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"What is that?" Eli asks

"A boat," Hunter says He doesn’t elaborate Indie, Cassia, and Eli stare at the heavy roll of plastic in disbelief

"I’ve never seen a boat like that," Indie says

"I’ve never seen a boat," Cassia and Eli say at the same time, and then she smiles at him

"It’s for the strea fast"

"But the stream’s all broken up," Eli says

"It won’t be anyether"

"So who’s going in the boat?" Indie asks

"We don’t know yet," I say I don’t look over at Cassia I haven’t been able tothe ht this for you," he says "Food, sos from the cave"

"Thanks, Eli," I say

"There’s so else," he whispers to me "Can I show you?"

I nod "Hurry"

Eli makes sure that the others can’t see and then he holds out--

A tube from the blue-lit Cavern

"Eli," I say in surprise I take the tube from him and turn it over Inside the liquid rolls and shifts When I read the naraved on the outside I draw in my breath sharply "You shouldn’t have taken this"

"I couldn’t help it," Eli says

I should break the tube against the ground or let it go in the river Instead I put it in my pocket

The rain has loosened rocks and turned the ground to er a landslide and render the path to the caves impassable, but we also have to seal off the doors of the cave without destroying what’s inside

Hunter shows ram of where and how and what to wire It’s impressive "Did you make this?" I ask

"No," he says "Our leader did before she left Anna"

Anna, I think Did my father know her, too?

I don’t ask I follow her diagram and Hunter’s adjustments The rain pounds down above us and we do our best to keep the explosives dry

"Go down and tell the others that I’ to set the fuse," Hunter says

"I’ll do it," I say

Hunter looks at et it right"

"You know this land better than I do," I say "You know the far with the fuse, you’re the one who can get everyone else out of here"

"This isn’t some kind of self-punish to burn the map?"

"No," I say "It’s just the truth"

Hunter looks at me and then nods his head

I set the timer on the fuse and run It’s instinct--I should have plenty of tiround near the stream and I sprint toward the others I haven’t quite reached theo off

I can’t help ing to the cliff seem to come away first; their roots tear away rocks and dirt with theles of each life and then I realize the whole cliff beneath thements and is turned under by water,

Too far, I realize, it’s co to reach the township

One of the houses groans and breaks and gives way to the h the township, splintering boards, shattering glass, snapping trees

And then it goes into the river and stops

The slide has cut a clean, slick, red-h the township, and it’s damht flood Even as I think this, I see the others spilling out of the house and hurrying toward the path

I run to help Hunter with the boat It’s for her If what she wants is the Rising, I will help her reach it

Chapter 42