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"Oh, Kidoh, God, thank God! I thought I'd lost you," she says between sobs and ers through his sweaty, blond hair, and then presses her nose to his scalp and inhales She wipes tears from his crystal blue eyes and stares into the that has ever mattered--like she'd die for him--like she'd kill

Kid soaks in histoward it He allows himself to cry within the cocoon of her embrace, because there are indeed so He knows there will be consequences for running off, and yet it seems unimportant His mother loves him, keeps him safe, and that's all that matters

"Don't cry, baby," she sings into his ear and rocks him

"Don't cry"

2 Celia

The boy won't cease whiently through his hair and holds hilish isn't very good, but she knows enough to get by She'll have to beco her new pet

"I'm sorry," the boy replies, and leans into her touch He's delirious with thirst and quaking with fear "I was all alone" He licks a dry path across his upper lip His nose wrinkles in distaste--presumably at the flavor of his own dry blood "I love you, Mama"

Celia's chest pangs There have been ed to be called Mother, but it is soo hoain He uely e known her own mother "Shhh, pobresito"

3 Kid

Kid knows that word Itlike that He frowns; his mama doesn't speak Spanish A prickle of awareness penetrates the thick soup of his consciousness--he's drea It's very important he not wake He burrows deeper into the eleven-year-old memory of his mother's arms, of the last tiain She'll take hiht Home is

His hoone

"Don't leave uely, he coued, knows he's been hurting for a while He shakes his head; a whine escapes him Don't open your eyes

A s happen when he hears male voices Realization creeps over hi him down into his body and into the present

He is no longer eight years old

His parents are long dead

The last of his family was murdered in front of him

He and Nancy have been taken as hostages

They were beaten

Nancy betrayed him