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"MOM, I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!" I shouted, and she caustus because I kneas in school:

Still free May three? :-)

He texted back i up Waters

If I could just stay alive for a week, I’d know the unwritten secrets of Anna’s mom and the Dutch Tulip Guy I looked down ether," I whispered to s

CHAPTER NINE

The day before we left for Amsterdam, I went back to Support Group for the first tiustus The cast had rotated a bit down there in the Literal Heart of Jesus I arrived early, enough ti appendiceal cancer survivor Lida to bring rocery-store chocolate chip cookie while leaning against the dessert table

Twelve-year-old leukeht hard, Lida told ht Everyone else was still around Ken was NEC after radiation Lucas had relapsed, and she said it with a sad sht say an alcoholic had relapsed

A cute, chubby girl walked over to the table and said hi to Lida, then introduced herself towith her, but she had a scar extending from the side of her nose down her lip and across her cheek She had put makeup over the scar, which only served to e a little out of breath froo sit," and then the elevator opened, revealing Isaac and histo his mom’s arm with one hand, a cane in the other

"Support Group Hazel not Monica," I said when he got close enough, and he sotten really hot since you went blind"

"I bet," he said His mom led him to a chair, kissed the top of his head, and shuffled back toward the elevator He felt around beneath him and then sat I sat down in the chair next to hiuess Gus told me you were in the ICU?"

"Yeah," I said

"Sucks," he said

"I’ to Amsterdam tomorroith Gus"

"I know I’m pretty well up-to-date on your life, because Gus never Talks About Anything Else"

I smiled Patrick cleared his throat and said, "If we could all take a seat?" He caught lad to see you!"

Everyone sat and Patrick began his retelling of his ball-lessness, and I fell into the routine of Support Group: co sorry for everyone in the roo out of the conversation to focus onThe world went on, as it does, without my full participation, and I only woke up from the reverie when so Lida in reh school swi , "Hazel is such an inspiration toup everyShe’s so th"

"Hazel?" Patrick asked "How does that ive you uilty as soon as I said it

"I don’t think that’s what Lida meant," Patrick said "I think she" But I’d stopped listening

After the prayers for the living and the endless litany of the dead (with Michael tacked on to the end), we held hands and said, "Living our best life today!"

Lida iy and explanation, and I said, "No, no, it’s really fine," waving her off, and I said to Isaac, "Care to accompany me upstairs?"

He took rateful to have an excuse to avoid the stairs I’d almost made it all the way to the elevator when I saw hisin a corner of the Literal Heart "I’m here," she said to Isaac, and he switched fro, "You want to coh I hated the sympathy people felt toward me, I couldn’t help but feel it toward him

Isaac lived in a small ranch house in Meridian Hills next to this fancy private school We sat down in the living room while his mom went off to the kitchen to aave it to him, and he turned on the TV and then a computer attached to it The TV screen stayed black, but after a few seconds a deep voice spoke from it

"Deception," the voice said "One player or two?"

"Two," Isaac said "Pause" He turned to a because he is a coressive about saving civilians and whatnot"

"Yeah," I said, reht of the broken trophies

"Unpause," Isaac said

"Player one, identify yourself"

"This is player one’s sexy sexy voice," Isaac said

"Player two, identify yourself"

"I would be player two, I guess," I said

Staff Sergeant Max Mayhem and Private Jasper Jacks awake in a dark, empty room approximately twelve feet square

Isaac pointed toward the TV, like I should talk to it or soht switch?"

No

"Is there a door?"

Private Jacks locates the door It is locked

Isaac jumped in "There’s a key above the door frame"

Yes, there is

"Mayhem opens the door"

The darkness is still complete

"Take out knife," Isaac said

"Take out knife," I added