We had to do it late at night.

We talked about it a lot before. Ian was worried that someone, maybe the cops, would see–would notice the cross, and dig her up–and then I was worried too, but Amish said that we needed the cross, even though none of us believe in God.

Todd was really smart: he dug up the moss and the dirt from the top in big, flat pieces, and afterwards we put them back; it was like putting together a giant puzzle, and when we were done it looked really natural: like nothing was buried there.

We still check it all the time, and no one's dug it up yet. No one has even taken the cross or the wreath.

We made the wreath together on the day we buried her, and Amish's little sister Haley carried it along with the boom box while the four of us carried the body. She was heavier than I expected. I was so sure we were gonna get caught. She was inside a dark blue dry cleaning bag, but she looked like a body.

When we got to the spot we'd chosen–about halfway between the Howard's and the McClain's–Todd dug up his puzzle pieces and then we all dug the hole together: even little Haley with her red plastic snow shovel. We'd brought our shovels out to the highway and hidden them there the day before.

We tried to put her in gently, but she sort of fell. After she was in the hole Ian said a few words, and then we were all pretty nervous: we didn't want to throw dirt on her. Amish told Haley not to watch, but Haley stayed. We covered her up with the all dirt we'd just dug out, and then we helped Ian with his pieces. Haley put the wreath on top and Ian said "amen", and Amish said "good bye", and Todd and I put the cross into the ground and stepped on the bars until it sunk in deep enough to stand on it's own, and then some more to make it secure.

After that we put on Laurah's boom box, and Amish found a station on the radio that played sad country music. We were all tired but Haley didn't sit down, so none of us did; we just stood around the grave until Todd–who has good ears–switched off the music and said "car", and we all walked into the trees to hide.

The car went past, and then Haley went right back up to the grave again and stood looking at it. She seemed pretty serious, but I guess we all were, and then I realized that eventually we'd all have to go back home, and I didn't want to be by myself so I waited for somebody to say something.

Amish put the radio back on, but quieter, and Todd sat down first and then we all did– except for Ian, who's weird and stoic.

When it started to feel like dawn was coming, Todd stood up, and then the rest of us got up too. Haley almost fell back down again because she was tired, and for some reason I felt really bad for her, and also for myself and for Amish and Todd and Ian.

"See you at school" Todd said.

"Bye" I said, and then "see you at church" to Amish and Haley, because it was Sunday.

They said "good bye", and Ian said "see ya", and then we all looked at the cross and the wreath for a minute longer before we left with our shovels.

By the time I got home it was getting pretty light out, but I didn't want to go inside so I put the shovel back in the shed and lay down in the yard, where I actually fell asleep. Mom got kind of mad at me for it, but Amish told me later that she and Haley did the same thing.