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"I’ll help," Benny said, and liht his shoulder

"Whoa, hold on, sport … you’re li and there’s blood on your shoe Where are you hurt?"

Benny sed, shooting a wary look at Lilah, whose attention had sharpened and was now focused on hihtened on the haft of her spear

"Hey--don’t even think about it," Benny said, pointing a finger at her "One of the zoh my sneaker, but he--"

"Take your shoe off" Lilah and Tom said it at the same time

"I--"

"Now," said Tom His voice was heavy with quiet coing blood from her face Her eyes flashed with sudden concern

"Crap," Benny said acidly, and sat down on the grass to pull his shoe off His sock was soaked with blood

"Oh no," breathed Chong "This is all my fault"

Benny made a face "Oh, please You didn’t bite me"

"The rhino chased us because I startled it Then I ran the wrong way andbut Lilah cut in "Yes You were stupid"

"She’s got your nuave hiot bitten off by a zom"

Bennytoenail was cracked and bleeding, and the toe ollen, but there was no bite Lilah snatched up his shoe to examine it, but Tom took it out of her hands and peered at the toe

"It’s a pressure injury" He blew out his cheeks and handed the shoe back to Benny "That’s twice you dodged the bullet"

"That’s athan it could have been

"Right?" insisted Benny

"Rinse your sock out," said Toht?"

FROM NIX’S JOURNAL

Some of the traders and bounty hunters claim that the zoms on the other side of the Rocky Mountains are faster than the zorade--Carmen--who says that her uncle, who is a trader, saw zoht in Milwaukee, Wisconsin A couple of other people fro, but most people don’t believe them

I hope this is not true!!!

22

"WELL … GO AHEAD AND SAY IT," NIX DEMANDED

Toes of the long gash on her face His lips were pursed, and heto need stitches"

"I know Go ahead"

He shook his head "No … I can stitch a wound well enough, but this needs fine work Otherwise--"

"I’ll look like a hag"

"I wouldn’t go that far … but a deft hand with a needle will reduce the scar to a pencil-thin line Doc Gara--"

"No!" She brushed his hand away "I’ back to town"

"Nix, c’mon," prodded Benny, who hovered over Toave hireen stare and then refocused on Tom "You’re not my dad, Tom, and I--"

Tom made a face "Oh, please, Nix You’re not a petulant little kid, so don’t try that act on me Benny still tries it and it never works"

"It works sonored him

"We can be home in four hours," Tom said "The doc can stitch you up, we rest up a day or two, and--"

"No"

"Would you rather have a bad scar?"

"If it’s a choice between going back and that, then I’ll take the scar"

"Why?"

It was Chong who asked the question, and they turned to look at him He was pale and still looked badly shaken by what had happened His eyes were dark and filled with guilt

"Look," Nix said slowly, "if we go back because of this, then ill be the next thing that takes us back? I kno things ith people If so stops us this soon, then all we’ll find out here are reasons to stop and start over"

"No way," said Benny

"No," agreed Tom

She picked up the first aid kit and thrust it toward To "Don’t This isall messed up"

"Let’s not add more drama," said Tom "I’m not that bad with a needle"

"Nix is beautiful," said Chong "She should always be beautiful"

Benny held up a hand "U out on a philosophical li to be beautiful"

"No doubt," agreed Toave a stubborn shake "Please I can’t deal with it knowing that it’s my--"

"As God is my witness," snarled Nix, "if you say it’s your fault one , I will beat you unconscious and leave you for the zo’s mouth reue

He turned away and stalked to the edge of the clearing, then squatted down in the grass and laced his fingers over his bowed head

The first aid kit was still in Nix’s hand Tom hesitated, but then Lilah suddenly leaned in to snatch up the kit

"She will die of old age before you make up your mind," she said coldly "I’ll do it"

"Whoa," yelped Benny, rab for the kit "Do you even kno?"

Instead of answering, Lilah pulled up her shirt to show her midriff There were three healed-over scars, one at least nine inches long The scars were as thin as threads Benny stared Lilah had a flat, tanned stomach and the curved lines of superbly toned h for co to sweat

Tom, quietly amused, reached up and pushed Lilah’s hand down a few inches

Nix gave Benny another of those deadly green stares and fired one at Lilah, as oblivious to it Her understanding of personal modesty was entirely from books and not at all from practical experience