Page 43 (1/2)

“Re toas two or three city blocks, the brick alcove had sed me towards one, while other soldiers led Harlow, Lazlo, and Blue to separate ones Once they realized where they were going, Lazlo and Harlow began fighting the, and under ordinary circumstances, I would’ve cal o “No, please You don’t understand I have to see my brother”

“It’s just standard procedure,” Tatum said flatly He opened the door to one of the shacks, and he had to physically lift me up by my arm and toss ed for the door, narrowly gettingin before he slammed it shut I’d have a nasty bruise for days after, but it’d be worth it “No! I have to see Max!”

“Calm down!” Tatum was bewildered by the insistency in my reaction “It’s just a clean hut! We leave you in here for three days to o find your brother or do whatever the hell it is you want to do!”

“No, please! Just letin As hard as I tried, he sla at him “Please! I have to see Max! Please! Just let me see him, and then you can do whatever you ith me!”

He didn’t answer, not that I blamed him I’m sure he walked away froainst the cold, heavy metal of the door and breathed in deeply A frustrated tear slid down my cheek, and I wiped it away

I turned back to look at the roo up after other conta fro, so at least they had electricity

The rooht cell No s No toilet, just a bucket in the corner for excreainst the wall The only other things in here were me, the blanket, and the clothes onthe blanket tighter around me I had never feltback tears I had co Max, and I had lost it at the lastmy knees up toTatum, I’m sure, wouldn’t hesitate to kill me as soon as I showed definite symptoms This quarantine appeared to be much more secure than the last one The brick walls would be harder to penetrate, and the soldiers seeenius idea It was the sa so death or infection to everybody else It hadn’t worked out so well for Ol’ Yeller, and it wouldn’t for

It would be a nice, safe place for Lazlo, Harlow, Blue, and otten so involved with other people, because I knew they would only slow me down But I couldn’t help it I couldn’t just leave them behind, and I couldn’t not care because it would be easier that way Max would understand that

I curled up on the cot and waited to die

– 16 –

When you know you have less than three days to live, sleep beco else to do at all So, but they sounded too far away to really talk to