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Mitch shoves rowl and walk into the house Nanit He’s in the bedroo my back into it

He doesn’t look at ht through me

I flinch when his hand et red "You think I would hit you?"

I shake my head, "No"

I don’t wait for him to act nuts Itand dance I wrap my arms around his neck and kiss his throat He reainst his skin, "Just say the thing you think"

He shakes his head

I clis around his waist I close my eyes and whisper into his ear, "I don’t kno to say it, Will I don’t have that thing that I need to tell you how I feel, but I kno I don’t feel I know the things I can’t live without Don’tHis hands creep alonghis face intome nuts"

I pull back, "You have a purpose You urehead You’re the brains; you don’t need to be the brawn any the h too, "You knohat I mean"

He shakes his head, "Next tiht be less painful than listening to this speech"

I shake o do a peri to torture my new brother"

He flinches, "What?"

I nod, "He’s e and from the city His eyes are clear like ours, and I swear I can see Michael in his face I asked him if he was a Gen baby and he said yes"

Will placesbetter and better"

I kiss his cheek, "It’s like you said They are going to try to take what’s ours ‘cause we have it better than the anything"

I reach behind me and open the door, "Please, Will Please rest Don’t exert yourself Your breathing has been sounding bad"

He nods, "Okay Stay with Leo"

I wink at hiain, worrying about everything

Mitch gives rin, "Was that so hard?"

Chapter Thirteen

The bark feels rough againstlaps in the woods and Mitch in the tree to the right of h We’ve run a perimeter and now I’ tree and sits at the botto; he looks peaceful like we’re playing

I look down at Leo, "Guess we’re going with torture"

He pants and smiles He doesn’t care either way

I feel round The forest sings around us I leave the woods and stalk across the field, loving the feel of his fur in ertips as alk Mitch leaves the forest when he seesI see is the lid of the bunker open when I round the corner My guns are out instantly Leo crouches loe crunch our way to the far in the horse pen and a girl with really blonde hair is feeding the goats Men are ha metal and no one seems to notice the bunker lid He’s snuck into the house maybe

I open the porch door Nan isn’t there No one is I slip down the hall, peeking in the doorways No one makes any noises I open Anna’s door, but even Leo doesn’t want to look in there The thing in the doorway is disturbing I raisein horror

Anna frowns and wheeze yells at me I can’t understand her, but the doctor waves his free hand atare probably just spotting You were right about the bed rest though"

His other handuy nods at the door, "Close the door She says if Will sees, she’s going to be pissed"

I stumble back Leo has abandoned uns out