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"Yeah," he muttered "Time for self-pity Poor me Poor Sam"

He meant it to sound ironic, but it caood case of resentment, too He’d been rejected by both birth parents: two for two

And yet, Caine still had Diana, didn’t he?

Hoas it fair? Caine was a liar, ain satin sheets with Diana eating actual food and watching a DVD Clean sheets, candy bars, and a beautiful, willing girl

Caine who had never done a single good or decent thing was living in luxury

Sa he could, was sitting in his house with a raging headache, s a hole in his stoas station any day he had so the hills behind hi four birds and a badger and two raccoons and a bag of squirrels He forgot how h

It was a lot to carry If you added it up it was probably about as heavy as carrying a kid Not as heavy as a deer though--those he had to butcher and carry down in pieces

No deer today And he had not yet butchered Old Lion That was a big job He wanted to keep the skin in one piece, so he had to take his time

He would wear the lion’s skin over him when he had dried it out It would be warm and re over one shoulder He roped the other aniether and draped the rope over his other shoulder He had to be careful about that, though, because of the thing on his shoulder

That kid na a wheelbarrow He didn’t look very happy Every day Hunter cairl named Marcie Marcie was nice But Hunter knew she was scared of him Probably because he couldn’t talk well

"Hey, Hunter," Roscoe said "Dude, are you okay?"

"Yes"

"You’re all clawed up, man I mean, jeez, that has to hurt"

Hunter followed the direction of Roscoe’s gaze His shirt was ripped exposing his sto to scab a little, were plowed right across his stoerly But it didn’t hurt In fact he couldn’t feel it at all

"You’re a tough dude, Hunter," Roscoe said "Anyway, looks like you have a good haul today"

"I do, Roscoe," Hunter said He spoke as carefully as he could But still the words didn’t sound like how he ue was covered with glue

Hunter carefully lifted the rope off his shoulder He was careful not to scrape the thing on his shoulder He set the ani and dumped the squirrels on top They all looked the sah Sometimes he cooked their heads and sometimes their body It wasn’t that easy to aim the invisible stuff that radiated out of his hands

He forgot what it was called Astrid had so okay, Hunter?" Roscoe asked again

"Yes I have food Andis dry after I cleaned it in a streaot fresh water to wash in, huh?" Roscoe asked "I’m jealous Feel this shirt" He invited Hunter to feel the stiff saltwater-washed cotton