173). 

Sierra and her friends call the police then wait around the neighborhood, pretending to just be casual passers-by so they can ask how Manny is doing.