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She recognized that her interest in the relativeto find a distraction froain The idea that she ht never come home fro to the Ring, she saw a future in which she never held Naain Never smelled her hair Never kissed Nono, or climbed into a wars being ripped away fro physical she’d suffered She didn’t wipe away the tears that ca here she wanted to see

When sorabbed her fro for some new horror to reveal itself

It was Tilly

“Oh, thank God,” the woh to send neaves of pain through her shoulders “I went to your room and there was blood on the walls and you weren’t there and so back, Anna just put her cheek against Tilly’s for a o “Are you okay?” She was looking at the gash on Anna’s chin

“My face is fine Just a little cut But et help Alonzo Guzman’s in his room, and he’s hurt Really hurt Do you knohat happened?”

“I haven’tAnna first one way, then the other, looking her over critically “Move your hands Okay Bend your elbows” She felt Anna’s shoulders “They’re not dislocated”

“I think they were for a second,” Anna said after the gasp of pain Tilly’s touch brought “And everything else hurts But we have to hurry”

Tilly nodded and pulled a red-and-white backpack off one shoulder When she opened it, it was filled with dozens of plastic packages with tiny black text on them Tilly pulled a few out, read theing off of three small injection ampules

“What is that?” Anna said, but Tilly just jabbed her with all three in answer

Anna felt a rush of euphoria wash over her Her shoulders stopped hurting Everything stopped hurting Even her fear about never seeing her faain see when it happened,” Tilly said, tossing the e like a forklift had run over me I think my ribs were popped out of place I could barely breathe So I dug up this pack froency closet in my room”

“I didn’t think to look there,” Anna said, surprised she hadn’t She had a vague reat Better than ever before And sharp Hyper-aware Stupid not to think of the eency She wanted to slap herself on the forehead for being so stupid Tilly was holding her ar that? They had work to do They had to find the medics and send them after the poet

“Hey, kiddo,” Tilly said, “takes a second for that first rush to ease down a bit I spent a fullto resuscitate a pile of red paste before I realized hoired I was”

“What is this?” Anna asked, es of Tilly’s face blurry

Tilly shrugged “Military-grade aave you an anti-inflammatory too Because what the hell”

“Are you a doctor?” Anna asked,at how smart Tilly was