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And nobody had ever sed it in five

Bryn threw a generous tip on the table, and got out fast She stopped again in the restroohts, she looked--surprisingly fine She wiped off the reood Better than good She feltgreat

I can do this, she told her reflection A steak a day Or any kind of e, but I can do it There’s a way to deal with this I don’t have to be a monster

But she couldn’t shake the expression she’d seen on the waitress, either Her definition of in controlto be hard to er drove her to these kinds of extremes And how often would it do that? How much would she have to eat? She’d have to ask some hard questions of Riley to find out, but she suspected that the amount of fuel she took on would have quite a lot to do with how ht now on the unprepared, unarmed side of a wareffort would probably be considerable

You can’t run away from it, Bryn This is what you are Deal with it, because it isn’t going away

She went to the pay phones outside in the hallway--ancient things, but still working, thankfully--and phoned back to the , and was put through, and there was only half a ring before the call connected and Riley Block said, "What the hell do you think you’re doing, Bryn?"

"You knew it’d be me"

"Of course I knew--I’m not an idiot Where are you?"

"At a truck stop off Route 70," Bryn said "I ate an entire seventy-two ounce steak in five minutes I think I set the new record"

Riley was quiet for a moment "Are you sure that was smart?"

"Almost certainly wasn’t But I couldn’t--I wasn’t sure I could control it, Riley Around Patrick Around Joe And I can’t stand that I needed to eat, and waiting around for a trail bar and OJ wasn’t going to cut it You understand"

"You think it’s safer out there? You’re going to attract attention ordering those kinds of meals; you know that"

"I know," Bryn said "But I had to have a little bit of time to myself Just to test myself To know--know if I can really control myself"

"I can see that But you can’t be out there on your own; you’re going to get hurt"

"I know," she said "That’s why I’"

"We’re ready to leave here now," Riley said "We’ll pick you up Stay in plain sight in the restaurant, and we’ll find you Have some pie Live a little It’s not like you have to worry about your weight No ht side to everything, then"

"Da up

Bryn went back to the restaurant, took her seat again, and ordered a piece of apple pie à la ht about the calories, this tiood pie And it was good Extraordinary Oronline

She was tee black van pulling into the parking lot It flashed its lights twice, and she started to get out of her booth

The waitress blocked her path She was flanked by a tall, skinny man in a flannel shirt and jeans with a caet your picture for the wall This is Matt He’s the et her hand up just in ti the waitress and thefor a shot--out of her path as she headed for the door "Wait!" the et a picture of anybody who eats the steak Wait--"

She didn’t She was out the front doors, across the parking lot, anddoor had opened for her Bryn slammed it shut and said, "Drive," and Joe Fideli, behind the wheel, put the van in gear and accelerated smoothly away onto the access road

There was a moment of silence, and Bryn looked around Everyone--absolutely everyone, even Joe, in the rearviewher