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Xander knew better than to underesti, a deadly coated with care

"And?" Xander asked, when neither of the armed women spoke "What of Charlie’s parents?"

Brooklynn stepped forward, her full lips set in a hard line She didn’t speak i out the anticipation, and he wondered if the pause was calculated--like so s she did--for effect

But Eden, ever impatient, wasn’t one for premeditated suspense "They were too late," she told Xander, her shoulders squared, her jaw tight "The girl’s parents were already gone"

XV

Breakfast was interesting The dining hall was run less lik K ru PȊe anized restaurant and more like a frenzied free-for-all The "kitchen" was set up at the end of a blocked passageway and was surrounded by rows and rows of mismatched tables, chairs, crates, and boxes, all used as places to eat Several people ate standing up, scooping their food fro with things like utensils or es of the crowded space, finding a spot wherever they could in corners and against walls, see crushed between the bodies that packed the tables

Eight huge vats were lined up along one entire wall, every one of therains that had been cooked to a pasty mush Thethe distribution of the hot cereal, and le bowl

Angelina, Sydney, and I waited silently in line for our turn, as Angelina stared in wide-eyed awe at all the sights and sounds and colors The elina I couldn’t see a single tooth in his u, and what her doll’s nah he scarcely took a breath betords and didn’t seem to notice that she never answered any of his questions in return

When it was our turn, we politely took our bowls, allowing a large wo ladle into each of them, and then ove our way in and around the tables until we found three seats together

What the soggy bowl of grains lacked in odor, and even color, it made up for in substance It was thick and hearty, and I encouraged Angelina to eat even though she didn’t want to I wasn’t sure how long we’d be down here, or efelt uncertain at this point

I stared at Sydney, sitting across froht transforray, a pallor closer to death than to life I knew because I’d lain awake listening to her sleep, worrying over her every breath This ht’s sleep, her cheeks were pink again, and her eyes clear, despite the blood that was still caked in her hair and alongside her face

"Tell ht," I begged Angelina in a whisper that only she could hear