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"It was justit started as a carjacking The two guys were out of their heads on so else when they realized o Molove box They panicked, thinking she had a gun, too Dad tried to cover her It was over so fast"

"Are you sure they’re dead?"

The stench of blood and s of pain starts at the back ofdru so I don’t have to hear Mia’s screa

"God," she said, "of course you are I’ to clear her throat until she gives up, and I see the first tears collecting on her lashes

"Your folks?" I ask

I didn’t like the Dahls At all Sanized it I don’t kno someone like her could survive in a house that’s just sostiff Stiff words, stiff hugs, stiff dinners Mom felt so sorry for her, liked to tease out Sa she lacked at ho with the good stuff My house in Bedford was loud and ht the s "Dad walked me to school That was the last I saw or heard from them"

I don’t knohat to say to that that wouldn’t be horrible and offensive to the people who raised her I can’t do anything, but lean against the crate Saine what it would be like if there wasn’t that barrier between us, if we’d lived our lives the way they were supposed to pan out The s just leave me hollow But I know Sam is there I know she is

"Do you still see Greenwood?" Sam asks softly

"Not like I used to," I say "There are other things I need to focus on Remember" I wish I still had the kind of heart to come up with the stories I used to They were so pure and siot to be the hero

But there’s no room left for play or pretend in our lives Even thesestolen for reality I need my shell, but I can’t lose et lost in the sweet glow of the past

"I think about them all the time," Sam said "There was this one--Mia was the sorceress and she took over the fort and held you captive I can’t reh"

I have to smile Mia had a flair for the dramatic She was happiest as a sorceress, an evil queen, or monster--and even happier if Mom let her raid her makeup to complete the look "She could control the ani her" Including her stuffed Tiger, Ty-Ty, because, of course, why couldn’t there be large predator cats in Greenwood?

"And she’d turned you into a beast, too! How could I forget?" Sained it "Her weakness ater I broke your Super Soaker"

"But then you realized you could sing her to sleep," I say "Saot the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart"

"And I’m so happy, so very happy" Her voice drifts off as she ss hard "I missed you Is this even real? I can’tIs this really happening?"

"I’onna bet Ito do hat I am, but who I am, who I want to be "It feels the sa, but if she hts overhead suddenly snap on and I rocket to -like daze rips away froainst the metal bottom of the crate In the second before she disappears froht, I see the desperation on her face, and I’m cut in half by the kind of pain that’s worse than any baton, any shock, any blade My ear is buzzing with updates, the Control Tower coh with a firm "Power at full capacity, return to schedule"

I force myself to walk toward the door, back toward the wall of crates, then toward the door again, trying to play offOlsen said to leave when notified that surveillance was operational--technically I haven’t been notified of that, only that the power is on That’s an excuse they’ll buy, I think, that I took her words literally They think our heads are vacant, waiting for thehts or orders they want us to have I can play du to leave Sa to be able to concentrate on what I ca the part of perfect toy soldier I’ but Sa about joy and happiness, and it stops s open behind ust of wind I setstance, like I could be the wall that keeps it fro for soive to Olsen for why I’m still here