Page 23 (1/2)
That scarfEllie thought back to the moment on the lake when all the crows had left That snow, the cedar swaying, and a flash of liirl had been there? Watching all along and following, and keeping doind so Mina couldn’t smell her? Ser?
Maybe because she knows she won’t get another chance The girl’s narrow face was all angles and shadows, the cheeks hollowed into valleys, the eyes far back in their sockets She’s starving, so hungry she just couldn’t wait one ht People-eaters cauns and knives, bare teeth, hands Claws They did it all: set up ambushes, stormed out of the woods Maybe they’d show themselves after they surrounded you--that had happened to Eli and his sister--but this girl was alone and only watching
On the snow, by her feet, Chrisaround for? She was panting, part of her brain going in a swirly-whirly scream: Run run run to the death house, shut the door so she can’t get in! She could do that, grab Mina--what about Bella, what about Bella, will she be all right?--get inside, get to her gun, and then ait, like a bunny in its hole, for Eli and Jayden to find her But Chris, what about Chris? She’ll kill him, she’ll eat him and
You can’t let that happen It was the little closet-voice Think, Ellie, think think think She’s watching, she’s notfor the others" Her voice was squeezywheezy s the up-coaster to hysteria Once she hit the top, there’d be no stopping the zooirl’s head perked, cocking a little at the sound of her voice the way Mina did when she was puzzled "She knows she can’t get past Mina alone"
Stop breathing so fast Listen to what you said If that’s true, you still have time
"And what if it’s not?"
Mina will protect you The closet-voice was very patient, like Grandpa Jack when he said, yes, life wasn’t fair, but no, being hateful wouldn’t help She’s got teeth, you know
"Is that a joke?" she squeaked, then thought, Oh, is that dumb or what? But the closet-voice did have a point Should she get the gun?
Don’t leave Chris She wasn’t sure who that was, the closet-voice or her, but knew that was right Just had to keep her head, stay calm like Alex and Tom It took every scrap of self-control to turn her back, but she couldn’t both roll Chris onto his tuirl "Don’t let her get , Ellie planted her hands against Chris’s side and pushed, a pitiful little shove as her strength tried to flee with her voice Chris was big, and she was such a runt Coirl But she had to try twice s slid, revealing white thigh and part of his botto she’d never seen so s back into place as best she could "Oh Alex, oh Alex, oh T-To her boots, she fisted burlap and jerked Chris all the way to the ra down, bracing herself for the shush-shushshush of snow as the girl charged, she swung onto Bella Then she hooked her left foot into the stirrup but dug her right heel into the ra, the horse tried to sidestep away
"No, no, no, coht rein to turn the rabbed Chris’s arms above the elbows, and heaved "Daddy, help," she said, as Chris’s head cleared the saddle "Oh, Daddy Daddy Daddy" She kept pulling, using her boot to steady the horse as she yanked Chris onto the saddle, aardly walking her hands up Chris’s sides until he folded at his waist to drape over Bella’s withers and shoulders like a too-long blanket
This would have to do For a brief e, still inside the death house, and wondered if she should close the slider Hannah would be really pissed if this girl and any friends went inside to snack Heck with that I’ breath, she coaxed Bella into a turn On the saddle, Chris’s body shifted but didn’t slide The girl was exactly where she’d been, too: no closer, no further
"Mina, get ready, girl" Ellie’s fingers tre the reins in her left hand, Ellie leaned over and across Chris, planting her elbows against his right side to bracket his body and hold him in place Then, with a fast flick of her wrist, she snapped off the scarf
"Mina!" At the sa to rear, a sharp giddyap kick "Mina, off ! Release!"