Dread Locks #1: The U.S. Army and Economic Development, 1787-1860 (Dark Fusion)

In the first book of the Dark Fusion series, a young boy would love something—anything—to bring some excitement to his mundane existence. He gets it when the girl next door entangles him in her dark games.

When fifteen-year-old Parker Baer sees moving vans pulling up to the mansion next door, he hopes his new neighbors will relieve the boredom that has come from his having it all. The very next day, his life is enlivened by the discovery of a strange girl asleep in his bed.

About his age, she is exotic-looking with long, glimmering spirals of golden hair that seem almost alive. Tara’s intrusion into his home is the first of many eccentric behaviors that intrigue Parker. She always keeps her eyes hidden behind reflective sunglasses, she stays by herself in a house full of statues, and she has a habit of borrowing things from others without asking.

Parker watches, fascinated, as one by one Tara chooses high school students to befriend; he even helps her by making the necessary introductions. Over time her “friends” develop strange quirks, such as drinking gallons of milk, eating dirt, and becoming lethargic. By the time Parker realizes what Tara is doing, he is too embroiled to stop her. In fact, she has endowed him with certain cravings of his own . . .

Neal Shusterman is an award-winning author and screenwriter.  He lives in Southern California with his four children.