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case。 I could feel my body tensing to run for it； though where I would run； I didn’t know。
Against both sides of the hallway； there were long piles of rock。 Mostly rough； purple volcanic stone；
with some lighter…colored substance—cement？—running between them； creating seams； holding them
together。 On top of these piles were different stones； browner in color； and flat。 They were glued
together with the light gray grout as well。 The final product was a relatively even surface； like a counter or
a table。 It was clear that they were used for both。
The humans sat on some； leaned on others。 I recognized the bread rolls they held suspended between
the table and their mouths； frozen with disbelief as they took in Jeb and his one…person tour。
Some of them were familiar。 Sharon； Maggie； and the doctor were the closest group to me。 Melanie’s
cousin and aunt glared at Jeb furiously—I had an odd conviction that I could have stood on my head and
bellowed songs out of Melanie’s memory at the top of my lungs and they still would not have looked at
me—but the doctor eyed me with a frank and almost friendly curiosity that made me feel cold deep
inside my bones。
At the back end of the hall…shaped room； I recognized the tall man with ink black hair and my heart
stuttered。 I’d thought Jared was supposed to take the hostile brothers with him to make Jeb’s job of
keeping me alive slightly easier。 At least it was the younger one； Ian； who had belatedly developed a
conscience—not quite as bad as leaving Kyle behind。 That consolation did not slow my racing pulse；
however。
“Lost our appetites；” Maggie muttered。
“How ’bout you；” he said； turning to me。 “You hungry？”
A quiet groan went through our audience。
I shook my head—a small but frantic motion。 I didn’t even know whether I was hungry； but I knew I
couldn’t eat in front of this crowd that would gladly have eaten me。
“Well； I am；” Jeb grumbled。 He walked down the aisle between the counters； but I did not follow。 I
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 throu