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I could see lass--see how she led mass of dark hair, clothes that would have otherwise been too small if camp hadn’t made me so damn skinny I could see bones in my chest I didn’t know existed I ran around to the other side of the car, putting theout of the trees

"Please!" My voice was hoarse Martin’s bellowing voice was either echoing around incloser The s’ tint was light enough that I could look through them and ski closer, then Cate and Rob wouldn’t be far behind Theyby now

Two choices, Ruby, I thought Go back or run

My head and heart were in agreement on run, but the rest of my body--the parts that had been tormented by White Noise, poisoned, and mistreated by people who clairound I sagged against the minivan, deflated It was like so the handle until every ounce of air and courage had been squeezed out ofI could ever get away froer to set for ht it would be any different on the outside

I heard footsteps crashing through the trees and undergrowth, louder with each second When I looked up again, Cate’s startlingly blond hair eaving in and out of the trees, glowing under the drizzly clouds like a firefly

"Ruby!" I heard her call "Ruby, where are you?"

And then there was Rob, walking right behind her with the gun in his hands I looked right to the houses on the street’s dead end Farther down the opposite end of the street, I saw signs with synize--but that, the unknown, that had to be better than going back to Cate

The little girl inside of the car looked at ether, pulling down into a frown One hand was clenched on the door handle, the other on her seat’s armrest She started to stand once, only to sit back down and look one more time in my direction

I swiped at my face with the back of irl kneell enough to hide herself when Cate and Rob ran after me I’d lead them as far away as I could--it was the least I could do after scaring a few years off her life

I hadn’t even fully turned to go when I heard the door roll open behind me A pair of hands reached out and seized the back of rip When she yanked, I fell back, hitting the closest seat My neck snapped against the arh carpet behind the front passenger seat The door roared shut behindin et settled She cli

"Okay, okay," I said, crawling toward her My fingers slid against the ray carpets With the exception of a few stacked newspapers and tied-off plastic grocery bags tucked under the rear seat, the inside of the minivan was pretty well kept