按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
only a few inches from me。 I scooted away； unfortable。
Jared had a different reaction。 He lunged toward me； closing the length of the hallway in a few running
strides。 I cowered into the wall and covered my face with my arms。 Peeking around my elbow； I
watched him jerk the gun up from the floor。
“Are you trying to get us killed？” he almost screamed at Jeb； shoving the gun into the old man’s chest。
“Shut up； Jeb； just shut up！”
“Leave him alone；” Jamie shouted。 “He didn’t do anything wrong。”
“You！” Jared shouted back； turning on the slim； angry figure。 “You get out of herenow； or sohelp me！”
Jamie balled his fists and stood his ground。
Jared’s fists came up； too。
I was rooted in place with shock。 How could they scream at each other this way？ They were family； the
bonds between them stronger than any blood tie。 Jared wouldn’t hit Jamie—he couldn’t！ I wanted to do
something； but I didn’t know what to do。 Anything that brought me to their attention would only make
them angrier。
For once； Melanie was calmer than I was。He can’t hurt Jamie； she thought confidently。It’s not
possible。
I looked at them； facing off like enemies； and panicked。
We should never have e here。 See how unhappy we’ve made them；I moaned。
“You shouldn’t have tried to keep this a secret from me；” Jamie said between his teeth。 “And you
shouldn’t have hurt her。” One of his hands unclenched and flew out to point at my face。
Jared spit on the floor。 “That’s not Melanie。 She’s never ing back； Jamie。”
“That’s her face；” Jamie insisted。 “And her neck。 Don’t the bruises therebother you？”
Jared dropped his hands。 He closed his eyes and took a deep breath。 “You will either leave right now；
Jamie； and give me some space； or I willmake you leave。 I am not bluffing。 I can’t deal with any more
right now； okay？ I’m at my limit。 So can we please have this conversation later？” He opened his eyes
again； they were full of pain。
Jamie looked at him； and the anger drained slowly from his face。 “Sorry；” he muttered after a moment。
“I’ll go… but I’m not promising that I won’t e back。”
“I can’t think about that now。 Go。 Please。”
Jamie shrugged。 He threw one more searching look at me； and then he left； his quick； long stride making
me ache again for the time I’d missed。
Jared looked at Jeb。 “You； too；” he said in a flat voice。
Jeb rolled his eyes。 “I don’t think you’ve had a long enough break； to be honest。 I’ll keep an eye on —”
“Go。”
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter； processtext/abclit。html
。
“Jeb？” Jared called after him。
“Yeah？”
“If I asked you to shoot it right now； would you do it？”
Jeb kept walking slowly； not looking at us； but his words were clear。 “I’d have to。 I follow my own
rules。 So don’t ask me unless you really mean it。”
He disappeared into the dark。
Jared watched him go。 Before he could turn his glower on me； I ducked into my unfortable
sanctuary and curled up in the back corner。
CHAPTER 18
Bored
Ispent the rest of the day； with one brief exception； in total silence。
That exception occurred when Jeb brought food for both Jared and me several hours later。 As he set the
tray inside the entrance to my tiny cave； he smiled at me apologetically。
“Thank you；” I whispered。
“You’re wele；” he told me。
I heard Jared grunt； irritated by our small exchange。
That was the only sound Jared made all day。 I was sure he was out there； but there was never so much
as an audible breath to confirm that conviction。
It was a very long day—very cramped and very dull。 I tried every position I could imagine； but I could
never quite manage to get all of me stretched out fortably at once。 The small of my back began a
steady throbbing。
Melanie and I thought a lot about Jamie。 Mostly we worried that we had damaged him by ing here；
that we were injuring him now。 What was a kept promise in parison with that？
Time lost meaning。 It could have been sunset； it could have been dawn—I had no references here；
buried in the earth。 Melanie and I ran out of topics for discussion。 We flipped through our joint memories
apathetically； like switching TV channels without stopping to watch anything in particular。 I napped once
but could not fall soundly asleep because I was so unfortable。
When Jeb finally came back； I could have kissed his leathery face。 He leaned into my cell with a grin
stretching his cheeks。
“’Bout time for another walk？” he asked me。
“I’ll do it；” Jared growled。 “Give me the gun。”
I hesitated； crouched awkwardly in the mouth of my cave； until Jeb nodded at me。
“Go ahead；” he told me。
I climbed out； stiff and unsteady； and took Jeb’s offered hand to balance myself。 Jared made a sound of
revulsion and turned his face away。 He was holding the gun tightly； his knuckles white over the barrel。 I
didn’t like to see it in his hands。 It bothered me more than it did with Jeb。
Jared didn’t make allowances for me the way Jeb had。 He stalked off into the black tunnel without
pausing for me to catch up。
It was hard—he didn’t make much noise and he didn’t guide me； so I had to walk with one hand in front
of my face and one hand on the wall； trying not to run into the rock。 I fell twice on the uneven floor。
Though he did not help me； he did wait till he could hear that I was on my feet again to continue。 Once；
hurrying through a straighter section of the tube； I got too close and my searching hand touched his back；
traced across the shape of his shoulders； before I realized that I hadn’t reached another wall。 He jumped
ahead； jerking out from under my fingers with an angry hiss。
“Sorry；” I whispered； feeling my cheeks turn warm in the darkness。
He didn’t respond； but sped his pace so that following was even more difficult。
I was confused when； finally； some light appeared ahead of me。 Had we taken a different route？ This
was not the white brilliance of the biggest cavern。 It was muted； pale and silvery。 But the narrow crevice
we’d had to pass throu