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"You’re dead This is the Land of the Dead, and I’ a dream, but I don’t understand I want to knohat this means"

"Tell me your dream, and I will tell you the truth"

"And what is that?" A weak laugh dribbled out of his mouth with a trickle of blood "What’s truth?"

"What lives here"--she drew her fingers, cool and dry, over his forehead--"is not the same as what resides here" She placed a hand over his heart, and he cried out because her touch was electric, bright and awful "Let go of the haive Peter"

"Why does that matter?" He licked blood from his lips "I already said I understand"

"And that is why"--another electric finger to his chest, prodding a scream--"this hurts so much The truth of the heart is the rief Truth is in your er, Chris Let Peter, as you remember him, speak to you"

"He can’t," Chris said "He’s dead"

"Call him back" Jess pressed a palain "Quickly, Chris In your blindness and frorief, call in love and do it now before it’s too late, before Peter is lost, before the light goes--"

"--out?"

"No, I think he’s co around Chris?" A tap on his cheek

"Chris, wake up"

Chris faded back, aware first of the sharp nibs of broken plates

under his legs, and then the wall against his back, and finally a hand

cupping the back of his head

"Chris" Jayden patted his cheek again "Are you all right? Is this

the only one? Where’s everyone else? Where’s--"

"Hannah" His eyes snapped open Everything rushed back, like

water into an e

Jayden’s arlance at Connor, as also crouched

alongside "What are you talking about? What about the barn?" "Guns" Shots carried, especially now that there was nothing--no

cars, no planes, nohad he

been out? "Didn’t you hear?"

"We heard gunfire," Connor said "But ere north We

couldn’t tell where it was coht it was co important about that "No Hannah

and Isaac are in the barn, and there were Changed headed that way" "What?" Connor was genuinely skeptical "They can’t find us

They’ve never found us"

"No? Then what do you call that?" Chris said, jerking his head

toward the dead giant with thein a puddle

of kerosene and water dyed purple with blood Gripping Jayden’s forearled to his feet "I counted ten I broke out thein my rooo I heard shots, but if there aren’t any now" "All right" Jayden’s skin was glassy with dread, but his mouth set

as he ripped off his parka "Take this I’m smaller than you, but" "This works" The cuffs of Jayden’s parka ended well above his

wrists, and his shoulders felt like he’d slipped on a straitjacket He