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There was a s roo up to rattle the grill It didn’t budge, thanks to the screws that were holding it in place That was a se I knelt and took er This was a nice departers

I sainst the floor until it broke Then I scavenged through the pieces until I found a splinter of the right thickness and flexibility to serve my intended purpose "If they didn’t want me to learn to improvise, they should’ve kept the shelter better funded," I ot to work

It took less than five rate It swung drunkenly down, revealing the empty black chasm on the other side There was a chance that was exactly what it was: a hole, rather than a tunnel I paused, looking into the dark, and asked ht course of action It could get me killed

Even killed was better than captive I hopped down froh to strip and putcare to tuck the tank top intoover it Hopefully, it would be enough padding to keep es inside the vent

This was it: this was the moirl I’d always been, or whether I was ready to becoh to crawl into the dark alone, and see where the risk would take her So to seeto see Nathan again

I was going to survive, and then I was going to find Tansy, and ere going to get through this

I reached up, grabbing the open edge of the vent, and hoisted myself into the unknown

INTERLUDE II: DIPLOTENE

History will remember my name forever Isn’t that the truest fore the world

–DR STEVEN BANKS

I don’t think "human" means what people tellthat matters is underneath the skin