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Korech stood directly in front of et by I nodded and slid past hi directly on my heels, and I half-expected Korech to stop hihtened the pillows and couches, and Blue helped her move the furniture He smiled at us but didn’t co the warm breeze, I took a deep breath

“Ripley! Kitty kitty!” I shouted, stepping off the porch into the sunlight Lazlo stayed right with et in the SUV and go,” Lazlo whispered He leaned in close to me, his dark eyes intense and worried “Do you have the keys?”

“Of course I do” I had taken them with me and locked the SUV behind me I didn’t trust Korech, so I o”

“We’re not leaving Blue and Harlow here,” I brushed hier a fewwhat I hoped was a zombie arm, but that was all “What happened that has so you freaked?”

“I don’t know” Lazlo kicked at the ground “You know the other ‘boys’ who live here? There are only three of them, and they’re twelve, nine, and five” He looked atfor it to sink in “Korech is the only adult male here”

“I get it,” I said in a hushed tone and stepped further from the house “But Harlow likes it here”

“Then leave her here,” Lazlo said withouta beat

“No,” I scoffed

“She is safe,” he pointed out “They want her They love her And as much as this place creeps me out, it’s the safest place I’ve been to since this whole zoet killed or infected here Sheindoctrinated into a cult?” I shook my head, and pushed away any of the points he ed, but I don’t think he even believed that “It doesn’t matter The world is a different now, Reht all be worth staying here for”

“If you really believe that, then why are you telling me to leave?” I asked “If it’s worth it to stay, then why shouldn’t I?”

He ht away

“You wouldn’t survive,” he said finally “Even if you weren’t trying to find your little brother Korech can’t break you”

“Let me talk to Harlow I can’t leave here without her” I squinted up at the bright sunlight “Until then, stop acting like such a spaz He’s not gonna kill you right in front of everyone”

“How do you know?”

“I won’t let him,” I proo back inside before the worship thing starts I’ll look for Ripley later”

“So you really just found that lion on the side of the road?” Lazlo asked as alked back to the ranch

“Yeah Why? Did you just think that I had a pet lion?”