Page 12 (1/2)

Bean had grown for weeks without threat, but Jared and I weren’t fooled into thinking ould live the entire summer without event We enjoyed the peaceful moments while we stil had them, and that afternoon was no different

Jared was studying Shax’s book He hunched over the ugly pages, knees up One hand held the ancient leather apart while the other rested on my stomach The book seemed out of place in our quiet, beautiful afternoon

Jared’s phone buzzed He barely glanced in its direction and continued reading He did that often when Ki his reasons for holding onto the book I could relate to her misery Even so, it was easier to look the other hile Jared searched for anshile he could To admit that to myself made me feel horrible, but it was a necessary evil The choice to be a better mother than a friend wasn’t real y a choice at all

A et your sneakers on," Jared said "Bex is here"

Bex was bringing firear session His e of my blanket

I looked up at him "That blanket is worth more than your bike"

Bex took off his helative"

"Senti his eyes on the book

Now fourteen, Bex’s body had fil ed out He was an inch tal er than Jared, and could have been mistaken for a man in his early twenties Except for the childlike sweetness that remained in his eyes and his occasional displays of inexperience, I would never believe that he was the same person as the eleven-year-old I had

I s and white t-shirt with Bean bal ed noticeably in front, crouching and ready in front of what looked like a ful -grown man Bex could have wadded me up like a piece of paper on nant wo punches with someone twice her size, they would have cal ed the police

"Bex," Jared warned without looking up

Bex’s nose wrinkled, irritated at Jared’s instruction "I know The subtle distention of her middle section is a constant reminder not overdo it I won’t hurt your messianic spawn, Nina"

I shoved the heel of my hand into Bex’s sto toWords, again"

Bex glanced to Jared, and then grabbedly in the crook of his arm "Okay Nohat?"

I stepped on his foot, jabbed ed, but had he been human I would have cracked his nose

"Good," he said, nodding

We went over the same old moves dozens of times, and then Bex showed me a few more They werethoseto attackto free myself froht the bag of firearlasses We walked over to a sets He was as excited as I was, but it didn’t occur to un, a rifle, and a shotgun When Jared and Bex were satisfied witha large log froet, and then taped it to the e arc back and forth

Jared handed ets wil be stationary You need to learn to hit a et

I lifted the Glock in both of hts

"Anticipation is key," Jared said

I watched the log for a er Bex leapt back with a yowl

I dropped the gun and covered my un and tried not to s hysterical y

I glared at hiht here in the grass!"

Bex i to his older brother for confir just a little"

"Again," I said, holding the gun in front of hed with irritation and pul ed off the earround

"You’re thinking too un froer, never looking away froet had a rip in the center where the bul et s fro about it"

Bex lifted his gun and pointed it at me, and I mirrored his action We were at an immediate stand off

Bex smiled "Yes, you can"

Jared palmed my arm and lowered it slowly "It’s cal ed instinct It’s in your blood, Nina You just need to give in to it"

I looked at the log "Give in to it," I repeated, raising ain

I shut out everything: the breeze; the birds; the strands of hair that kept sticking to hts MyI could feel the , the resistance of the rope as it rubbed against the tree branch, and even the wind speed and hoould affect the path of the bul et I took in a deep breath and pul ed the trigger Bex grabbed the log and it instantly stopped

"Nice!" Bex said

The bul et had landed just a couple of inches above Bex’s I s my hair

After that, Bex took the spare tire froet to the center He walked to the top of a so, and I took several shots as it rol ed down the grass to the botto on its side

Bex sprinted to the tire and rol ed it over, offering a thumbs-up and a smile

"You did real y wel today," Jared said

I nodded "I know"

Jared leaned down and touched each side of ood today, didn’t she Bean?" He waited aseems to be okay Your pulse, Bean’s pulse, blood pressure and breathing are all normal I don’t think Bean noticed"

"So we can keep going?"

Jared nodded

I gestured to the book under his ar?"