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empty。 I nodded to myself。 Yes； this I needed。
“Let’s go。”
“Hold on；” I said。
I crouched to look at myself in the side mirror。
Not good。 I flipped my chin…length hair over my cheek； but it wasn’t enough。 I touched my cheek and
bit my lip。
“Jared。 I can’t go in with my face like this。” I pointed to the long； jagged scar across my skin。
“What？” he demanded。
“No soul would have a scar like this。 They would have had it treated。 They’ll wonder where I’ve been。
They’ll ask questions。”
His eyes widened and then narrowed。 “Maybe you should have thought of this before I snuck you out。 If
we go back now； they’ll think it was a ploy for you to learn the way out。”
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter； processtext/abclit。html
。
His got harder to match it。 “What do you propose we do； then； Wanda？”
“I’ll need a rock。” I sighed。 “You’re going to have to hit me。”
CHAPTER 44
Healed
Wanda…”
“We don’t have time。 I’d do it myself； but I can’t get the angle right。 There’s no other way。”
“I don’t think I can… do it。”
“For Jamie； even？” I pushed the good side of my face as hard as I could against the headrest of the
passenger seat and closed my eyes。
Jared was holding the rough fist…sized stone I’d found。 He’d been weighing it in his hand for five minutes。
“You just have to get the first few layers of skin off。 Just hide the scar； that’s all。 C’mon； Jared； we have
to hurry。 Jamie…”
Tell him I said to do it now。 And make it a good one。
“Mel says do it now。 And make sure you do it hard enough。 Get it all the first time。”
Silence。
“Do it； Jared！”
He took a deep breath； a gasp。 I felt the air move and squeezed my eyes tighter。
It made a squishing sound and a thud—that was the first thing I noticed—and then the shock of the blow
wore off； and I felt it； too。
“Ungh；” I groaned。 I hadn’t meant to make any sound。 I knew that would make it worse for him。 But so
much was involuntary with this body。 Tears sprang up in my eyes； and I coughed to hide a sob。 My head
rang； vibrated in aftershock。
“Wanda？ Mel？ I’m sorry！”
His arms wrapped around us； pulled us into his chest。
“’S okay；” I whimpered。 “We’re okay。 Did you get it all？”
His hand touched my chin； turned my head。
“Ahh；” he gasped； sickened。 “I took half your face off。 I’m so sorry。”
“Right。” His voice was still weak； but he leaned me back into my seat； settling me carefully； and then the
car rumbled beneath us。
Ice…cold air blew in my face； shocking me； stinging my raw cheek。 I’d forgotten what air…conditioning
felt like。
I opened my eyes。 We were driving down a smooth wash—smoother than it should have been； carefully
altered to be this way。 It snaked away from us； coiling around the brush。 I couldn’t see very far ahead。
I pulled the visor down and flipped open the mirror。 In the shadowy moonlight； my face was black and
white。 Black all across the right side； oozing down my chin； dripping across my neck； and seeping into
the collar of my new； clean shirt。
My stomach heaved。
“Good job；” I whispered。
“How much pain are you in？”
“Not much；” I lied。 “Anyway； it won’t hurt much longer。 How far are we from Tucson？”
Just then； we reached pavement。 Funny how the sight of it made my heart race in panic。 Jared stopped；
keeping the car hidden in the brush。 He got out and removed the tarps and chains from the bumper；
putting them in the trunk。 He got back in and eased the car forward； checking carefully to make sure the
highway was empty。 He reached for the headlights。
“Wait；” I whispered。 I couldn’t speak louder。 I felt so exposed here。 “Let me drive。”
He looked at me。
“It can’t look like Iwalked to the hospital like this。 Too many questions。 I have to drive。 You hide in the
back and tell me where to go。 Is there something you can hide under？”
“Okay；” he said slowly。 He put the car into reverse and pulled it back into the deeper brush。 “Okay。 I’ll
hide。 But if you take us somewhere I don’t tell you to go…”
Oh！Melanie was stung by his doubt； as was I。
My voice was flat。 “Shoot me。”
He didn’t answer。 He got out； leaving the engine running。 I slid across the cup holders into his seat。 I
heard the trunk slam。
Jared climbed into the backseat； a thick plaid blanket under his arm。
“Turn right at the road；” he said。
The car was an automatic； but it had been a long time and I was unsure behind the wheel。 I moved
ahead carefully； pleased to find that I remembered how to drive。 The highway was still empty。 I pulled
“Lights；” Jared said。 His voice came from low on the bench。
I searched till I found the switch； then flicked them on。 They seemed horribly bright。
We weren’t far from Tucson—I could see a yellowish glow of color against the sky。 The lights of the
city ahead。
“You could drive a little faster。”
“I’m right at the limit；” I protested。
He paused for a second。 “Souls don’t speed？”
I laughed。 The sound was only a tad hysterical。 “We obey all laws； traffic laws included。”
The lights became more than a glow—they turned into individual points of brightness。 Green signs
informed me of my exit options。
“Take Ina Road。”
I followed his instructions。 He kept his voice low； though； enclosed as we were； we could both have
shouted。
It was hard to be in this unfamiliar city。 To see houses and apartments and stores with signs lit up。 To
know I was surrounded； outnumbered。 I imagined what it must feel like for Jared。 His voice was
remarkably calm。 But he’d done this before； many times。
Other cars were on the road now。 When their lights washed my windshield； I cringed in terror。
Don’t fall apart now； Wanda。 You have to be strong for Jamie。 This won’t work if you can’t do
that。
I can。 I can do it。
I concentrated on Jamie； and my hands were steadier on the wheel。
Jared directed me through the mostly sleeping city。 The Healing facility was just a small place。 It must
have been a medical building once—doctors’ offices； rather than an actual hospital。 The lights were bright
through most of the windows； through the glass front。 I could see a woman behind a greeting desk。 She
didn’t look up at my headlights。 I drove to the darkest corner of the parking lot。
I slid my arms through the straps of the backpack。 It wasn’t new； but it was in good shape。 Perfect。
There was just one more thing to do。
“Quick； give me the knife。”
“Wanda… I know you love Jamie； but I really don’t think you could use it。 You’re not a fighter。”
“Not for them； Jared。 I need a wound。”
“I need one like Jamie’s。 I don’t know enough about Healing。 I have to see exactly what to do。 I would
have done it before； but I wasn’t sure I’d be able to drive。”
“No。 Not again。”
“Give it to me now。 Someone will notice if I don’t go inside soon。”
Jared thought it through quickly。 He was the best； as Jeb had said； because he could see what had to be
done and do it fas