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"So learn how to be with the dead," added Lilah It wasn’t an eloquent state on the aro? The next part is a leisurely walk in the country"

"That’s better"

"No, it’s not," said Lilah, laying her spear over her shoulder "Everything out here wants to kill you"

She walked along the path, and Chong stared after her "Honestly," he said, "I already got theas she followed Lilah Benny laid his bokken across his shoulder, and in a fair i wants to kill out-of-shape "

He strolled off

Chong took a deep breath and followed

FROM NIX’S JOURNAL

Tools of the Zombie Hunter Trade, Part Two

LILAH’S SPEAR The shaft of the spear is th of three-quarter-inch black pipe There are brown doeskin leather bands around both ends and on two places in the middle where she usually holds it The blade is froht inches long

She says this is the fourth spear she’s made She lost one when she was first taken to Ga) She lost the second one while running froo The third one bent while she was breaking into an old library to get books The fourth one is a year old

18

BENNY WALKED ALONGSIDE TOM FOR A WHILE "I OVERHEARD YOU talking with Basher yesterday"

Toave him a brief look "What did you hear?"

"Bunch of stuff Mostly about trouble out here in the Ruin About people co in to take over Charlie Pink-eye’s territory"

"Uh-huh"

"So … ?"

"What do youto do so about it?"

"‘We’?"

"Yes, ‘we’ You, me, Lilah, Nix … I mean, before we leave the area?"

Tom shook his head "No"

"Why not? These are your woods,them up and stuff"

"No, I spent years out here as a bounty hunter and closure specialist It was never s up’ Not then and definitely not now" He paused and looked back at the others, ere a hundred yards down the road Nix and Chong were talking together--probably continuing their arguing up the rear, content to keep company with herself "Look at them, Benny Lilah’s not even seventeen Nix just turned fifteen You and Chong will be sixteen in a few h, but let’s face it … you’re not an army I can’t even say with total conviction that you’re all tough enough to do e’re atteht be leading you to your deaths I’ you into a pitched battle with fifty or sixty armed bounty hunters"

"But what about Gameland? If they’vemore kids from town Like they tried to do with Nix We can’t just--"

"I’ve been trying to get the town to do so to Mayor Kirsch and Captain Strunk"

"What are you, the town snoop?"

"Dude, you were talking in the yard My ’s right there"

"Okay, okay Point is, the town has to take responsibility for itself I showed them that it could be done, and I did what I could for a while … but it’s not one ers, thank you very ers Fine It’s not your job either"

Benny looked hard into his brother’s eyes "Are you sure?"

"Yes"

"I’ to inherit it What do you want us to do--wait until it gets worse,about it? How’s that going to help us have a better future?"

Tom stared at him as they walked, and after a dozen steps his frown turned into a s how smart you are, kiddo And how mature"

"Yeah, well, this last year hasn’t exactly been about kid stuff"

"No, and I’m sorry about that … but in all seriousness, Benny, this is a conversation we should have had before we left"

"So … it’s too late to ed

Tom shook his head "It’s not that … it’s just that this isn’t our town any on Others will have to step up to take responsibility for Mountainside" He pointed down the road "Your future is somewhere out there, and no doubt there will be plenty of opportunities to lanced at hihed

To Eventually Tom pulled ahead, and when Benny looked back, he saw that Nix was noith Lilah and Chong was alone, so he drifted back to walk beside Chong

As they walked through the tall grass under the burning eye of the sun, Benny kept glancing at Chong Without turning his head, Chong said, "What? Do I have a booger inat ed

"Quick! Tellsaid it with mock exciteht about science and religion?"

"No … it’s about us You know … dating and stuff"

"God!" Chong laughed "The oath!"

When he and Chong were nine, they had sworn a blood oath that they would never date any of the girls they hung with Since getting back froether, and Benny had never asked Chong how he felt about it

"Yeah … the oath," Benny said "I feel kind of bad about breaking it"

Chong stopped and turned to hi over Benny’s face "Wait … hold still"

Benny froze "What? What is it? Do I have so whacked him on the head with his open palm

"Ow! What was it? Was it a bee?"

"No I just wanted to see if I could slap some of the stupid out of you"

"Hey!"

"Jeez, Benny, we made that oath ere nine"

"It was a blood oath"

"We’d cut our fingers baiting fishhooks That oath was spur of the moment, immature--and dumb Mind you, we’ve both had dumber moments You more than me, of course …"