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Another pause She straightened until they were no longer touching and said, into the fire, "I’ve thought about this, I really have"

Her voice had gone a little dead, a tone he kneell froe and, at the last, his suicide To Here In the Waucamaw, by yourself" Take a breath, Tom Go easy, don’t push Count to ten He ?"

Even in firelight, her eyes were too dark "I’erous for you Wolf ’s already found ain"

"If he’s still alive"

"I think hein ot control, but it’slonely, too You know? I feel it, so better at keeping it under wraps" He heard the sharpness that was nearly an accusation But he couldn’t help it A spike of panic darted up his spine No, she can’t do this, she can’t; I won’t let her He said, more deliberately, "Even if it is, you haven’t ss"

"Yet Once we leave the Waucamaw, start to head to where the people were and ed are a fact of life They’re the ene deal"

"It’s different for you You don’t have so in your head"

"Oh bullshit What the hell do you think a flashback is?" TOMFolding his knees ood, because it cra his eyes, he bowed his head and huffed out that quick juer Out with the bad "I’m sorry That wasn’t fair I know it’s not the same"

"It’s okay Maybe it is the sa is that, yes, I sed Yes, the monster’s pretty well-behavedfor a monster"

"Don’t make a joke out of this" Now he threw her a sharp look "Don’t make a joke of how I feel"

"I’m not" Her eyes shi to make you understand Sometimes, I have dreams, and those are new What I did with FinnI think that opened up soed?" He felt his anger giving way to a blast of shock "You see them?"

"Sometimes" Her throat h someone, like I did in Rule, at the end I’m not sure who or what it is But it’s when I’ about hter "Why didn’t you say anything? Why didn’t you tellyou now To, I’esture with her cupped hand near her head--"frenzy It was terrible and wonderful at the same time I know that sounds crazy But I understand what Peterelse et lost"

"All the more reason why you should stay with us, stay anchored Let us help" Let h theo the other way? What if I draw or lead Changed to us? Nobody will be safe"

"Those are a lot of ifsno, be quiet Let me finish," he said when she opened her ’s happened There have been no Changed No one has followed us We stayed with Isaac for weeks, near where Changed had been, and saw none You’re right; I’m not you But I do know a little about scary dreams and how they take over I also don’t buy that your dreams are the only reason that you don’t want to come Because so what if the rab her ar these many weeks, he’d never rushed her, hadn’t kissed her, done nothing but try to help her coo without a fight"Let them coet through me, and that will never happen"

"That’s not a promise you can make, Tom"

"I will kill the you from me That’s all there is to it"

"And if you die because of me?"