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"Lucian," Sarah said

We are so not living on the saive back her bullets either Turning, she reached out to touch Greg’s leg "He’s kind of a jerk, huh?"

"Fucking heard that," Lucian said

"Yeah Likeseriously," Greg said, with a perfectly straight face

She alet you in trouble"

"You didn’t Don’t worry about it," Greg said, but didn’t son started up, he let theht But I still wish To an ar her chin under the zipper until the collar was up around her nose, and glared down at her boots I want s had settled down, although Mina kept dropping her chin on Ellie’s lap "Quit it," she said, shoving the animal away "I’irl said "My mommy--"

"Yeah, well, your mom’s dead, and so is ed, and her closet-voice shouted, ELLIE!

"That wasn’t nice," said the elfish boy

"I know" Pulling in a deep breath, she turned to the little girl "Sorry That was really irl’s eyes were moist blue pools Her lips, delicate as rose petals, quivered as she dropped her face into her doll’s crazy, silly hair

Would she ever learn to keep her big e, Ellie put an ar shoulders To her astonishment, the tears she’d held back streaet et mad all the time," the elfish boy said

"I irl used her doll’s hair to wipe her eyes "I keep waiting for things to get better, only they never do"

"They will," Ellie said, trying to jam in a whole bunch of oh she really didn’t feel Grandpa Jack always said to look on the bright side, only everywhere Ellie turned, it was still dark, even in the ue, her dad always said "Re went crazy?"

"It’s still bad now," said one of the elbow-jab boys His buddies nodded

"Not where we’re going We have cows and sheep, and there are lakes Hannah knows about plants, and I catch lots of fish"

"You fish?" The elfish boy looked impressed "Can I come?"

Too late, she reme there again But she said, "Sure" All the kids were looking now, and save the little girl a squeeze "Really, things will be great--"

From somewhere far behind came two thundery ru, she sat straight up and turned to look the way they’d coons stopped rolling; the horses ceased clopping While the forest was still glooht showed through the trees to the east Due south, Ellie caught brief, bright pillows of pulsing orange light

"Oh" Sarah’s hand was over her one so pale his stubble looked like dirt "Oh God," Sarah said

The dogs began to bark All around, kids were jabbering: "Wow" "What was that?" "Did you see that?" "Is it a fire?" At her elbow, the white-haired girl had her hands clapped to her ears and squeaked over and over again, "What was that? What was that? What was that?"