Excerpt: Frozen Charlotte

She looked out the little carriage window as they went over the great bridge. It linked the two cities of New York and Brooklyn, a great metal skeleton stretched over the river like the skeleton of an extinct giant, frozen in place. They clattered on, past the Brooklyn Navy Yard, down Fulton Street. Then it seemed to her that they turned and headed south.

“We just need to stop here to pick up a friend,” he said. They were at tall gates and it was silent and dark. She knew these Gothic gates and it was no place for the living on a frigid January night. Or any night. “No," she cried, suddenly afraid. “No, not here. There are no friends here.” He laughed and jumped out and she felt the driver jump too. The horses bolted and tore off down the icy avenue. They skidded and the light carriage flew up into the air and bounded behind the terrified, skittering horses. She was thrown from the seat and the door yielded to the force of her body. Everything went dark.