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"Hey, hey!" Lang said
"Please, God" Groaning, Peter struggled upright, hooked his fingers around the iron bars snugged against the wall, and hung on, fists working the ainst another wave of pain "No no no, Peter, don’t scream, Peter, don’t screa and hard he’d have to whack his head for his skull to crack and his brain to squish out like runny yolk Or he could let hied waited Thread his hands through and pull Kate close, let her sink her teeth into his throat, give her the first taste It would be over before the guards could beat her and her cellmates back But he was a coward; he couldn’t let himself die He wasn’t ready, and there were Penny and Simon to think about There was Chris
Count; he should count Counting was good Ten cells, there are tenHis feverish gaze touched on one after another Five to a side, one two three four five"This little piggy went to y had roast beefhelp"
"Okay, that’s pretty crazy," Jug Ears said
"No, no, no, nononono," Peter chanted, knuckling his teht eight eight days since the bells, but ten cells ten ten ten, ten little piggies, ee" He heard his voice rising to a cracking falsetto "Wee, eeeeno, stop! Stop, stop!" He wasn’t aware he was punctuating the ith a punch to his jaw until his knuckles barked with pain
"Shouldn’t we do so out his eyes or so "He ever done that?"
"Only once"
"Stop," Peter panted, but he was no longer sure to whoet control He punched his jaw again and again, harder, harder! This tiainst his teeth Hisof metal and sater--the boat, deep in the dark--a taste he no very well But this is ood He drank himself back This is htened abruptly as if a hidden spring had suddenly released at his waist "I’ to think about soan to pace the lied but well away fro hands and Kate, Kate, Kate, around and around and around Count, do sorip, I’m Peter, I’m in a cell, I’m in a camp"
"You’re Peter, you’re in a cell, you’re in a caraveyard of Peter’s memories "You’re in a cell, this is hell, and I’ies and they ee wee"
"I’ to -bong-BONG "Jesus, please, let o!" The top of his head hurt so much it felt like someone had cratered his skull with a brick Please, God, please Why won’t you let me die?
"Because it’s not your time," Simon said
"But I can’t take this any a rank and now very familiar lace of dried copper and old salt "Please, Si said, bored "Kid he was real close to" "Grandson? I thought Chris Prentiss was Yeager’s grandson" "Hiuy had only one kid" "So how’s that work?" asked Jug Ears
"Beats shit out of
"You’re not allowed to die yet, Peter," Simon said "Penny and I need you"
"Don’t you think I know that?" Raging, he whirled, trying for a grab, co up empty as Simon danced away, always out of reach "You need ht now--don’t you get that? I can’t even helpEars said
"His sister Guys fro cupped his hands in front of his chest--"fine"
"Shut up!" Peter whipped his head so fast bloody spit flew But in his heart, he was also glad because it gave him someone else to hate other than himself "Don’t you say my sister’s naot there Heard sheas if Peter wasn’t there--and this was so true, in so ue over teeth stained black with decay and ancient nicotine "Dairls what athe bars in both hands, Peter cranked his elbows like a chi kill you if you don’t shut up shut up shut up!"
"Yeah, yeah?" Scraping back his chair, Lang reached for his scabbard A whip of his wrist, and twenty-six inches of black chro advanced half the distance to Peter’s cell, ss that sos In the other cells, the Changed cringed back "You getting tough, boy, huh? You going to kill me? Like to see you try"
Yes! Go ahead, splitit, bring it!" Peter howled "Come on, you prick, coirls what kind of ’s cheeks flooded scarlet "Don’t think I won’t--"