Page 36 (1/2)

Stung Bethany Wiggins 24790K 2023-08-31

Bowen leans his forehead on the glass and looks right into ain I cannot hear him, but I can see what he says, each ive up! No rip his ar, flailing as two lass and aim weapons at his chest

"Uh, folks, it see at the side of the pool, hand rubbing his round belly, eyeing Bowen nervously "The ate and are on their way here They’re insisting we stop the fight, so if you just reovernor is on his feet and at the co into his ear

"Wait, folks, wait! The governor has given his special approval to continue the fight!" the couns pointed at his chest, starts fighting again It is ti a deep breath, I roll onto my side, ready to stand, ready to be done with the pits The ferowls atmy elbow into her face She falls to the side and in the sa hi to the other side of the pool I juht, but she’s fast--her hands whip up to h and hot, they clamp down My body is flipped over and the beast is atopintoaway froain, screaun frolass, but the seal holds fast

I look away from him and stare at the feht smile on her foas, but her hold tightens, as if s start to burn, want to collapse, beg ain, desperate, wondering if all the ti and the hiding … was it all for nothing if it ends with ot shot for nothing He fell in love withfrorenade He pulls the pin, sets it on top of the glass, and walks calmly to the side of the crowded arena

"Folks! Folks! Look at this! Look at the renade I turn my eyes to the side and , his body s on his cuffed feet "By brute strength he’s pulled his wrist cuffs apart, in spite of his shattered elbow! That’s over five hundred pounds of force! Just think of the pain and agony heto endure to satisfy his desire to kill!"

The coe and treling with blood, and his arether anymore Six inches of space separate the cuffs

Oh,left of hi froht He takes a leap toward me and the female beast, and his forearms come down on either side of the fey, wrench back together and snap around her neck just asfroasp a breath of air, and the world reappears, accompanied by pain Jonah, his cuffs still locked on the fes her away fro her to a li in slow lass, at the co fro each other to get away, at the grenade that is about to explode I curl onto ht settles onbreath hot onits way into s My skull squeezes my brain, and my eyeballs want to pop with the pressure Jonah’s body oes li

I opendiamonds

Chapter 35

When I elve I went to an all-day pool party I forgot sunscreen My skin was so sunburned, I couldn’t sleep that night My skin feels just like that now Burned to a crisp--all the way into s Every breath fills ht of the world, and I aht

Cool hands touch reen eyes peers into y blond hair trails over s But breathing air feels like breathing fire, and I cough and gasp

"Fo? Fiona, can you hear ers were pressed into my ears He frames my face with his hands and stares into my eyes "Can you hearhow I’m still alive Four blood-streaked bodies are in the red-splattered pool, yet I ao If I can walk

Beside me lies a still form His skin shimmers iridescent red, every blood-covered inch coated with diay hair gives away his identity A tear strea hand on his bare chest His heart beats against my pal at Bowen