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"They didn’t," I say, fiercely "I’irls did not do that"

"Well, they ended up at the bottom of a shaft somehow," Cooper says "And while I know you’d like to think it’s because some evil man pushed them, there are nearly a thousand kids who live in this doruy shoving his girlfriend down an elevator shaft? And don’t you think that person would have told someone what they’d seen?"

I blink a fewelse to say

Then he looks at his watch "Look I’ain later? Because I’ve got to go"

"Yeah," I say, faintly "I guess"

"Okay See you," he says And continues down the stairs at a clip so fast, there’s no way I’ll catch up with hi below, he stops, turns, and looks up at ly blue

"And just so you know," he says

"Yes?" I lean eagerly over the stair railing The reason I’ this on your own, I a--he’ll say, is because I can’t stand the thought of you putting yourself in harm’s way You see, I love you, Heather I always have

"We’re out of milk," is what he says instead "Pick some up on your way home, if you reone

10

Let’s run away

Someplace that’s

Warm all day

I’ll make it worth your while

If you stay

I said

Let’s run away

Throw all our cares away

They can’t tell us

What to do

This time it’s just