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"We have to cool him down," Dahra said "Virtue? Hold down the fort here, okay? We’re going to the beach"

Ellen and Dahra maneuvered Pookie into a wheelbarrow The three of them made an odd procession down San Pablo Avenue to the beach

Crossing the sand was the hard part But finally they ed around hiured the cold salt water should drain away some of the heat inside Pookie’s body

"There," Ellen said "Hopefully he can walk back on his own"

Dahra flopped onto the sand beside Ellen Ellen said, "You heard about Drake, right?"

"Hiet hiot hione?" Dahra looked nervously over her shoulder No reason Drake would come after her But Drake didn’t need a reason "It’ll be okay Dekka and Brianna and--"

Pookie coughed, coughed, doubled over, choked on sea-water, and then coughed so powerfully that it made a clear indent in the water

"Whoa," Ellen said

Pookie sat up His head lolled back and forth like a hed and the force of it threw him backward into the water with a splash

Dahra ran to pull hiering

He coughed and it was like an explosion He flew backward Like he’d been hit by a car

"Oh, my God," Dahra cried

Pookie rolled over, on hands and knees, and coughed again so powerfully that sand flew So pink and raas sprayed across the sand crater

"No, no, no," Dahra ain and the force of it lifted him up onto his toes, bent him back in a C Blood sprayed from his mouth and drained out of his ears

With blank, unco eyes he stared at Dahra And fell dead, facedown in the surf

No one spoke

Dahra barely breathed

For several very long seconds Dahra stood paralyzed

She blinked "Ellen, quick, into the water Get wet all over Scrub off with your hands!" Dahra followed her own advice She plunged in and subed

When she came up, she yelled, "Now stay away from Pookie’s body Stay in the sun for a while Until you’re dry Sunlight is supposed to kill flu virus on your skin"

"Oh, hed his insides out"

"Just do what I tell you! Face up to the sun, I have to go!"