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Thomas’ body went limp His arms fell back onto the seat beside us

Emma, flatten yourself

It was like Carter was there I could hear hi me what to do

Make yourself as little as possible They’re coht not think you’re there You need to be still

I started treht back I wanted to run away I wanted to find a gun and start shooting But I didn’t I listened to what I know Carter would’ve told me

I needed to be calm I needed to be rational

I closed my eyes and lay there Then I escaped Myto happen I reood memory from ere kids

"Coht, and you’re on popcorn duty"

A norht ht with ht They weren’t out doing whatever they did They were safe Carter was safe

My body ware of adrenaline had ot off the bed, put my book away, and walked down the hall I could hear theuy nahed, but not as much as my brother

My knees were a little unsteady I was always like this AJ said it was puberty It was because of Carter, though Then I stood in the doorway to the kitchen AJ had his ar motions in the air "I don’t need to worry about him Dude, I’ether Dunvan’s all talk He won’t do shit You know that He’s been threatening the same crap for years now"

As ainst the counter His eyes slid past AJ to rew somber

I usually looked away That’s what I did Everyone liked Carter at school All the girls talked about him, and when he looked at ht, feeling brave for some reason, I stared back at him

There was a bruise on the side of his jaw He’d been hit at the corner of his eye too My eyes fell to his hands, and I didn’t know if I should be relieved or not, but I was His knuckles were swollen and red He’d fought back Whoever had hit him, Carter had stood up for hiaze, aselse

I wasn’t listening I don’t think Carter was either

I could hear as happening around me now, but I stayed in my memory I was happy there I was safe

They were in the car

Twobecause I was unconscious But I wasn’t I was hiding I was pretending

A seatbelt unclicked, and I heard a thud Then they were gone

I could hear theunshots