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couldn’t stand the thought of being within easy reach of the rest。 I stayed pressed against the wall where I
stood。 Only Sharon and Maggie watched him go to a big plastic bin on one counter and grab a roll。
Everyone else watched me。 I was certain that if I moved an inch； they would pounce。 I tried not to
breathe。
“Well； let’s just keep on movin’；” Jeb suggested around a mouthful of bread as he ambled back to me。
“Nobody seems able to concentrate on their lunch。 Easily distracted； this set。”
I was watching the humans for sudden movements； not really seeing their faces after that first moment
when I recognized the few I could put names to。 So it wasn’t until Jamie stood up that I noticed him
there。
He was a head shorter than the adults beside him； but taller than the two smaller children who perched
on the counter on his other side。 He hopped lightly off his seat and followed behind Jeb。 His expression
was tight； pressed； like he was trying to solve a difficult equation in his head。 He examined me
through narrow eyes as he approached on Jeb’s heels。 Now I wasn’t the only one in the room holding
my breath。 The others’ gazes shifted back and forth between Melanie’s brother and me。
Oh； Jamie；Melanie thought。 She hated the sad； adult expression on his face； and I probably hated it
even more。 She didn’t feel as guilty as I did for putting it there。
If only we could take it away。She sighed。
It’s too late。 What could we do to make it better now？
I didn’t mean the question more than rhetorically； but I found myself searching for an answer； and
Melanie searched； too。 We found nothing in the brief second we had to consider the matter； there was
nothing to be found； I was sure。 But we both knew we would be searching again when we were done
with this asinine tour and had a chance to think。 If we lived that long。
“Whatcha need； kid？” Jeb asked without looking at him。
“Just wondering what you’re doing；” Jamie answered； his voice striving for nonchalance and only just
failing。
Jeb stopped when he got to me and turned to look at Jamie。 “Takin’ her for a tour of the place。 Just like
I do for any newer。”
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter； processtext/abclit。html
。
“Can I e？” Jamie asked。
I saw Sharon shake her head feverishly； her expression outraged。 Jeb ignored her。
“Doesn’t bother me… if you can mind your manners。”
Jamie shrugged。 “No problem。”
I had to move then—to knot my fingers together in front of me。 I wanted so badly to push Jamie’s untidy
hair out of his eyes and then leave my arm around his neck。 Something that would not go over well； I was
sure。
“Let’s go；” Jeb said to us both。 He took us back out the way we had e。 Jeb walked on one side of
me； Jamie on the other。 Jamie seemed to be trying to stare at the floor； but he kept glancing up at my
face—just like I couldn’t help glancing down at his。 Whenever our eyes met； we looked away again
quickly。
We were about halfway down the big hall when I heard the quiet footsteps behind us。 My reaction was
instantaneous and unthinking。 I skittered to one side of the tunnel； sweeping Jamie along with one arm so
that I was between him and whatever was ing for me。
“Hey！” he protested； but he did not knock my arm away。
Jeb was just as quick。 The gun twirled out of its strap with blinding speed。
Ian and the doctor both raised their hands above their heads。
“We can mind our manners； too；” the doctor said。 It was hard to believe that this soft…spoken man with
the friendly expression was the resident torturer； he was all the more terrifying to me because his exterior
was so benign。 A person would be on her guard on a dark and ominous night； a person would be ready。
But on a clear； sunny day？ How would she know to flee when she couldn’t see any place for danger to
hide？
Jeb squinted at Ian； the barrel of the gun shifting to follow his gaze。
“I don’t mean any trouble； Jeb。 I’ll be just as mannerly as Doc。”
“Fine；” Jeb said curtly； stowing his gun。 “Just don’t test me。 I haven’t shot anybody in a real long time；
and I sort of miss the thrill of it。”
I gasped。 Everyone heard that and turned to see my horrified expression。 The doctor was the first one to
laugh； but even Jamie joined in briefly。
“It’s a joke；” Jamie whispered to me。 His hand strayed from his side； almost as if he was reaching for
mine； but he quickly shoved it into the pocket of his shorts。 I let my arm—still stretched protectively in
front of his body—drop； too。
“Well； the day’s wasting；” Jeb said； still a little surly。 “You’ll all have to keep up； ’cause I’m not waiting
on you。” He stalked forward before he was done speaking。
Named
Ikept tight to Jeb’s side； a little in front of him。 I wanted to be as far as possible from the two men
following us。 Jamie walked somewhere in the middle； not sure of where he wanted to be。
I wasn’t able to concentrate much on the rest of Jeb’s tour。 My attention was not focused on the second
set of gardens he led me through—one with corn growing waist…high in the blistering heat of the brilliant
mirrors—or the wide but low…ceilinged cavern he called the “rec room。” That one was pitch…black and
deep underground； but he told me they brought in lights when they wanted to play。 The wordplay didn’t
make sense to me； not here in this group of tense； angry survivors； but I didn’t ask him to explain。 There
was more water here； a tiny； noxiously sulfurous spring that Jeb said they sometimes used as a second
latrine because it was no good for drinking。
My attention was divided between the men walking behind us and the boy at my side。
Ian and the doctor did mind their manners surprisingly well。 No one attacked me from behind—though I
thought my eyes might get lodged in the back of my head from trying to see if they were about to。 They
just followed quietly； sometimes talking to each other in low voices。 Their ments revolved around
names I didn’t know and nicknames for places and things that might or might not have been inside