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"Is Sam there?"

"I hope so," Astrid said fervently "But anyway, Dekka and Brianna are there, or will be soon, and Lana will heal Brianna" It struck Astrid that just yesterday she’d snarked to Sa their difficult child Without that child they would all be dead now

"Orc is co with us to protect us on the way If alk fast, and we help each other out, we’ll be there by ot killed," a little boy said

"Yes, we do," Astrid said softly "But not tonight"

"My sister’s dead," the boy said "She’s burned up"

"Your brothers and sisters and friends want you to live," Astrid said, her voice quivering with eht now, tonight, we have to live"

In the end, three kids stayed behind Astrid didn’t have the energy or the certainty to compel them And she was fairly sure that she herself, and her little band of wanderers, would also be dead before they ever reached Perdido Beach

There would be no : it was not time to plan for after It was still tiht

A tent pole stood stark, its surrounding nylon all burned away Astrid looked for so So she bit the hem of her shirt, ripped at the small tear, and with some difficulty tore off a six-inch-wide swatch of fabric

She yanked out several strands of her hair, twisted them into a knot with the fabric, and ja

It would have to do

Sa for air,with exhaustion Neither was fit for what had turned out to be an hour-long run punctuated by pratfalls and scrapes

As they pelted down the slope they could see that it was too late The devastation was total

Sam fell to his knees "Astrid! Astrid!"

There was no answer

"Give us soriether, surfer dude, you’re no good to her freaking out"

Saain, but it was all he could do to stand up The houseboat was a hull, i, but burned down to the waterline She was dead

She was dead The ht!" Caine yelled, and shook Saed hi tires was in the air The fires burned low, consurisly fuels The lake itself was black Saht up in the air, ten, twelve feet, then sent it drifting across the settleht Burned cars, burned tents Burned bodies

Sam rushed to the nearest body No, too short to be Astrid

"You don’t want to do that, man Because if it is her you don’t want to see it"